Being on home assignment in the Netherlands I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I could give presentations about my ministry in DRC in several churches and also in some cell groups in my home church. But it being summer holidays as well, I couldn’t visit them all. Instead, I went sailing with friends for almost a week. A very nice time with sunny weather.
Talking about my work is a joy for me, as I see in everything that God is a faithful God and Father. He has surrounded me with his care and protection for already over 25 years in Congo. Even when in situations that were, to say the least, insecure.
Also now He is at work. For years I have been saying that I would love to see more missionaries to come to Congo, and even more specifically, to come to Adi, where I am based now. But when you talk about Congo, people think about rebels, insecurity, fighting, travel restrictions, and now also ebola. Congo knows all of them. It is also one of the reasons that aid organizations work in those regions in Congo that are insecure.
Doing so they forget the other regions of Congo.
Adi is in the northeast of Congo, pretty close to the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. True, sometimes we are bothered with insecurity but overall it is fine. Work is going on as usual, schools did start last week and patients come to the hospital. The treatment program with ARV is still continuing at the hospital. Likambo gets a lot of people coming to him when he works at our program office at the hospital asking questions about AIDS.
All five staff, together with some volunteers, continue to work with the little means they have. And that is almost nothing. They only have their enthusiasm to work and to serve and they are faithful.
We do not have funding for the program. However, to continue ministering to the people we need financial support. In a paper I have mentioned what we are doing and how, and also how much money we would need for the rest of this year and for 2015. You can read it here: AIDS Awareness Program CECA 20 COR. If you’d want to know more, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Another huge challenge is my personal support. To be able to return to Adi, I need more people who want to support me financially. The gifts that I receive now don’t allow me to go back and I have a return ticket for 20 September, in two weeks time. If you want to help me to return, you can contact AIM International in The Netherlands, www.aimeurope.nl.
My home is in Congo. My life is in Congo. My ministry is in Congo. And God is doing great works in Congo. In November this year the church I’m serving will organize her General Assembly in Adi and I am a participant in this assembly. Also, AIM will send two short term missionaries to Adi. One will come in November until end February and she will be working with me to produce a documentary about the AIDS Program, and maybe a movie that we can show when teaching about AIDS. The other will come in January for six months to work as a doctor at the hospital and with the AIDS Program.
Then I am thinking, God will not send people to Adi, having AIM arrange everything for their arrival, and then cancel it at the last minute because I don’t have my supprt. He will do miracles. He is a faithful God and He has a plan for me for good (Jer.29:11).