TRIP TO BUKAVU

 This past weekend, Judd had an opportunity to make a trip to Bukavu. What a delightful trip it was to return to where I grew up in the "60's". The last time I made the trip was in 2008 and it was really the initial Chapa Serve trip that was taken with our ministry. I took a batch of the first books that Chapa Serve had initially.  The purpose of the original trip was a survey for knowing how to further the Chapa Serve ministry.

My trip was made on a nice, fast boat, 3.5 hrs from Goma to Bukavu.  I was met by dear pastor Lwabimba, an old friend, who graciously hosted me in his guesthouse.  Saturday was spent traveling out of town to where his pastoral ministry started.  We also visited a school for primary and secondary students where he's overseeing the ministry to children, most of whom cannot afford the normal school fees. It was a pleasure to show the staff our recently printed books which would soon be available.  We will be sending 100 copies of the first Sunday School book, and several copies of storybooks for the family.  These will certainly be a welcome resource for them.

 

 One of the other purposes of my trip was to pick up some copies of the waterproof Congo Swahili New Testament, a project Chapa Serve has been involved with for the past two years.  What a milestone achievement to see the books finally at their distribution center.  I brought back some copies we can sell here from our location in Goma.

I was also able to visit the church I helped my father finish building after my high school graduation.  The pastor there, new to me, was also excited to see the books we were again able to print in the region.  Most of these books were the same titles we were printing at the Echo du Kivu Press there in Bukavu when Sandi and I and our boys were there in the late 1980's.

Sandi was brave to stay back here in Goma while I was gone.  It is tough when things here in Congo are so unsettling. Doesn't help when the power goes out and one is left in the dark. So glad that we have solar battery packs that Randy from Publish4All sent out with us to do some testing; they've come in handy quite a few times! I was proud of her and it was good to get back. It is good to have local cell phones that kept us in touch. The WIFI here has been challenging but one just has to be patient and learn to reboot the router a bit more often.

It's been a challenge to put together a regular work week here, that's just not the Congolese style!  It's always a day by day thing, working around potential rioting in the streets, family emergencies (shootings, wakes, etc), illness, weddings, and so many other things added to the mix.  You just cannot plan in advance, one has to be flexible daily.  I remember attending an Urbana conference years ago and hearing a Congo missionary tell us that there are five things that are prerequisites for ministering in Congo:  Patience, Patience, Patience, Patience, and Patience.   Lord, give us patience every day.

Thanks for your continued prayers.  Looking forward to what the week ahead holds.