Sunday, July 29, 2007

Today in Church ...

... I learned the concept of joyful giving. The offering took 45 minutes, and then later they took another one. They danced up to the offering basket. One for women, one for men. A little bit of a contest!

God loves a cheerful giver.

I wrote a poem. I will share it when I can. E-mail is a short because electricity is a bonus.

Gotta go!

- Linda

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Details on Cal's Ministry in Tandala

(Click on map to zoom.)

Dear Family and Friends,

This is the third letter to update you on my trip to Africa. It is being written on the afternoon of July 25 but will probably not be sent for at least a week due to lack of internet access.

Last Sunday, we went to the morning worship service at the Congolese Free Church in Gemena. Gemena is the city where our denominational headquarters is. The biggest church that meets there is “The Temple.” Services often are attended by over 1,000 people on regular Sundays, but this was not a regular Sunday. We were also opening the national pastors' conference, so there were delegations from towns all over the Equateur Province, some having traveled as far as 200 miles by river or by truck … or even by walking.

We also had guests from the church in Rwanda and the director of Community Health Evangelism (or CHE, part of LifeWind ministries). The way it works in the Congo is that all Protestant churches have to be part of larger group called ECC. While I am told that for a time, this group was being dominated by liberal denominations, that is now changing. The leader of the ECC for Equateur Province is actually from the Congolese Free Church (CECU) and was the one who preached this Sunday. He spoke to both pastors and lay people about the importance of doing the ministry which God has given you. He emphasized knowing what that ministry is and is not, doing it with integrity, and doing it for God's glory. The service lasted about 4 hours. There was much prayer, singing, and "words" given from various speakers. Afterward, some of us walked back to the mission, which takes about 20 minutes.

That evening we were supposed to “Skype” back to our home church (Elim) in Washington, but were unable due to generator problems.

The next day, a group of us, including me, left for Tandala. This is where our denominational hospital is located. The drive took a bit under 2 hours on a dirt road (we are told this is the best road in the region) and at times we got to as fast as 75 kilometers per hour (about 45 m.p.h.).

As seems routine now, we were greeted with much pomp and ceremony. One of the most touching parts was that the children from the local chuch sang us a song, giving us greetings to take back to our churches in America. I hope to get them to sing this again when I can record it, as we left all our stuff in the truck when we arrived.

I have to share one other part of this trip. We rode in a LandRover that had air conditioning and listened to Congolese Christmas Carols. It was a bit surreal to drive through rural Africa in such a setting. Between Gemena and Congo, there were no "western" style buildings. People here still live in the circular mud huts with thatch roofs, like they have for hundreds of years.

Tandala is a very nice place. First, the old mission quarters where we stay are more spacious than in Gemena and actually sort of have indoor plumbing. You have to use a bucket to shower with and to flush the toilet, but this is far better than the situation in Gemena. Second, it is a much smaller town so it does not feel so crowded. I am finally getting comfortable walking around town without a translator with me, as everyone seems friendly.

I finally got to meet the three young doctors who have sacrificed high salaries to live and practice medicine here. I immediately felt at ease with them and as if I was meeting long-lost friends. I will give you their first names, as this is how they refer to themselves here. Dr. Narcisse is from this area, although not from Tandala itself. He was the first graduate from medical school in Kinshasa to come back here. He has a wife, Yvette, and one child. Dr. Narcisse serves as the area director for the “health zone” surrounding Tandala. He keeps track of clinic visits at the hospital and the outlying health centers.

Dr. Mifila is also a Kinshasa graduate. He has a wife, Christine, and one child. He is the medical director for the hospital.

Dr. Zach is the newest physician ... as I understand it, he was a year behind the other two. All three speak some English, but Dr. Zach is the most excited about using English, so I tend to be with him most. I have found all three to be dedicated men of faith and they seem to love what they do here.

They have asked that I do six things while I am here: 1) They want me to make rounds with them of the hospitalized patients; 2) to do clinic visits on the pediatric cases with them later in the day; 3) to teach the doctors and nurses on staff; 4) to visit a few of the health centers in more rural zones; 5) to discuss spiritual issues; and 6) to spend time with them in the evenings -- two of them live just across the road from the old mission station where we are staying -- just discussing whatever issues come to mind from the day's work.

I feel completely comfortable going off to the hospital with them in the morning without anyone from our group to translate, etc. ... I am very comfortable here with these guys and feel like I am “in my element.”

I will not say much now about the health issues here as I hope to write a more formal report later. Needless to say, for a regional referral hospital, which this is, most of you would be shocked at the conditions they work under and the severity of illnesses that they deal with. For example, the sun sets at about 6 p.m. The hospital is open 24 hours a day. After dark, there are no lights. I gave them a flashlight that charges by cranking a handle so that the ICU nurse could have something with which to see patients at night, in case IV was needed or some other care needed that requires light.

Also, hospitals here are very different. It is the patient's family that provides food, laundry, water, etc. for the patient. Unless you are on an ICU bed, there is not even a nurse on your section at night. If you need lab work done, the patient must go to the lab in person to get it done.

There is much more that is beyond imagination that we take for granted in even the worst U.S. hospitals. On the disease side, let's just say I am getting very familiar with malaria, anemia, severe malnutrition, and heart failure.

Again, I will try to write a more detailed report later. I do believe that I have helped them, but it is mostly at a very basic level as there is little technology here.

The doctors and nurses have chapel on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday mornings and I have been asked to preach on Friday. My message will probably be on how to let your light shine before all men while caring for patients. Many of the ladies here have an African-style fabric that has the saying "Moklisto azali mwinda" which means "Christian is light." That was affirming to me that this message will be appropriate for my audience.

Let me just close by saying that I really do love it here. There are certainly inconveniences with the humidity, plumbing, domestic animals roaming free (I am just now hearing goats calling back and forth to each other ... they better be careful because almost every day we are served goat!), the dirtiness with no ability to ever wash oneself clean, language issues, etc. But, one cannot help but love the people and feel compassion for their situation.

I look forward to rejoining others from our group, especiallly Linda McCoy and Martin Schlomer from Elim, later this week. It will have been good that we had such different experiences in different settings. This should give us a good ability to compare notes for a broader perspective.

Also, I want to emphasize what a unique opportunity for evangelism we have through the Tandala Hospital system. There are many of what they call "nominals" smf frankly pagan people, too. The opportunity to use your status as a medical person is high here. They are not distracted by TV or the music industry, so the real celebrities out here are the doctors (especially American doctors) and preachers.

Somehow I believe that we must partner with them to bring light into the darkness.

In Christ,

Cal

Another Post From Linda: Such a Different World!

What an amazing time this is! Such a different world. So many things I could be fearful of, and yet it HE is holding my hand every step of the way. He is my strength when I am weak.

I now know why Helen Eash warned me to tuck in my mosquito net so no animals could get in. I had a gecko sleeping on my bed when I came home to Gemena, after being several days at Tandala hospital. I got to wipe the sweat off the brow of a first time mom giving birth. I got to pray for her. I was there when her sweet baby boy took his first breath. I got to have tea with a dear sweet grandma in her hut. She has taught me what hospitality truly is.

I miss Gordy soooo much, I ache. BUT, that is a good thing. I am journaling as much as I can at the end of each day. HE is etching HIS message upon my heart. I am seeing HIS precious people of Congo, I have such and incredible love for them. I am a witness to what HE is doing to care for HIS children.

I am also witnesssing great need, that our FATHER in Heaven wants HIS children all over the world to know we need to help. We are to be HIS hands and feet. I see daily people whose clothes are literally rotting off of them. And yet my closet at home is full.

So much to share. I will when I get home! PLEASE continue to pray for us. So many ways we can get sick here, so many things to overwhelm us, BUT there are soooo many ways to show HIS love to those we come in contact.

I understand this is not about me. It is about being HIS light in this dark part of the world that is in sooooo much need.

I love you and I miss you and please share this message with others. I have to send this before they turn off the power again.

- Linda

Friday, July 27, 2007

A Quick Message From Linda, Now in Gemena

Its me!!!! I am doing really well despite a gecko on my pillow when I got back to Gemena today. The sad thing is that they want geckos in the house to eat the spiders.

Let's see, how do I begin?

I got to to see a baby being born at Tandala with Cal in attendance. I had tea in a hut with a grandma and she taught me what real hospitality is.

It's been hard to communicate with Gordy. Please send this to the congregation and my sweetheart. Call him so he will open it. When I could call in Tandala it was night and we had to be careful because of snakes. All those who know me well know I am scared to death of snakes. So please pray I don't see any. If I do I will turn to dust.

I am back "home" now in Gemena. When I got to speak to the ladies, it was a moment I will never forget ... (I can't stay on too long because we have to share!)

There wasn't any electricity in Tandala acept at the hospital for operations. Please rally every one to continue to pray for us. The Kinshasa airport was surreal and potentially dangerous. BUT, God is watching out for us! We feel your prayer support.

We cannot do this in our own strength.There are a lot of ways we can get sick while here. Cal is doing wonderful, and so is Martin. They will have soooo much to share when we get home!

Our church body will benefit greatly from this experience. Our Pastor is learning a lot and we as a congregation will grow because of his teaching.

Both of my brothers(Cal and Martin) arrived in Tandala today and I was brought back here to Gemena. We have lots of opportunities to meet with the local women the next few days. Lots of opportunities to connect hearts to HIS.

Thank you, my church family, for your prayers ... you are with us in spirit! We miss you ........

Love,

Linda

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Martin Reports in: Pastor's Conference Complete

Kim files this report today, following a brief cell phone conversation with Martin in Gemena, Congo:

"Today we finished up the pastor’s conference in Gemena. We've also visited with orphans and widows and have seen the project that the Congolese are working on to teach job skills to them.

Cal and Linda are in Tandala, where the hospital is. Cal went Monday and Linda went yesterday, so I don’t really know much about how they’re doing.

Tomorrow I will be meeting with some of the national Evangelical Free leadership, then on Friday I’ll head up to Tandala to join Cal and Linda. I’ll be preaching at a church there on Sunday.

Next week we’ll take a four-hour drive from Tandala to check out a local Bible Institute which trains pastors. Then, the rest of the week I will meet with smaller groups of pastors and be speaking on leadership character qualities.

We’ll return to Gemena on Friday and then to Kinshasa on Saturday, then Lord willing be back home on Sunday, August 5."

Martin also said not to expect to hear from them while they’re at Tandala. They have NO internet capabilities there, and probably no power either. Even in Gemena, they are having difficulty getting on the internet. Martin says it takes so much power to run all the office equipment to do it.

Gemena is a city of about 150,00, but they have no electricity. It is very hot and humid. They are taking photos but cannot transmit them due to the lack of internet ... but he says they’ll have a lot to show when they return.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Second Installment -- Cal's Reflections

Friday, July 20, we visited another of the Free Churches in the Kinshasha area. In what seems to be somewhat typical here, our ride arrived about 2 hours late. We boarded a bus and drove about 80 kilometers along the Congo river, into what I would call the "Hill Country." Unlike Kinshasha, which always seemed overcast and smoky from all the charcoal fires, the area outside Kinshasha is open and the air was clean.

Driving along the river gave us our first good look at the size of it (spanning several miles here). In some ways, it looks a bit like the Columbia Gorge towards the eastern end, for those of you who have been there ... it is an open savannah here. Most of the trip was spent getting out of Kinshasha, with all the vehicle and people traffic.

We went to a church in Moluko. This church is a church plant from the church at Masina. So, this is now the "third generation" of church plants from the original churches planted in the Ubangi by the missionaries. While most of the Free Churches in Kinshasha are culturally northern Congolese, this church is an amalgam of several different cultures.

They had been waiting for us since about 9 a.m. but we did not arrive until closer to 1 p.m. Nonetheless, we received a royal welcome. We were the first Americans to visit their church. Most of the teams that the Free Church brings to the Congo head for the Ubangi (northwestern Congo) where denominational headquarters (Gemena) and the hospital (Tandala) are. They sang, danced, and made us feel so welcome.

You could see in their eyes and feel in their handshakes that they were blessed by our coming. The church is only about 4 years old, but is already up to about 100 members. They own a 1-hectare lot but the "sanctuary" consists of poles and tarps to form a cover over a dirt floor.

Once again, we were seated in the front. Their pastor welcomed us, then there was prayer and singing. I think that this group of Christians, despite waiting for us for several hours, showed a joy in worship that exceeds any I have seen so far in the Congo. There was once again the formal introductions of each of us. Then, we walked the property with them.

What they don't use for the sanctuary is mostly planted in manioc -- a root crop used here, much as we use potatoes. The church ladies tend the garden and then use any profits they get to help area widows. Their pastor has a vision for a center to welcome widows and orphans as a means of compassionate outreach. Their main need, though, is to start building. They have raised about $500 of the $3500 it would take to build a building (the standard style seems to be concrete floor, concrete or cinder block walls, and corrugated tin roof).

If they do not start building this year, then the government may take the property from them. The Evangelical Free Church of America is considering helping them, but their pastor is not asking us for money. He requests that we pray for God's will to be done for them in this and that they would come up with the resources to fund the vision he has.

It strikes me as odd that it costs so little to meet their needs. However, both the American and Congolese leaders make it plain that merely sending money is not the solution, unless the local congregation shows ownership and interest in the project.

After we walked the property, I gathered a group of about 20 kids around me for photos. I was so fun to finally be able to connect without all the "protocol" that the Congolese follow to honor us, but which sometimes seems to be a barrier. The kids did not want to leave but loved looking at themselves on the viewfinder. We then loaded the bus and the kids came over and took turns holding the hands of those who had window seats. They got a great deal of pleasure from this and from learning to say "bye-bye." It was heartbreaking to see them run after the bus as we left.

We then headed back to the Masina church for a visit and to present them with choir robes some of us had brought over. Again, this was accompanied by a lot of speaking. It is interesting that they want robes in this heat. It seems to be a Congolese thing, though, to have the choir in robes. We were supposed to visit all 5 Free Churches, but the late start prevented that. So, Pastor Alenge shared the history of the 5 churches under his care with us. It was then back to CAP for "lunch" at 5 p.m. Quite a full day!

Some went out to the Kinshasha market to shop, but I did not have it in me to deal with the crowds. We had to get packed to leave for Gemena the next day.

On the 22nd, we took Bravo Air Congo to Gemena. This was quite interestinig. First, the tickets are handwritten. Second, like many other things, the departure time is a moving target. Usually, they leave at about 9 a.m. but we were told that, this week, they were going to leave at 3:40. So, we loaded the bus to go to their headquarters, then after a wait, they took us by bus to the airport. Then, we had to go through both security (not as intense as in the U.S. ... you get to keep your shoes on) and Immigration (they want to know where expats are at all times).

We had several pastors and seminary students from Kinshasha on our flight. Also, Pastor Esron from Rwanda (he heads up the Rwandan Free Church) was with us. He speaks great English and told me that Rwandans are eager to learn English as they have become politically tied more to East Africa. He shared some of his dreams for what could happen in the churches in Rwanda. Part of this ties into what Rick Warren and his wife are doing there but Esron told me it will be important to keep the distinctives of the Free Church for some areas of ministry.

One other area they are exploring is mission work into eastern Congo. Many of you may know that this is a troubled area and there are still refugees there from the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He hopes to partner with the much larger CECU (Congolese Free Church) for this project. I got a lot of insight into African issues in my talks with him and hope to stay in contact via e-mail upon my return to the U.S.

To my sadness, it is clear that we received better treatment than our African brothers by Congolese security. Then we got to go into the boarding area. After a wait, a tone sounded and folks started for the door out onto the runway. Despite what we were told, we actually left at about 2 p.m. Somehow, that was the signal to board.

We rode a 737. Sometimes, and our trip was one such time, they apparently stop in Mbandaka, right on the Equator, where the Congo and Ubangi rivers join. That took about 80 minutes. We had to get off the plane and go out onto the runway for about a half hour. While there, we purchased some fruit (one was lychee) and had a snack ... since these had to be peeled, it was safe. Then we reboarded and flew another 50 minutes to Gemena.

Much of the flight was over rain forests, although much deforestation has happened around the larger towns to make room for gardens. It had been storming pretty bad in Gemena prior to our landing but was merely wet when we arrived. In both landings, the pilot used all but about 50 yards of runway.

Once we deplaned, we got to go into the "VIP" room and then were driven by CECU (Congolese Free Church) President Selenga to the old mission complex. This is a quadrangle with offices on the perimeter and a nice lawn and trees in the middle. They greeted us, along with the other pastors visiting for the conference (mostly Free Church pastors but some other Portestant and Catholic leaders, too). Then, another wonderful Congolese dinner. We are staying in the former missionary quarters, about 10 x 10 feet square. The windows are screened and we have mosquito nets.

My thoughts on these two days are that, again, I see a genuine faith evident here in Africa. Unlike many missionary efforts that have produced superficial converts, the work of the missionaries here seems to have borne fruit in a vibrant, evangelistic church that has been active in church planting.

Another thing is that while there are denominational distinctives here, they are less an issue that in the U.S. There is an umbrella organization for Protestant groups called the ECC. Historically, the Congo was divided into denominational areas for missionary work. In one sense, this makes sense, as the tribal groups prefer to worship together. On the other hand, there is cooperation where appropriate.

Of particular interest is cooperation on issues like AIDS and malnutrition. I continue to enjoy the "essengo" (joy/happiness) among believers. And they do really seem to want to be with us, not just want our money. They do not need us to come up with solutions to their problems or bail them out financially. They do desire our fellowship in Christ.

I'll close with an example from our first Sunday worship service (will share more later). Toward the end, a memorial was done for one of the former missionaries who is now deceased. As part of this, besides the eloquent speeches and prayers, a gift was given to our leaders for his widow. It turns out that this gift was the entire offering for this Sunday. Imagine the generosity of they, who have so little, giving back to the widow of this man who had helped lead their older folks to Christ. They realize that it is but a little money but the idea that they would sacrifice the offering, particularly when this was a "big" Sunday for them with lots of visiting pastors and lay leaders, just amazes me. These men and women are so generous and giving and it all stems from the joy they have in the Lord.

Something to consider ...

In Christ,

Cal

Monday, July 23, 2007

Cal's Impressions From the Congo

Dear Family and Friends,

I am sorry this took so long to get out, but in Africa, one has to assume that if technology can fail, it will. And, one also has to understand that schedules are a rather loose concept ... more of a concept rather than what we would consider a timetable back in the U.S.

We were unable to get Internet access our first two nights in Kinshasha. When we arrived in Gemena, the generators were acting up, so the router could not be powered up. Often, they have internet access through VSAT technology, but their generator system leaves little margin for error on voltages. It seems we can only get on when most of the lights are off, and then the generator output is going more to the VSAT.

Let me start back from the beginning of the trip. There are 17 of us from the U.S. here. Our leader is Kevin Kompelein, the EV Free Church's area director for Africa missions. Former medical missionaries Dr. Tom Cairns and Thelma Landrud are also here and serve as translators both for Lingala and French, as well as "cultural translators." Thelma also is our logistics
person for food, lodging, etc.

Two couples (Gordon and Bear Grover, Steve and Kathy Austvold) from Connect, the EFCA department that works to engage individual congregations in missions, are with us. Mark and Zelda Anderson, missionaries to Tandala in the early '90s, are coming back with their son, Michael. Rachel Bliss, who is over the part of TouchGlobal dealing with widows and orphans, and her daughter are here.

Rachel W., the niece of Rachel Martin (who is already here working with the orphan sponsorship program) is coming to work with her aunt. Then there are Martin (our pastor), Linda McCoy (Women's Minsistries leader) and myself. Finally, Pastor Nils Swanson from the Evangelical Free Church in Pullman, Washington, completes our group.

As many of you know, we left SeaTac early Wednesday morning. At the time I did not actually have a seat on the plane from Paris to Kinshasha. As best we can tell, this was a combination of problems within the Air France ticketing system and perhaps the travel agents on our end. When we arrived in Paris about 17 hours later, we found that another of our 17 members also did not have a ticket to Kinshasha. Needless to say, we felt the prayers of those who knew about this situation and interceeded for us.

At virtually the last minute, the two of us got seats. We took about 8 more hours of air time to reach Kinshasha late in the evening Thursday. The total travel time was about 27 hours, including layovers in Newark and Paris.

On arrival in Kinshasha, the passengers started clapping then praising God in Lingala. As we deboarded the plane onto the runway we were greeted by soldiers. The airports in the Congo also serve as military bases. At first, this was intimidating, but they were polite and a few even spoke English. We did have to stand in line to clear Immgration for quite awhile, but again were treated with kindness and gentleness. Then it was off to the baggage claim.

Imagine any baggage claim in the U.S. ... now triple the number of people per square foot and add a lot of noise resulting from of having no carpets and concrete walls. Thankfully, the Free Church district superindendent, Pastor Cyril Alenge, along with some men from his church,were there to meet us. One of them, Trecent ("300" in French) works in airport security and was a great help. These men got our baggage and helped us get to the cars. The walk from the airport to the cars was "exciting," as there were many asking for money or trying to help us in order to get "tips."

Finally, we loaded into three vehicles and hit the road. Two quick thoughts about riding in Kinshasha. First, Africans have a much lower need for "personal space" -- so we were crowded. Second, driving in Kinshasha is not for the meek. The rules of the road, assuming there are any, are to go as fast as you can, weaving as needed to avoid pedestrians, potholes, and other cars (I am still not sure how we did not exchange paint with other cars).

Another interesting thing is that cars come in all kinds of conditions in Kinshasha. It is amazing that some of them run and it is not unusual to see guys under their cars working just along the road. Also, they use their batteries for lighting their homes at night so they often have to push the cars. And, of course, I cannot forget to mention the people pushing cartloads of various things to sell (some of which would be considered trash in the U.S.) using the roadway.

In all this, there are the following praises. We are thankful that God took care of our ticketing ... that our luggage got through without being stolen ... that despite the stress and strain of traveling some 27+ hours with little sleep prior and little sleep during, I heard no one on the team get testy or impatient. We also want to thank all of those who interceeded for us on the ticket issues and for us getting through Immigration and Customs.

We went to visit the Free Church in Masina (an area of Kinshasha). This was a church plant from the Free Churches in the Ubangi (northwestern Congo). It just got its roof within the past few years. We were WARMLY greeted and seated in the place of honor in the front of the sanctuary. There was much praying and awesome singing by the church choir (a capella but for the conga drums). They even did several songs in English for their guests. We were each introduced, to much applause. I mention that, only in that it is touching to see just how much Africans, at least African Christians, are blessed by our visits. As I have had it explained, they first realize that without the missionaries of the last century, they would not know Jesus. Because of those who went before us doing the Lord's work, we are still sometimes referred to as "the fathers."

Second, and I repeatedly heard this in their prayers, they are so impressed that we would leave our lives of comfort and travel so far to a place that is hard on us physically (due to the change in climate and in foods) and emotionally. I have to say it was a blessing that I got to experience this brotherhood first hand. And, if one tries to speak to them in Lingala, no matter how poorly, they light up with pleasure that we would take the time to communicate with them.

There is much ceremony and protocal in the Congo. What we might accomplish in a short time in terms of introductions and relationships takes them a long time. As one of my brothers explained to me, if you don't take the time to deal with these relational issues, the other party will wonder about how they have offended you. This is a learning experience for me as my career and personality make me very task-oriented, where the Africans are people-oriented.

These Christians also have a passion for sharing the Gospel. I hope to share more on that later.

After all the protocol, we then had a wonderful Congolese meal. We spent the first two nights in CAP, a Protestant missionary complex near the Congo river. Much to my suprise, they had air conditioning and warm showers (though we could not drink the water). I was grateful for both, but particularly for the A/C. While I grew up in Texas and can handle some heat and humidity, the Congo is much more humid than most places I have been. When there was a breeze, that was great. But air conditioning was even better!

My first impression of the Congo is that it is different. I can share in person some time the level of poverty we found, particularly in Kinshasha. There are so many (10 million) people there, and so many are unemployed. However, among the Christians, there is much joy and happiness ("essengo" in Lingala). I have been repeatedly reminded of this and it sure makes some of the things that upset me back in the U.S. seem petty. They seem to have a very real, vibrant faith and passion for Jesus. Again, they are also very touched that we Americans would take the time to visit and be WITH them.

A note on our schedule: We were in Kinshasha July 19-20, then flew to Gemena on the 21st. I will be leaving for Tandala and our denominational hospital by truck (roughly 80 kilometers, a journey of 2-1/2 hours) on the 23rd. Martin and Linda will stay behind for the Pastors' Conference and probably leave for Tandala on July 26. As with all things African, this is subject to change.

While in Tandala, I will not have internet access. I may or may not have cellular access (it worked in Kinshasha, but not in Gemena). We'll all return to Gemena either August 1 or 2. We then leave Gemena for Kinshasha on August 4, leaving for Paris that evening and, God willing, returning to Seattle on August 5.

Please keep me and our team in your prayers. I would have to say that each of us find this an amazing place with amazing people. There are certainly things that are uncomfortable, but those are minor compared to the blessings we are seeing.

In Christ,

Cal

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Cal's Report on Saturday's Activities

I promised the second part of an update from Cal, via Stacie, on how their Saturday went. Here it is:

Saturday, July 21: Celebrating the safe arrival of all 17 people to Gemena on what Cal calls "Africa time", which means the flight was scheduled for 7:30 a.m., then they were notified on the 21st it would be at 3:40 p.m., but it actually left at 2 p.m. It was a larger plane than they expected, and was scheduled to be a nonstop, but in reality they did make a stop in Mandaka, a city right on the Equator, for 30 minutes.

ITINERARY: Sunday starts the conference with Pastors and their wives from the Congo, and some from Rwanda. Linda and Martin will speak at this conference. Cal begins his time at Tandala hospital on Monday and Linda and Martin together will join Cal there on Thursday or Friday.

Cal is very encouraged by all of the connections he has already made with the Africans who are attending the conference:

1. A physician from the Tendala hospital has helped Cal to define his work while he is there ...

  • Teaching -- especially discussing follow-up on providing medical care and evangelism
  • Consulting on patient cases

2. Two EV Free Church Pastors in Kinshasa

3. An EV Free Church Pastor from Rwanda

4. A Congolese man who heads up LIFEWIND, an organization that provides medical outreach and evangelism

The hope for connecting through Skype to have a "live" presentation of church services in Africa during Elim's service on the 22nd and 29th is turning out to be iffy due to lack of generators. There is still some hope for this happening, as they are working hard to improve the situation. The team has hit "one snag after another" with technology ... problems with generators, cell phones, etc. All three team members have different cell phone plans and none of them are working, though they have borrowed phones and have each made contact with their families on two different occassions.

What do robin-blue choir robes, soccer balls, syringes, medical gloves, needles, operating room sponges and drapes have in common? Cal stuffed 48.5 pounds of these items into a huge suitcase the Kopacz family leant us at 9:30 the night before departure. (Yes, this was after our homemade repair efforts had failed on our broken suitcases.)

I look forward to hearing how some of the items the team members have brought over for the Africans will be received -- those mentioned earlier, and also balloons, bubbles, bright and cheery-patterned baby layettes with matching blankets lovingly sewed by Chris Bailey and our Church's branch of the White Cross. Moms and babies laying on hopital beds that may not even have mattress pads will certainly enjoy those layettes and blankets that they get to take their babies home in!

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, financial support, advice, the White Cross items, technology support, encouragement, the soccer ball donations, the medical equipment donations, and suitcase donations. This is all so overwhelming and yet, the trip is happening successfully thanks to God and all of His very many children working together for the big Kingdom picture!

What is Pastor Martin up to?

Martin wrote Kim a quick note this afternoon:

Hi Honey! Can't type much due to power issues.

I'm sorry we were not able to connect with the church this morning. The computer equipment wasn't working due to insufficient power. You have to be VERY flexible here.

I'm speaking tomorrow to 1,200 pastors but I still don't know how long or on exactly what. I have a general idea. I'm learning how to fly by winging it!

It's pretty amazing here. Things continue to go well. The people are EXTREMELY gracious by giving what they have, even when they have sooo little. It reminds me of 2 Corinthians 8:1-4. In many ways, the African church is like the Church in the second century, in terms of infrastructure and leadership. Many reasons for this, but I'll explain that later.

Please pass on whatever information you think is appropriate. I realize there isn't much here but things are going to shut down in seconds!

- Martin


The Evangelical Free Church missions leaders write this about the Conference:

What's the goal for the extended short-term missions team in the Congo? The Evangelical Free Church wants everyone involved to come away with a clear vision for what God is doing in the Congo through the Free Church, and how we might partner together as individuals and churches.

This may well be in the areas of AIDS ministry, teaching pastors, caring for sick people, teaching medical staff, and countless other things.

We do know that during this first week we are in the Ubangi (roughly July 22-26), there will be a huge pastor's conference taking place. This conference brings together at least 1,500 pastors of all levels of training plus many of their wives for days or training and bonding.

We expect that the several pastors on the trip, including Pastor Martin, will have the opportunity to teach during those days. We also expect that the pastors will be asked to preach both Sundays we are there.

The first Sunday (today) was in Gemena. This is the largest city in the area -- about 150,000 people. (The team flew into Gemena on Saturday.) It is also the site of the EV Free denominational office. Within the city there are five EV Free churches, and within a few miles more there are several others. Each pastor went to a different church to speak on Sunday morning.

The mission writes further: "We will also divide up the rest of the team so that several people go with you. We’ll try to have one of us who can translate with each team. After the service, there will be a meal of African food served by the ladies in the church – the best!

A similar scene will occur the second Sunday we are there. However, some will be at Tandala at that point and others still in Gemena or possibly elsewhere. But the setting will be the same."

More information on the Pastor's Conference:

During the first week, there will be a very unique thing happening ... the Pastor's Training Conference. Martin will be asked to speak on “the Ten Leading Indicators of a Healthy Church.” He will be given 15 minutes at another time to share with the assembly on the topic of “The Pastor and his Ministry.” As President Selenga has written, “Although the environment in which you work is very different from ours, we think that your experiences in the form of testimony or counsel to the pastors of the CECU will greatly help them.” Martin will also be sharing or observing in various small group sessions.

"Perhaps a great value in the Lord’s timing in having this conference while we are there," the mission leaders write, "is that these pastors will be able to dialogue with many Congolese pastors and get a sense for who they are, how God is using them, and at the same time ask them lots of questions about important issues they face ... such as AIDS, youth, church polity, the importance of biblical expository preaching, etc.

The pastors will also be seeing many of the widows, orphans and others who are filling the churches. These are big issues the church faces in the Congo."

The Free Church of the Congo, known by its acronym "CECU" in French, has grown greatly over the years, now numbering nearly 900 churches and at least 150,000 members, and many more adherents, across the Ubangi. Most are simple village churches, built of local materials with poles stuck in the ground, walls made of mud, and a grass roof. Some are in mud block and a few even have tin roofs.


This afternoon:

Those on our team (such as Cal) leaving for the hospital in Tandala left on the three-hour trip by 4-wheel drive. Pray that they arrive safely and are able to minister effectively the grace of Jesus at the hospital.

Be Praying for These Extended Congo Team Members

Kevin Kompelien, Pastor Selenga, and Rachel Martin in front of the Tandala Hospital.

Kevin Kompelien – International Director for Africa of the EFCA International Mission. Kevin is the team leader.

Tom Cairns – Director of Medical Ministries for TouchGlobal and Point person for Congo; spent 19 years at Tandala Hospital as the Medical Director.

Thelma Landrud – 42-year veteran missionary in Congo, now moving toward retirement but helping with all the logistics of the trip.

Rev. Martin Schlomer – Senior Pastor of Elim Evangelical Free Church, Puyallup, Washington.

Dr. Calvin Kierum – Pediatrician and lay leader at Elim EFC.

Mrs. Linda McCoy – Also from Elim EFC.

Rev. J. Nils Swanson – Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church, Pullman, Washington.

Jay Swanson – Son of Nils, and fluent in French; children’s ministry at church and Campus Crusade at university where he graduates this spring.

Mark, Zelda and Michael Anderson – Mark and Zelda were missionaries in Congo in the early 90’s and are nurses. They will be working at Tandala.

Steve and Cathy Austvold – ReachGlobal staff involved with our Connect division and helping churches connect with ministry around the world.

Rachel Wenzel – Sophomore at Iowa State University in linguistics; French background; will help with various projects with Rachel Martin.

Rachel Bliss – TouchGlobal staff working with our projects in Indonesia and Congo. She is particularly involved with the CEVO and women’s work in the Congo.

Sarah Bliss – Rachel’s daughter and a college student going to help her mom with the projects.

In addition, there are several people who were already on site when the team arrived:

Rachel Martin – Leader of the AIDS ministry for TouchGlobal and specifically for the Global Fingerprints initiative for sponsorship of orphans in the Congo.

Dave Turner – Videographer for the EFCA, hails from Michigan. He will be doing two weeks with Rachel and others on the AIDS work and other projects in the Congo.

Matt Hoppe – Assisting Dave with the videography.

Danae Cole – Nursing student in Iowa who will be helping with the filming project.

Dave, Matt and Danae will be there the two weeks (from July 7 to 21).

Quick Note From Cal

We got a brief internet connection Sunday morning. I want to send this photo and let people know I am doing great, as is our team of 17 people. We are in Gemena, Congo and today is the big worship service to kick off the pastors' conference. I don't know when they will call us to leave for worship services.

It is wonderful here, despite the differences in so many things, we are all united in Christ. I will try to send more as able.

- Cal

A Message From Cal

Transmitted through Stacie:

Seventeen people from several states in the USA arrived in Newark, NJ, as planned, for dinner on Wed., July 18. We then flew to Paris, then to Kinshasa (the Democratic Republic of Congo).

A huge answer to prayer is that Cal and another man who didn't have seats into Kinshasa until just before departure, go them. Another answer to prayer is that all of the times through customs have gone very smoothly and the team was very thankful and felt your prayers.

Cal says the entire team would agree that "this is an amazing country with lots of people, lots of poverty, and lots of joy in the churches.

"The Free church here is awesome. They take their faith very seriously. Nobody in the church has asked us to do anything or to give them money. They are incredibly grateful that we have come. They repeatedly thank God in their prayers that we have come to them from such a long distance."

The team has been fed well, cared for well, and treated as very important people. They all have their luggage and are tired, but happy!

The choir at the church services are incredible and they have the team sit in the front in a place of honor. After a service on Thursday, Cal got down on his knees so that the kids could gather around him. It sounded like an experience he will never forget. Most or all of the kids have never seen an American. (Cal tells me often that people just don't go visit the Congo). They attended a church service on Friday out in the country, which consisted of about 50 adults and 20 kids; poles and tarps made up the "building structure."

They asked the team to pray with them for their needs. An unexpected fear they have met a few times already is the large amount of people they meet out in public trying to do things for them without aninvitation in order to get money from them (going from the airport to the car). Another fear is the driving. They will always have drivers wherever they go to try to survive the experience, his suggestion is to "avoid potholes and pedestrians and drive as wild as you can".

Cal said he was happy to have put some effort into learning Lingala because in the car ride from the airport he was able to carry on a conversation with a Congolese man whose job it is to learn English in order to facilitate Americans who go to the Congo and Rachel Martin's niece who knows French.

Next up: Saturday's notes from Cal. Stay tuned!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

The Team Arrives in Gemena

We were expecting to connect with the team for a Skype test (Skype is the technology we are hoping to use to conduct the videoconference during the worship service at Elim tomorrow morning) today at noon, but unfortunately the generator at Gemena is not working. Please pray they would be able to get it fixed by tomorrow morning so they can get an internet connection.

Also pray for some configuration we need to do on the church computer to make this happen. It would be nice to be able to connect with the team by audio and/or video.

Martin called Kim a few minutes ago and let her know that they all arrived in Gemena safely. They spent some time yesterday in Kinshasa at a flea market, which was quite an experience. He said he would tell her more about it later.

They are weary from long travels, but glad to be in Gemena in one piece.

From Gemena they will travel to Tandala Hospital, which is a few hours away on a rough road by 4-wheel drive. More information about their itinerary in this space later.

Thank you for your prayers for the Congo team!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Safe Arrival in Kinshasa

We've received a brief report (via a phonecall from Cal to Stacie) that the entire team (including team members from other churches, and EV Free mission representatives) met up at the airport in Newark and proceeded on the remainder of the trip together.

The team landed in Kinshasa and survived the customs experience at the Kinshasa airport, then was taken to their temporary home at the missions headquarters in Kinshasa. They were able to attend an inspiring welcome service at a local church on Thursday night.

The team is scheduled to take a small plane to Gemena sometime tomorrow (Saturday), so be praying for that this evening.

We'll post more as soon as we hear more, so stay tuned.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Congo Team Itinerary

And they're off! The Congo team (Martin Schlomer, Cal Kierum, and Linda McCoy) departed SeaTac Airport this morning about 7:30 a.m.
Winging their way across the country, they landed in Newark, New Jersey shortly after lunchtime. They then boarded a 777 bound for Paris. (Their current position over the Atlantic, as this is being written, is shown at left.) They are scheduled to arrive in the city of romance about 8 a.m. local time, tomorrow morning (in the middle of our night). Please pray they are able to get good rest on the overnight Atlantic crossing.
If all goes well, after three hours in Charles De Gaulle Airport, they will board an Air France Airbus A-330 for the seven-hour flight to Kinshasa, the capital city on the western edge of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The team anticipates spending two nights and all day Friday with the EV Free Church mission in Kinshasa, before boarding a commuter flight Saturday morning to Gemena, a city in the northwest portion of the Congo and near their eventual destination of Tandala Hospital.
One encouraging answer to prayer for Cal: He had purchased a ticket for the Paris-to-Kinshasa leg but it was overbooked and he had no confirmed seat on this flight. He thought he was going to have to schedule an alternative flight. But Kim reports that the team left together from Newark, on the same flight, and that Cal had gotten a confirmed seat on the Paris-to-Kinshasa leg after all.
We'll do our best to keep you posted. If you have any questions or comments for the team, please provide them here by clicking on the "# Comments" link below.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Countdown to Congo

For the Congo team, it's the night before the big flight to Paris, a waystop on the trip to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The main checklist is really a prayer list:
  • Pray for Cal, who has a ticket, but not a reserved seat, on the leg from Paris to Kinshasa. He is considering alternative routes.
  • Pray for Linda, who has been afflicted with a nasty virus and is feeling very tired.
  • Pray for the families of those who are going. It's hard to say goodbye to a loved one, even for a few weeks, when the destination is so distant.
  • Pray for finances ... at the last minute airfare went up $500 unexpectedly. Donations have been coming in but the team is still just a little bit short.
  • Pray for all those important last-minute details to fall into place.
Our prayer meeting at the Schlomers' Monday night was a great time of unity in the Spirit. Thanks to those who attended for supporting the team.

Linda writes:

"I am resting in God's peace. It's a good place to be. I realize we are going in Jesus' Name, in His strength and power, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, protected by His angels, His Word on our tongues, His message written on our hearts, full of love for His beloved people in Congo, we are dressed fully with each piece of the Armor of God, lifted up by prayer by those that love us the most, following His footsteps.

"We look forward to coming back and sharing what He will write upon our hearts, sharing the vivid images of Our Father at work in Africa."

The team leaves Seatac Airport bound for Paris early Wednesday morning, so lift them up in prayer as they wing their way across the U.S. then the Atlantic. It's a long flight. Pray for rest, good fellowship, safety, and the opportunity to share the love of Christ with fellow passengers.

This blog is going to be very active over the next three weeks while the team is away. The team will be sharing reflections, photos, and possibly video and these will be posted here. We will post the trip itinerary, maps, and prayer requests.

Also be sure to be with us at Elim for Sunday morning worship, this Sunday and next. This Sunday morning we are hoping for a live videoconference during the service with the team after they arrive in Gemena (the main town near Tandala Hospital in the northwest part of the Congo).

And the following Sunday we will attempt to touch base with the team by cell phone. We have been told that if they stand just right under a certain tree on the hospital grounds, they can get a cell phone signal.

So be sure to join us as we unite the Church of Jesus-worshippers on opposite sides of the planet!

Also feel free to use this blog to share your own thoughts, best wishes, and prayers with the team. Click on the link (at the bottom of each posting) which says "# Comments" in order to leave your comment for the team. They will try to respond to each comment as soon as they are able.