Full Hands

What would you ask Jesus to teach you if you had the opportunity? The disciples took the opportunity to ask him to teach them about prayer. Learn more in this message

Full Hands 8/26/07

The Man Truck

God delights in using little things and ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Like the Man Truck for example!
The Man Truck

Love Your Enemies

Following Jesus is not always an easy thing to do, especially when he says we are to love our enemies and pray for those persecute you. Hear what Sue Swanson has learned about this in her message from July 22, 2007
Love Your Enemies

Congo XII

Friday August 3

We went out to the Elikya center project again this morning, but this time the Free Church President (Selenga) and V.P. Ibengi took us around the property and shared the vision for the place. We heard once again about the housing for widows and orphans, the garden plots they will have (for food and income) and more about the training they will do. Some of the training is already occurring in other locations (seamstresses, for example), so the training buildings will be put to use as soon as they are completed. The director’s house is almost finished and they have been using the construction on that to begin training some boys in masonry.

Across the road (we would say a trail) is a large piece of property that Habitat for Humanity was developing. But they have pulled out of the country, so Tom has approached them about letting the Free Church build homes on it and using the original 120 acres for gardens, training buildings and other things. Tom thinks the property is large enough for about 1,000 of the style of homes Habitat was building. Habitat has been very open to the idea and the talks seem to be progressing. The homes would be fairly small and would house two widows and 3-4 orphan girls each. At this point the estimate to build a home is between $2,500 and $3,000. It left me wondering if Cornerstone could raise that amount in a year? If we had this as an ongoing project for 3-5 years they would build 3-5 homes. A pretty significant thing in my mind.

The training buildings (and the equipment they will need) will be more expensive, perhaps $75,000 each, and a church in the U.S. is helping with the first building, which is good to see.

After our time at the Elikya property we gave a ride to a boy who is in the Global Fingerprints sponsorship program. He wanted us to see his home so we stopped for a little bit. He is an orphan who is living with his sister and her family. The home is the typical mud-hut and is in disrepair. It will stand for a while longer until the termites eat the branches used as a frame, then it will collapse and they will build another like it.

As we walked up to the hut Tom pointed out the boy’s sister and said she suffered from Cretinism. A condition resulting from the lack of iodine as an infant it causes the body and mind to not develop properly and thus creates other problems, as you might imagine. So the Global Fingerprints staff not only is working with the boy, but his sister and her family presents needs and challenges, too. What an important work they are doing.

When we returned from the tour we had opportunity to meet with about 25 of the widows who are being helped by the ministry. We sat under a couple of trees and listened as each told her story. Although each was unique, there were some themes that came up in several of the stories. One such theme was that when a husband dies in the Congo his family has the right to confiscate all his property. If they do, and it seemed like most do, then the widow can be left destitute. If she has children to care for it is even more distressing.

To compound matters, there is an attitude in the Congo that a man should only marry a virgin. Thus a widow has no chance of remarrying and finding stability in that manner (this is also true for a teenage girl who gets pregnant; she will be an unwed mother for life). It is a horrendous practice especially as men are not expected to be virgins themselves. To me this is a clear example of what sin does to people.

So another theme that came up was that many of the women were homeless. They had lost the house to the in-laws or else they had no means of upkeep and effectively were homeless. It was very difficult to listen to. The third theme that came up a number of times was that many of the widows where caring for their grandchildren. Because of the war and the ravages of AIDS, many of the widows have lost their children who in turn left orphans behind.

Yet even with their immense problems these women are ministering to others. When they meet each week, if they have anything extra (such as some salt), they bring it to the meeting to share with others who don’t have any. They make trips to the hospital and prison to check on people who may not have any family nearby. Without family nearby, the prisoner or patient is without a source for food or clothing, and so the widows try to help these people in their need. It is humbling as well as amazing to watch.

What a day.

Congo Blog XI

Thursday August 2

Last night we got to experience another African event. A wake of sorts. Someone had died and when he did the wailing began and the drums started playing. It did not matter that it was 11:00 p.m. when it began, it needed to happen. I understand that, but as the family lives about 100 yards from my room it made it difficult to sleep. The wailing (and music) went all night and throughout the day as people arrived for the burial. Think of the before school party at Campus Commons North, have go 24/7 for several days, and you will get an idea of the noise level. In the Congo the law requires the body to be buried within twenty four hours, so they get right after it and they keep at it.

To add to the lack of sleep one of the roosters began crowing nearby. In fact I thought it was just outside the window and got up to chase it away. The only problem was that it was in the guard’s room at the end of the building. Because of the way the guest house is built, this meant that it was like having the rooster in an echo chamber. Ugh!! As someone said this morning, “only one more night.”

A couple of us sat in on a women’s ministry meeting and learned some of what they are doing. Which happens to be a great deal. One of the things they do is to make and sell fabrics and/or clothing made from those fabrics. The money that comes in helps to provide income but they also use it to train more women. They have undertaken some serious projects but one of the things that stood out to me is that these women (mostly widows and one young unwed mother) also minister to others. They visit prisoners and those in the hospital to help any that have no family. In the prison, if you don’t have food brought in (and clothing) you don’t get any at all. The hospital is similar. So these very poor women (who take Matthew 25 about the Sheep and the Goats seriously) are ministering to those in worse condition than they (which is difficult to grasp in its own right). They truly are a group of Wassei Mattasei (woman of strength).

In the afternoon we met with Rachel Martin and Diolo to learn about the AIDS/HIV ministry. It was informative. They are working hard to educate the people regarding this scourge and are looking for ways to help treat those who are infected. They would like to be able to get Anti-retroviral medicines into the clinics, but many of those depend upon refrigeration which is not readily available. The cost is roughly $60/month for the meds, which is about 1/100^th the cost in the U.S., but that is the equivalent of two months pay (maybe more) and unless the government program helps the people they simply cannot afford it. In the meantime they are working through the church and the clinics to educate people about HIV and to encourage testing. Unfortunately, most people don’t want to be tested because it’s highly unlikely that they will get treatment. So they prefer to remain ignorant. On one hand, this is understandable, but on the other hand it would be nice if they knew and would adjust their sexual behavior. It is a huge challenge.

The engine that drives this project is the Global Fingerprints ministry that is just up and running. It is a sponsorship of orphans that provides for education fees, medical care, nutritional help and clothing. Part of the $20/month is used to help with the ongoing AIDS education program and outreach. It is a good idea that is working with over 300 orphans to date.

At the end of the meeting with Rachel and Diolo we went to the large church to meet some of the sponsored orphans. It was a neat time to be with the children and to hear them sing a song for us. I’m hopeful that people at Cornerstone will sponsor children in the upcoming months. $20 will go a long ways in helping a child have a shot at life.

We have talked frequently about the Congo being full of paradoxes and that came home to me again this morning. We met together as a team for some prayer and worship. It was quite a contrast as we are surrounded by great need, yet there was worship and praise and a very real sense of God’s presence. As the people continued wailing not far from where we met, there is peace here and a sense that life goes on.

During the prayer time an image came to my mind of two hands. One African, one American (or western). One was full of stuff while the other appeared empty. Yet I knew that it wasn’t empty. Although I could not see it, I could sense something of great substance and power in the hand (faith?). Jesus’ words to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:17-19 came to mind

¹⁷ You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

The Congolese brothers often expressed gratitude to the team and would say they had “nothing to give us” but gratitude. Yet in my mind that wasn’t entirely true. They have much to give in terms of faith and understanding God, and we have much to learn.

Congo Blog X

Wednesday August 1

Went to the Bobiko church today for the second seminar. It was about twenty minutes away in the other direction. They had printed up a nice welcome sign for us in English and though the turnout was much smaller, it too, was a good day. The ladies joined us for this day’s meetings and once again we did not sit on the platform. We were careful to have Thelma, Kathy and Bear (Beverly) up front with us and made sure they were engaged in the conversation, too. We hope that in doing this we are modeling greater respect for women.

Near the end of the seminar, as we answered questions, we encouraged the women in attendance to speak up. We knew there was a question among the women because they had approached Thelma during a break and asked if she would ask the question during the session. Thelma wisely declined, encouraging the woman to ask the question herself. When we resumed Thelma let us know the situation and so Kevin publicly encouraged the women to speak up.

After a period of silence a very nervous woman did finally stand up and spoke. Her question was why the church had a rule that a woman must be able to read to become a deaconess?

After some clarifying questions the Pastor Responsible spoke up. He said there was no such rule. So it appears that someone had said this to the woman in order to keep her in her place, but now the truth was out. It was good to see them experience the result of openness and dialogue. What the actual result in that particular woman’s life will be is hard to know. But I trust that when the truth is known freedom will follow. I’m also hopeful that the things we modeled will influence attitudes towards women. I find myself wondering if the most important thing that happened during our time in Tandala was Gordy’s public comments of high regard for Bear when he preached at one of the churches. Apparently pastors don’t do that and it caused quite a buzz when he did.

When we returned to Tandala we got things packed up and sent half of the group, plus as much luggage as possible, back to Gemena (including the two chickens tied on to the luggage rack). We were packed in tight and the 2-1/2 hour drive was long as we bounced down the road. But it was nice to get back and be able to send a note out on email.

Congo Blog IX

Monday July 30

Several guys went to see a bible institute four hours drive away. Calvin is working at the hospital, while Martin and I stayed here. I’m doing better but not feeling 100%. Partly because it’s warm and sticky.

Tuesday July 31

Today we held the first of two seminars for pastors and church leaders in a village about 30 minutes from Tandala (yay for Toyota Land Cruisers). When we arrived they got the word out to come to the gathering by playing a large drum made from a hollowed out log. Apparently it can be heard a couple of miles away. I asked Tom if they used various rhythms to communicate and he said it was unclear, but that the Church is pretty much the only ones who do this. So maybe it’s like the church bell? I decided to do my best imitation of my daughter Kaarin and danced to the drums. You would think the Congolese had never seen a white guy dance before. It was worth it to see the smiles on their faces!

Once again, while we waited, chairs were set out for us in the shade. I happened to sit in a chair that had a leather seat, and it reclined! It was very creative and downright comfortable. So I laid back and put my hat over my face. Even with the language barrier the people knew exactly what was going on and once again there was laughter all around.

When enough people had come for the meeting they had quite a reception for us with a long line of greeters. But the Pastor Responsible (a district superintendent) read a declaration of welcome first, including thanksgiving for those who first came with the gospel. This was not an unusual thing to hear as they are so thankful for the gospel and those who brought it. It was neat. When we finally got underway about 200 people came to the meeting, with some coming from 40 Km away on foot or bicycle (about 25 miles).

We did something unusual for the church here. We took our chairs off of the platform and put them on the floor. Protocol is important here and this may be unheard of. But we did it in order to be on the same level with them and to encourage a more interactive time. It seemed to work pretty well and once they warmed up they began to ask some very good questions about leadership. When we finished they fed us a meal and gave Kevin (as director of the African mission) a gift of a couple dozen eggs and two live chickens. It’s amazing how quite they are when held upside down. This is quite a generous gift for these people (just by comparison, a Caesarian birth costs about 2 or 3 chickens). So our driver strapped the chickens to the roof top carrier and off we went.

We wrapped up the day with singing happy anniversary to Martin. It was his 25^th anniversary and we wanted to help him celebrate. Someone cut up a cardboard box to make a card which we all signed and gave to him. Perhaps the only 25^th Anniversary card with “4 in 1 cleansing action” on the out side!

Congo Blog VIII

Sunday July 29

I woke up feeling pretty poor as my G.I. tract was not happy with something. I wrestled with whether or not I should preach, but after much encouragement decided to go for it. Kevin came with me in case I could not preach in which case he would step in for me. We dropped people off at the 4 other churches and when we arrived at our destination, the drums began to beat, calling folks to church. The drums are pretty much used only by the church and so remind me of the era of the church bell.

The deacons set out chairs for us under a tree where we waited about 10 minutes before joining the pastor for tea. We entered the building a little later and the service began close to 10:30, which is fairly prompt for a 10:00 service in Africa!

As the first choir sang people continued to make their way to church and eventually it was a full house. My how the Congolese love to sing! I think there were 5 different choirs during the service, if I kept track correctly. They also love to give. People brought portions from their gardens for offering to the Lord, which made me think of Proverbs 3 where it says Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops (:9). The church will either distribute some of the food to the needy or they will sell it to help pay for other expenses.

Then, near the end, came the offering. There were two baskets up front, one for the men and one for the women. As people stood to bring their offering music and song filled the air and the people began to dance as they made their way to the front! Oh to see the church in America give so generously and joyously. The Lord loves a cheerful giver and his heart must soar when those who are so poor give from such depth.

Congo Blog VII

Saturday July 28

We took a walk today to a hillside spring and saw a creative way of getting the people better water.

The missionaries knew that if they could help the people to get clean water for cooking and drinking that it would be a significant thing. But how could they do so knowing that the people tend to use the same water for everything (bathing, washing clothes, drinking)? One the natural resources in the Tandala area are springs. The missionaries figured out that if they cut the hill back about fifteen feet, filled the area with gravel and then built a concrete/rock wall to act like a dam, they could create a usable water source. Using PVC pipe like a spigot, the water can be captured in a pot or bucket for drinking separate from what is used for cleaning. (You can see the water flow in the middle of the picture I’ve posted). Maintenance is not in issue and the people get consistently better water. It is simple, effective and brilliant!

In the late afternoon a Pastor and his wife arrived by bicycle from Gemena on their way home from the pastor’s conference (75 km covered with about 200 km yet to go roughly 200 miles) They asked for prayer because he has been assigned to the Bible Institute way up north and they need to be out of their home by the 19^th of August. But to move their household and kids they need to rent a truck and even though a friend has one, it will cost about $300. Tom knows the couple well and told us this was a legitimate need. So we decided to pass the hat and came up with $270. They were greatly encouraged and I think it will make the 130 mile bicycle ride a little easier.

Then it was off to English Club at Dr. Zach’s with Mifila, Bofio, Narcis and chaplain Bell. Each of these men are doing pretty well with their English, although it’s difficult for them to improve without practice. So when we showed up they were quite excited to practice on us and, in fact, they did well. The laughter during the night was a wonderful contrast to the needs we see daily. Thank God for laughter!

Congo Blog VI

Friday July 27

Rain, thunder and lightening during the night (it is the rainy season here—dry season in the South) so our departure for Tandala was delayed to give the road a chance to dry out some. There is no pavement in the Ubangi except for the runway at the airport. The roads are clay and can get pretty messy. Fortunately they have been working on the road between Gemena and Tandala so it was in decent shape. In fact, at one point, the driver got up to 100 km/hr. We crossed several streams where people were washing clothes, bikes, themselves and then getting drinking water. Not the healthiest of situations.

After driving the 130 km (about 2 ½ hours) we received a big welcome with palm branches making arches, a children’s choir singing a song of welcome and a reception line. We went up to the hospital for a tour, and passed by a chimp on a chain. Apparently some soldiers caught it and kept it for some time, then tired of it and gave it to someone here. It has a chain around its neck and lives under a tree. A sad life that, in some ways, could serve as a metaphor for the situation in the DRC.

The hospital is fairly large with about 180 beds and various wards (maternity, pediatrics, post-op, surgery, etc…). But like everything else here it is in need of some serious maintenance work (50 gallons of paint and an airless sprayer would do wonders). The good thing is that during the war the hospital was left untouched. After the tour it left us amazed at what the doctors and nurses are able to do with so little. They are pretty much out of bandages and so have to wash, sterilize and reuse what they have. The same goes for latex gloves. Even so the doctors do amazing things. For example a teenager broke his femur and they were able to insert a rod and set the bone. He appears to be doing quite well.

Another thing they struggle with at the hospital is simple ignorance. People will go to the “village doctor” instead of the hospital and it can have serious results, or they simply won’t come in. One young boy was brought in by his father with an open fracture of the humerus. As the doctors inspected the wound and the protruding bone they found out that the break had occurred about a year ago. Why had the father waited so long to bring him in? He refused to say.

Then there is simple poverty. The cost of a live birth at the hospital runs 600 Congolese Francs, which is about $1.25. Even at that many women don’t come because of the expense. One funny event occurred when Calvin (the pediatrician on the trip) told the doctors that he gets paid $200 for a circumcision, Doctor Mifila exclaimed, “O, la, la! I get a chicken for a circumcision!”

I asked Dr. Zach how he kept his spirits up in such in place and he told me his time with the Lord each morning and jogging three times a week. It makes sense—spiritual and physical self-care. Even so, I don't think I could do it.

Congo V

On Thursday the 26th we relaxed and pretty much hung out. We drove out to the Elikya (means “Hope” in Lingala) project to see what is being developed for the widows and orphans. They have 120 acres on which the church is building a community to house and train widows and orphans. The idea is to build homes that will have two widows and three or four teen girls. They will also have gardens and a training center for sewing and other skills.

Habitat for Humanity has the property across the road and there is probably enough space there to put up about 1,000 homes. Unfortunately Habitat has decided to close down its operation because of all the difficulties they have experienced. So Tom is talking with them about the possibility of the church building on the property.

As the church has worked on this they realized that teen-mothers are also in very real need. Like the orphans, many of the teen mothers have had no life-skills development and so they will be included in the project, too.

Thursday evening the two people who are HIV positive visited with us. The man is/was a priest who somehow contracted HIV (sexual activity as a teenager is widespread so perhaps it was prior to his entering the ministry, he did not say and we were told it would be inappropriate to ask). The woman was infected by her husband. She had asked him if he was clean prior to marriage and he said yes, but it was not true. This is not unusual here and in fact is a major problem. Her husband died of AIDS and his parents blamed her. As her in-laws they were able to take all the property, leaving her destitute. Both are on drugs, but only a few can get them. Jesus did not factor in to the discussion at all, which was too bad.

Rachel Martin would like to see the clinic in Gemena dispense drugs, but that requires refrigeration and the cost is about $60/month (the average pastor salary is $30-40, so $60/month exceeds the monthly income of the majority of people). Because they can’t dispense drugs, people won’t get tested. Why be tested if there is nothing that can be done if the person is positive is the reasoning.