We distributed 15 wheelchairs, 9 toilet- & shower chairs, 15 pairs of crutches, 16 walking aids, 4 PCs, 5 sewing machines & tools to one old folks home, two handicapped centers, one training center for 300 underprivileged girls and four orphanages. Different medical aid went to a hospital and three boxes of glasses to doctors who will prescribe them properly to needy people.
During the distribution and the many preparations for it we appreciated very much the help of Allain Eloumndene, a former German teacher, presently the personal secretary of the Minister of Social Affaires who invested a lot of time and effort to help us get this complicated and involved project running as smooth as possible. To organize such a distribution in Africa the right way is not an easy task as people have to follow complicated protocols and there are jealous and greedy people who hinder your efforts because you don’t cooperate with their corrupt ways.
In the container we could also bring over a hundred new bibles and many boxes of very helpful educational materials and Christian literature, tracts, books and cassettes which will help a lot of children, schools & interested people in their spiritual growth and personal walk with the Lord.
Our distribution to the pygmies was recorded by a team from the national TV which accompanied us for several days in the bush, and the film was already sent several times at peak hours. Some of us were recognized several times on the street and we are very happy that the work in Cameroon got rolling well. Stephan and Annette with team will carry on the work there with a long term vision, while Lenka and my hearts’ desire since a long time was to open a mission station in Congo. Already 2 years ago from Zambia we wanted to make a trip to check out the possibilities there, but it wasn’t God’s time yet. Now the Lord opened a door for us and I just returned from our first visit there, while Lenka and Mathew are staying there for another month to find further contacts.
Our first impression confirmed as was expected that this country, plagued by many years of terrible civil war, no doubt needs our help more than any of the others we worked in so far. Although at the moment you hear sometimes in the news about it, the people there suffered a lot more than we can imagine already since decades. After the independence from Belgium they had first Mobutu’s dictatorship with two devastating lootings in 1991 & 1993 in Kinshasa which threw the country from being quite rich, especially for African standard, basically over night into great poverty. Since 1998 rages terrible civil war which cost already about 3 million lives, not to mention the many refugees & displaced people who lost everything and the general economical breakdown.
In Kinshasa with about 6 million inhabitants they estimate about 80 % jobless people who fight for survival without any help. In many quarters of the city there is no electricity or running water. Many eat only once a day. Theft & corruption are therefore very high. They estimate between 10 & 15 thousand street children who for different reasons live on the street and are facing like the child soldiers without any schooling a dark future.
In spite – or rather because – of all these problems we feel called to help these precious people. It’s probably the greatest challenge of our lives and we pray that if it’s God will that He will give us a new team with His strength and guidance to build His work there where we would like to stay for a many years. Although poverty is widespread, prices are even higher than in the other African countries we lived in. So we wanted to ask you to help us as much as possible since we can’t operate there without your help from outside. The best would be if you could support us with regular bank transfers as the desperate people there expect more help from us then we experienced anywhere else, which we can understand very well considering their difficult situation.
Although their harbor in Matadi is supposed to be the most expensive in the world, we are planning to send again humanitarian aid there as the need is so incredibly big. Besides the spiritual strengthening & encouragement people need anything we can bring from abroad, finances and goods. Thank you so much for all your help, we really appreciate it a lot!
        
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