A few years ago, I was told by a pastor here in DRC, "A time is coming, when you will live here, and when you do, your heart will break like ours"

Yesterday, we were walking around a village and then sat in the marketplace for an hour or so.

I have found that when I take a photo, all you see is a tiny excerpt of the whole scene. It is so different when it is everywhere you look. Unimaginable poverty, need and suffering!

One house we entered was 10sq.ft (sorry metric speakers!) It housed a woman and her husband and their toddler. Their total belongings were on a small corner shelf. There was no blanket of any kind, just one insulated jacket. In order to sleep, they must hook the table on a wall somewhere? Then bed down on the dirt floor.

In the market for an hour, people in various stages of deprivation stopped to stare, point, laugh (my zoo-like experience). Quite nearby was a lady with an infant (impossible to tell the age....a few months perhaps?). The child has brain damage from starvation.

The sights smells, and sounds, were indeed heart-breaking! It brings to mind the shortest verse in the Bible "Jesus wept". I could feel it!

In spite of all the above, these faith-filled people, live with honour and dignity! For the most part, they respect themselves and others.

I am honoured to be among such courageous and noble people!
What a privilege to be here!

We have some significant opportunities to bring assistance. Please continue to hold us in your prayers. We need guidance, wisdom, and courageous faith!

this is so many places in Kinshasa!

Because of the support you send, we are able to respond to some of these needs, thank you again & again 💝!
I will be posting some of our projects in coming days, as we meet in some of the impoverished communities, to plan an appropriate response. (really tough choices to make......please keep praying for guidance for us?)

I always feel these eyes are looking directly at me.....asking.....waiting

visiting the church family..........

from the newest.....

to the oldest........ 

and everyone in between....

Hey kids......the camera is over there!!

We had a great time of prayer and sharing. These people are really marvellous!!!! How I love them!!

I know you would too if you could meet them and hear their stories!

This young man is setting out to look for water. It can take a long time to find it, and he may have to walk a long distance. Then the trip back home with the weight of the water suspended from the cloth on his head.

He may carry 2 or 3 at one time! (Pretty sure I couldn't manage ONE!)

I have seen them walking.....bent over and holding their head with both hands so that their neck can support the burden.

Building Community.......

As you know, TBA has a chicken farm in an outlying village. This project is supported by our capable missionaries, Ron & Elaine Fehr.

This project has provided work for some of the unemployed youth in the village, as well as eggs for the residents.

Last weekend, here in Bukavu, we received word that a thief had broken into the farm and ran off with three chickens.

However, the community saw him creeping into the farm and called all the neighbours. They came running, about 20 of them along with the chief! They ran after the man, but he hid in the field next to the farm. When the chief called Hilary, he could hear many voices calling out "we will find you", "where did you go?", "what have you done?" , "where is he?"

Ultimately, the thief made good on his escape. However, the villagers and the chief retrieved the bag with the hens in it and returned them to "their farm"!

Love their sense of ownership!

Sunday we were bringing the message in 2 different churches!

What a great time to connect with everyone! I wish all of you could meet all of them!

I hope to bring you some music to brighten your day......

It is dry season here. That means everything is this colour! These are actually green plants, under all of that dirt. Even the cars get covered daily. Ti is extremely difficult in the villages where they have little or no water!