Mission News from Mulungwishi

January 22, 2005

[An update of the Christmas letter]

Dear Friends -- an added note

We know that many of you have already received our Christmas e-mail, At the same time, with so many e-mail addresses changing and additions, our list is constantly in a state of flux. Therefore, forgive us as we resend this with an added update.
First, we pray that your New Year finds you about the Lard's business. Learning and growing in Him. Our Christmas and New Year were quiet but for the most part the world it was just another day of suffering, wars, and chaos. Certainly those in the Pacific have a "hell" that is hard to imagine with the tsunami. We keep praying for them and the rescue workers among them.

Those of us here in Congo reflected that this country is going through its own "political tsunami" for the last 5 years. The death toll is estimated at over 3 million and continues with recent aggression by Rwanda. The UN estimates that a thousand die a day, mostly from malnutrition and lack of medical care. Our concern is for those who are raped, brutalized and the pillage of Congo's mineral wealth going unchecked. In the atmosphere of war and unrest, many in the world with power and money, keep acquiring wealth in ways that neglect the disadvantaged and the helpless! !

Many will say that these are the end times. We may want to retreat from the anguish that is so prevalent. However, we are called to live as "Children of light" and shine the Kingdom of God in the midst of so much darkness. We need to be creative in finding redemptive, peaceful and reconciliatory solutions to the cycle of violence which continues.

To help add light to this area, we are conducting a week long seminar for the church leaders in the Master's of Leadership program, the University faculty and the teachers of the Women's School at Mulungwishi. This time, the subjects are covering the role of women in leadership and how to do research to address the problems within our situation. The classes are lead by professors coming from different parts of the world.

We are in Lubumbashi for the seminar. In the mean time, classes are continuing at Mulungwishi. The students are back from their Christmas break and are working hard to finish the first semester in February. It will then be the mad dash to complete the academic year by the end of May due to possible national elections.

Be much in prayer for our Central Conference (the equivalent of the Jurisdictional Conference) February 4-11. The Bishop from another part of the Congo is retiring and a new one is to be elected. Please pray for these deliberations which are so important for the Congolese Church.

We will be praying and thinking of you. We love you,
David and Lori

Congo mailing address:
P.O. Box 22037
Kitwe, Zambia
Africa

Persons_mulungwishi @ hotmail.com  [without the spaces]

Please remember that our email system is elementary; messages sometimes take a week or so to get driven up to us from where they are received in Lubumbashi. So be patient with us.

This page was last updated 02/10/2005