This little one is holding her 'before' shoes, and wearing her new ones.....

They are showing you their appreciation and happiness, for the school uniforms and books....

Tupende Wazee (to love seniors)

This was a WOW day!!!

The seniors of Bukavu are marginalized and suffering. They remain in their rooms, dependant on someone caring to feed them or even care.

*Mapendo, received a vision from God to start a program for these people. Saturday was the first meeting! Not just the first meeting of this group, the first meeting of any program focused on seniors, in Bukavu......ever!

The response was very moving! "How did you get such an idea?"  "We sit at home with no food, and often have no one to come"
One lady cried with joy! They were so happy......you cannot imagine how their hearts were encouraged and how thrilled they were to feel they had somewhere to go where they counted!

Words fail me to describe how big this was!

*Mapendo and Raha are part of our team in Africa. We depend on their wise counsel, and we are so honoured to work alongside them!

These are the orphans cared for by Bethsaida Church.
A caring donor has paid for their school fees!

However, they still could not enter the schools because they have no uniforms or supplies.

With school opening in just a few days, the need was urgent.
Thanks to TBA's compassionate donors, we were able to meet that need!

Thanks to you!

today we tried something different......

we went out to the "highways and the byways' to invite some of the most impoverished from around the church, to come for a good meal.

It was a really fabulous meal, they could not believe it!

The result was....after hearing the Word of God.....around 20 decided to become followers of Jesus!!!

You can only see the middle section here, there were more on the sides.

Some of the elderly were unable to make it up the stairs where the food was being served, so church volunteers were coming down the steps with a plate, heaped with freshly cooked traditional foods,  in each hand. They walked right over to the elderly, and bowed before them to honour them, and gave them each a plateful! I admit to being quite moved by this expression of God's love for His people!

These people were absolutely electrified by the Word! What a day!

(This is now 12 hours later.....I just heard that many of these people said they are going to come to this church! Some also asked about being baptized! To God be the glory!)

We have just finished a 3-day conference on Leadership.
We were expecting 80 people, but welcomed 110!
God was faithful every day to reveal His presence to us! We felt the weight of His words "I am their God and they shall be my people!"
They were VERY blessed to be served a meal each day of the conference.
They send great thanks & appreciation! I believe it is a physical sign to them that they have a Christian family who care about them and send their love and support!

just adding a photo of that fire:

This week, fire ripped through a section of Bukavu. 500 homes were lost! No lives lost, thankfully!
Apparently, the UN tried to reach them to help, but could not because there are no roads there.
The surrounding homes are thanking God for stopping the fire, as there was no reason for it to stop. It just stopped.
Given the state of the buildings in the area, it really could have been a lot worse!

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!