the market.....

There are a few different kinds of bananas in this tropical climate. The tiny ones are my favourites I think. The fruit is incomparable! I would like some today.

For many, this is their sole income. As you see, there are many vendors, each one vying for customers. This gives rise to an atmosphere that is challenging to negotiate, for the foreign shopper!

My Goal.......

"God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life"
                                                - William Booth

(still working on it.........)

WOW!!

I have been locked out of this blog since February!!!

This is wonderful........I am so happy to be back!

I was only able to view the blog, but not post.

We are currently preparing for the next trip in September. We ill be going to Kinshasa this time. The needs there are also very great. We plan to find a facility where we can hold pastor seminars, and have the pastors come. This will save on a lot of travel costs for me.

I will leave you with this short update for now.......more to follow.......

It is good to be back with you!

Reality for many of Congo's children;

The negative spiral of wars in The Congo, have left the country with many orphaned children. The loss of six million people has left many orphans who have no future and depend on international organizations, churches and programs to give them support. The estimate for orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo at 4.2 million! (The population of Rome is 4.3 million.)

   “The United Nations estimates that tens of thousands of children in the Congo are fighting in armed groups, they are promised food, money or other benefits to the family.”   (Child Slaves in the Modern World)

            “Orphan-headed households are becoming increasingly common. As victims of discrimination, most of these children have no choice but to seek work, whatever the conditions, in order to survive.” (World of Child Labor: An Historical and Regional Survey)

            In eastern Congo, education is destroyed completely, many villages have no school. These villages are in unstable areas, therefore making it impossible to find someone who would teach there.

          The long term effects of these realities are devastating to the society of DRC. (I would say both now and for the future!)

Back in Manitoba now. Sharing at St Ouen's Church........thank you for the great response and reception!

In 3 weeks, a young girl from Congo, arrives in Winnipeg to attend university in the fall. Such an excitng opportunity for her. Can't wait to welcome her!

Today I will be in the school in Beausejour, Manitoba, to give them some idea of the lifestye of a Congolese child. Education is such a privilege!

I apologize for the delays in writing on this blog.......I will try to do better!

Presenting in Ontario today. Had the privilege of visiting this beautiful traditional church. Thank you for your warm welcome!

the Big Reveal.........

Great news!  We are in the planning stages of expanding our outreach to the west side of Congo, the capitol city of Kinshasa!

We will be initiating a church plant, in addition to the pastor seminars and humanitarian project of the past.

Kinshasa is a immense city sprawled over 9,965 km2 !! It is the home of the embassies and ambassador residences, as well as the leading officials and the president of Congo itself.

However, it is also a city of great extremes. There are homes and properties of great beauty, but the vast majority of the city is impoverished. One wonders how such extremes can co-exist?

There is also a new language for me to process. Lingala replaces Swahili as the language of choice on the west.

That being said, it is the people of Congo who hold my heart, and I look forward to being reunited with them this September! I will be spending 4 months in Congo this trip, and anticipate an adjustment period, as I transition to Kinshasa. I will keep you posted.......as long as my faux pas can be made public, of course!

My husband will be with me once our house sells. He is planning to teach English, and has a few other ideas to assist the ministry. I will leave that to unfold in the future (I hope....the near future!)