Dear friends..........meet Kinshasa
Kinshasa...........meet my friends!

This is the capital city of Congo, a city of 12,5 million people! That's a few more than where I currently live...........like about 12,450 million more!! The province of Ontario, in Canada, has 13 million, so that gives you some idea.....
As you can see, this city has some lovely areas for embassies and ambassadors. However, the majority of the city is very very needy!
We drove 90 Km's one day, from the centre toward the outskirts.........we did not reach the edge of the city!
We are currently commissioned, by a church with great vision, my dear Bethsaida, to plant a church here! Bethsaida Church is in Bukavu, on the east border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kinshasa is on the far west border.
I have been struggling to learn Swahili in Bukavu, and Kinshasa speaks Lingala!
More to come on this.........stay tuned!

We are so glad you have found us........stay tuned for updates!

testing.......testing........I am starting over with a new blog.

I locked myself out of the old one! Technology is tough!

Let me know if you have found me here please. I will continue to build this site if you are with me?

the Water Tank......

I may not have properly explained the water tank project.....

In Bukavu, there are many children who can not afford to go to school, they live in abject poverty and generation after generation faces increased hardship. This spiral can only be stopped by educating the children. A school was opened in this area and has struggled through a number of years on the small amounts the parents can pay.
Last year, a group of Canadian school children were learning about being global citizens. They decided to do something to help. With the funds they sent, a roof was put on two of the classrooms in Bukavu!
This year, with help from many of you, we were able to build a water tank. This is the first available water supply in the community!
Here is a quote from an email Rev. Raha sent;

"Accurately school has 324 children who have faced water shortage every single day, spending day in classes without having to drink clean water. The community and parents have expressed their deep appreciation.......the tank has a capacity of containing (10,000,00litres) by itself, it`s a work done and perfect."

To all of you who have helped make this possible....thank you again and again....from myself, but from many parents and children you may never meet in this lifetime!!

These hard working ladies carried 2 20L water containers uphill for 500M to help build the water tank at the school! 

This work helps them to provide for their families.

Many people fled Goma, to escape the violence, a few years ago. They are now returning. However, they live in refugee camps (mostly tents), at the base of the active volcano, which you see in the background. It overflows every 10 years or so........this is year 12, I think?! As you see, it is smoking quite a lot some days......really makes this prairie girl ponder things.......just knowing these people eliminates any sense of entitlement, under which I could keep the suffering of others at bay.......

Kinshasa

From a distance, the downtown area of Kinshasa can appear built up and prosperous. There are actually some embassy areas that are quite lovely. However many of the buildings that give the appearance of a thriving city centre, on closer examination were not quite what they seem...