Home, Sweet Home
We have arrived safely in Dibaya-Lubwe! We were pleased to be welcomed
by so many. We passed several of the men
from the church as they were fixing the road coming into our neighborhood, so
we could drive in more easily. After the roads we’d been on, that was such a
sweet gesture. Other church members were waiting for us at the property, and
greeted us warmly. After some key people
“forsaking” us and the work, it was so nice to see a few faithful ones!
Our house was in better condition than we anticipated. There is lots of dusting and cleaning to do,
but that is definitely to be expected. We were pleasantly surprised by nearly
everything working (including the internet!), the cistern full of water, both
our cats still alive, and no major termite damage. We have been gone for much
shorter lengths of time, and found things in much worse shape. We left Pastor Emanuel in charge of the house
and cats, and it is so very encouraging to have found a faithful man! What a
blessing to come home to a functioning house! I think God knew that with
everything else waiting for us here, we could use this extra measure of
grace.
The Classroom Building
The classroom building is a total loss.
We realized when we saw it, what had happened. This building was already on the property
when we bought it, so it was not constructed to our standards. When a big wind storm came in, it pealed the
roof right off, causing several walls to fall.
The rest was damaged by the following rains. There is nothing left to salvage, as the
roofing was twisted and bent beyond repair, and the remaining walls are
disintegrating. A temporary teaching
place has been set up beside the depot, but the classroom really has to be
rebuilt for us to continue the teaching ministry here, out of the elements.
Also, our ladies’ ministry (literacy program/Bible study) occupied one room in
that 3-room building; we would like to see that ministry continue. Please pray
with us for wisdom on how, when, and where to rebuild.
(Pictures are not loading right now, so I will put them on here as soon as I can.)
Nlemvo, and Other Answered Prayers
Last month
we included a small “box” that mentioned that we’d found a commercial printer,
but were unable to purchase it with our current financial situation. Due to limited space in the letter, we didn’t
give many details. It uses a stencil printing method, so it works a lot like a
printing press. When printing several copies, the cost of using this printer is
significantly less and it is much faster than an inkjet or laser printer. This printer was made specifically for use in
Africa. It is a stand-alone unit, with
its own solar panels, batteries, and inverter.
This means it can be placed over in the Bible Institute office, instead
of taking up space and power at our house. Since we are always limited on both,
it would be a blessing to have it located at the office! Since we have to write
a lot of our own materials, and produce many of our own books for the Bible
classes, this would be a huge blessing… We are always amazed at the response of
God’s people! The printer has been provided
for! What an amazing answer to prayer!!!
The
internet is working! Last term, we
switched internet providers. The cost
was much lower per month, and the equipment stayed working much more reliably.
The catch was that our data was very
limited at only 4 GB per month! This same provider now offers an
unlimited monthly plan, and it is still cheaper than the former provider.
Unfortunately, we had to sign a 12-month contract, with no provision for
equipment failure. Please pray with us
that our equipment continues to work well!
Please continue to pray for
Muna and Excellent, that they will truly repent, and that God will be glorified
in the way we handle the situation.
Please also pray for faithful men that we can minister with and
invest in!
“…commit
thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2
For the Sake of
His Name,
Sparky, Myndii,
Martha, Titus, and Ruth Clancy
Time in Kinshasa