2015…Off to an interesting start…
We read a quote today that sums up our recent experiences:
Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next
and then finally to heaven. Life is a
winding and troubled road. Switchback
after switchback. And the point of
biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Ester and Ruth is to help us feel in
our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is FOR US in all these strange
turns. God is not just showing up after
the trouble and cleaning it up. He is
plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for
our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.
In the first few days of 2015, we
have seen some switchbacks. This term
has been full of them. If we could
define our first term in one word, it would be “adventure”. The newness of it all, the start of so many
things. Yes, we experienced failures and
setbacks, but it was all a part of the “adventure”. It was all a part of starting something that
had “never been done that way before…”
So far, this term could accurately be
summed up in the word “switchbacks”. One
step forward, two steps back.
While being honest with you, we
attempt to focus on the positives. We
share with you the blessing and the good things we see God doing. We ask you to pray for our struggles and
issues that come up, but we don’t dwell on them. Please don’t think we’re changing this
emphasis. However, here is reality:
- We left Congo with an assistant pastor at our local church, with hopes that he would continue to grow in his faith and teaching abilities in order to one day (soon) have an autonomous local church…
- We came back to his almost immediate resignation, the church discouraged due to his lack of ability to handle the Word, and found that his wife has been actively practicing sorcery.
- We left Congo with a Mobile Bible Institute program off to a good start, one cycle complete, students enrolled, and 2 professors trained and ready to teach them…
- We came back to 2 professors at odds with each other, having personal and family issues, not faithful with the tasks and things that were left for them, and very discouraged.
- We left Congo with working internet…
- We came back to no internet and a $1000 bill to have it fixed.
- We left America, following the instructions we were given for the renewal of our children’s’ passports…
- Just after arriving in Congo we found out that we were given incorrect instructions by the passport office. Now we all have to take a special trip to Kinshasa to do the process again.
This brings us to 2015. We have worked hard these last few months to
have water. Mini-dry season is coming
(about 1 month with little to no rain in the middle of the “rainy season”). We started our cistern at the end of last
term; we have been working on finishing it up and building a water tower. The plan was to catch the rain water from our
roof in the cistern and pump the water from there into the tank on top of the
33 foot tower. Building this tower took
a lot of time, patience, and engineering! Pipes were then run from the cistern
to the tank, and from the tank to the house.
We had running water in our house for 2 days. 2 whole days.
This year has been incredibly dry by rain-forest standards…but we have
been filling the cistern little by little as the rains came. We had about 1200 gallons saved up. On January 2nd, we got a great rain
storm. Out of curiosity, we lifted the
lid of the cistern…it was almost full!
It will hold a total of 1700 gallons of beautiful, clean, precious rain
water and we were at about 1600 gallons.
We waited for a little while, ready to divert the water as to not
overflow the cistern. When we checked it
again, it looked less rather than more.
Hmmm. That’s not right. We waited a little longer. Yes, it looks like the water is going down,
but we watched helplessly as there was nothing we could do. In the morning we found that we had lost all
but a few inches of our water. 1600
gallons of water, gone. Four weeks’
worth of water (if we are prudent), gone.
The underground cistern broke. (A
cistern, that humanly speaking, should have lasted well past our
lifetime.) Now not only do we not have
any water in reserve, we also have no way to get the water into the tank on the
tower. (When it was closer to the
ground, we could bucket it in.) Instead of having easier water, it is now much,
much, much harder. Two steps back.
No, we are not giving up. No, we are not blaming God. This is just yet another switchback. Another turn. Now we press on, looking forward toward seeing
how God can use all this for His purpose and His glory…
On the Positive Side…
Not all things have been disappointing.
We also have been working on the library/office building for the Bible
Institute. It is now “done” (Congo “done”),
the books are on the shelves, and we plan to open it next week! We have just over 200 books in the library so
far…a good start! Sparky already moved
into his office, and the Bible Institute office is up and running.
We started a ladies’ Bible study and are meeting in the new
library. The first week we had 18, but
it has slowed down to a core 5-6 that come regularly. Please pray that these ladies will continue
to come and encourage others to join us.
Lord willing, we will begin a study on the life of Joseph when we return
from Kinshasa in February.
The Bible Institute professors seem to be getting along better and
making efforts to deal with their personal struggles. Sparky finished teaching them the next set of
classes, and they are now preparing for their final exams on Tuesday.
Looking Ahead
Lord willing:
January
8-10 ELBC Director Committee meeting
(here in Dibaya)
12-14 ELBC General
Assembly (also here in Dibaya)
16 Heading
to Kinshasa
23 Appointment with the Kinshasa embassy about our
kids’ passports
February We
hope to return to Dibaya during the first few weeks of
February. This will depend on what they tell us at the embassy
and how quickly we can gather supplies for the next 6 months in
the interior.
February. This will depend on what they tell us at the embassy
and how quickly we can gather supplies for the next 6 months in
the interior.
8 Kristina leaves to go back to the USA
19 Titus’
12th birthday
“And not only so,
but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
and patience, experience; and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is
given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
Time in Kinshasa