church partnership meetings in Congo

Last week we had a great time together with representatives from each of WR’s Africa Great Lakes US church partners. Each of these churches has committed to support God’s work in this region (Burundi, Congo, Rwanda) by contributing financially to WR, sending teams to develop relationships, and playing a role along side WR in making strategic decisions. There were many opportunities for our staff in the region and US visitors to get to know each other better and for everyone to have a chance to see the exciting work that is being done through WR programs at the grassroots level.

We spent the first day in Kigali welcoming everyone and getting over jet-lag then headed out to the beautiful “thousand hills” of Rwanda to visit our essential oils project. (To read more about this project please visit their beautiful website www.ikirezi.com)



Then everyone packed into a big African bus and swung around the treacherous curves along the road to Goma, Congo (my friend Sarah and I missed out on the bus experience and got to drive the luggage truck instead- lucky us!) The WR Congo staff had arranged an exciting Congolese welcome for us all.

We then settled in for the week of activities at the beautiful conference center on the banks of Lake Kivu.

Here is one of the kitchen workers buying our lunch…



…from this guy



Thankfully we didn’t have to sit in meetings the ENTIRE week. We were able to get out and see some of the projects of WR Congo. We piled in vans and SUVs and went out to some sites about 2 hours northeast of Goma near the Uganda border.

We visited schools that WR has helped to rebuild



We ate lunch with pastors who are the hands and feet of Christ as they help WR implement our programs for the benefit of the people in their communities.



We met women who have learned to use their skills on things which will generate income and help to support their families. This woman, for example, has learned to weave grass mats and baskets and had made this hat for Amy, one of our church partners.



We met a group of widows who WR has helped to support through their local church. They could hardly contain their joy in receiving us.

And the feelings were mutual.

We met patients at a hospital who are being fed, with the support of WR, by pastors and members of their churches who have been moved to feed those who have no one else to care for them. Here are the women arriving at the hospital carrying food and the firewood fuel they will use to cook it.

And this is Elie Lafortune, the country director for WR Congo, helping to feed some patients who are waiting for surgery.

We also spent some time with a group of HIV/AIDS volunteers who have received training from WR on various aspects of this disease such as how it is contracted, prevention, and caring for those living with AIDS. These volunteers then form clubs and go on to train others on the things they have learned.

So I thank God for a wonderful week of fellowship, sharing and learning from each other and from the Lord. And for giving me a fresh excitement for what God is doing in and through this amazing organization.

Here are a few more friends we made along the way…

Please pray for the country of Congo. Just yesterday the results of their elections were announced and followed by the outbreak of constant gunfire for over an hour in Goma, where WR's office is. The country director and staff planned to evacuate this morning until it was learned that the gunfire was actually a military tactic used to discourage any possible election-related violence. Interesting tactic. There is forcasted unrest in the western capital city of Kinshasa due to the presidential election results. This vast country desperately needs God's peace to reign.