Dear Friend,

The heart of God wants all people to be saved, and so Christ, after dying for the sins of all people, commissioned His followers to preach the Good News of Salvation to all nations (Lk.24:47). This means that every tribe, even in the center of Africa, needs to hear the Gospel. All who come to Christ in repentance and faith will be saved. Therefore, there is no greater purpose on earth than the evangelization of its over 7 billion people.

THE CONGO (Democratic Republic of Congo) Situated in the heart of Africa, formerly known as Zaire, the suffering has been enormous over many years. More than five million people have lost their lives through wars, violence, starvation and the collapse of the health system. Thousands of Christians and hundreds of missionaries were martyred in the Simba Rebellion of 1964. Many others have died in the conflicts from 1991 until today as tribal warfare continues. There has also been exploitation by foreign countries, and corruption by dictators. Now it seems that recent elections have paved a way of peace for these 86 million people, and all the suffering has prepared a harvest of souls for the kingdom of God.

I did not intend to open any more branches of our ministry overseas, but our Brazil Director (Bruno) was invited to the Congo (West) by a mission to help teach evangelism. He returned believing that we should be in the Congo. Then a Christian friend in Australia wrote me. He had known a missionary who served in Zaire (now the DRC) years ago, and during the uprising she was brutally treated. He felt a burden from God to one day see our ministry established there. When he saw my newsletter asking prayer for the Congo, he contacted me saying he would underwrite the opening of a branch there. I prayed for God’s will to be done. Then last year I met Fred (Mvunyinka), a Congolese brother translating for us in Kenya. Immediately I could see that he had the gifts to be our pioneer evangelist for the Congo. To confirm this, I waited for him to approach me. Several months later, he wrote saying he felt led to join our mission. After successfully applying to join our staff, Fred (30) was there to meet me at the airport in Rwanda (photo 1). We stayed in a Christian Guest House, which had been for street children on drugs. Led by a dedicated Christian, he had tried to bring peace during the genocide. They killed him, and his tomb stone is in the yard.

After about a 4 hour bus trip, we entered the Congo at Goma. The first requirement was to publicly wash our hands and have our temperature taken because of Ebola, a deadly disease that has claimed over 1000 lives in the North Kivu Province during the past year. Lake Kivu was visible, where many take boats for traveling to towns. Just before I arrived, over 100 had drowned when an overcrowded boat overturned. Apparently, there were no life jackets. Just 8 miles from Goma stood Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano. In January 2002, it erupted sending a wall of lava through the center of the city. Over 40% of the city was destroyed, and some were killed. The airport runway was shortened by 1/3 due to the lava. At night one can see a red glow at the top of the volcano. The streets are strewn with volcanic rocks, making walking and driving difficult. None of the one million inhabitants of Goma seem to be worried. Tourists are guided to the top of the volcano to view the lake of fire.

True to his word, the Australian Christian Brother sent the money for a new Toyota Landcruiser (no other vehicle will stand up to the “roads” - photo 8). He is also supporting Fred and the ministry. The Constitution and Bylaws I have written for other branches were translated into French, and the Congo Government approved our application to register OAC DRC (I used the name of OAC because I registered Kenya as OAC in 2010). The $2,500 worth of film equipment I was carrying, passed through both Rwanda and Congo Customs duty free in answer to prayer.

Although the electricity and water were rarely available, this actually helped our ministry. Most people did not have TV, so gladly came to see our film. One Christian business man warned us that it would be very dangerous to go out in the open air at night, but to only show the film inside churches. I told him, “Christ has commanded us to go to people everywhere and preach the gospel, and you are telling me not to go. Whom should I obey? I will obey Christ.” We went by faith for our first open air film meeting in Goma. Rain was threatening, but even as we put up the film equipment, people were gathering. About 400 stood for 90 minutes to watch the JESUS film and hear the Gospel message preached with Fred translating (photo 4). When many responded to put their trust in Christ as Savior, there was applause. There was no opposition, or anti-foreign reaction. We were presenting Christ as the only answer for our lives in time and eternity, with no political or tribal agenda. The same happened at following meetings with up to 600 attending (photos 2 & 3). In one village, people even stood in light rain to watch. We had to use iron stakes and a rope to keep the crowd from pressing forward on top of our video projector and us. After many responded to trust Christ as Savior, people cheered and shouted like I have never seen before. Usually we had a local pastor with us for follow-up. The man who warned us not to go, after hearing what God was doing, begged me to take him on our next film meetings!

The median age of Congo is just under 17 years, due to war and disease (Aids, etc.), so it is very important that we also target the youth. Each public-school district has a pastor, who readily invited us to preach to all the students in the elementary and high schools. At one place they combined both schools to give us 1000 students (photos 5 & 6). The interest and attention were tremendous, as well as the response to Christ as Savior. Fred learned to preach using the sketch board, and continues to do so each week (photo 7). Each student and teacher were given a comic tract (Chick) in French on salvation. The headmasters begged us to return.

Churches invited me to preach in their Sunday services, and one leading pastor wants to arrange a one-day seminar for pastors and leaders on evangelism when I return. We will follow this with open air film meetings near their churches using their members as counselors. Truly the Lord of the harvest has led us to the Congo (DRC).

PLEASE PRAY

1) For the Lord to protect Fred and his ministry equipment as he proclaims the gospel to lost souls, and for God to call a second evangelist to work with him.

2) For OAC Kenya, where our 4 evangelists are reaching thousands each month. Support is needed for them, and the provision of a second film vehicle.

3) For our “Where Most Needed” fund to meet the needs of our evangelists, especially in Kenya, Ukraine, Paraguay and Peru.

4) For the provision of two solar panels to provide power for a computer I bought for the OAC Congo office, and the provision of a printer/scanner/copier (all available in Goma).

5) For Elaine as she holds the fort while I’m away, & continues to teach precious children.

Schedule: Ecuador...............August 5 – 18

                 The Congo...........October 4 - 20    

                 The Bahamas......To be scheduled

THANK YOU so much to you who are making this ministry possible through your prayers and gifts. May the Lord greatly bless you as we labor together for His kingdom and glory.