Favorites

One of my (Jaimie) favorite parts of the day, and there were MANY, was driving to and from UCBC, because there were people everywhere. Sometimes, we used our rental van as a resource to bring one of the students, who was 8 months pregnant, to school in the mornings. Would you believe many of the students walk at least 6 miles a day just to get to the university? (Please pray that God will give them a bus to help with this. It is a terrible, dangerous trip to travel on the only road in Beni. The drivers are fast and the dust from the vehicles is horrendous!)

Anyway, the "streets" are full of people all day long. Most carry a load on their heads, consisting of bananas, branches for fences, leaves, fruits, meats, brooms, anything you could imagine. Everything is done as a community, each looking out for the other. We always got stared at, and it brought much joy every time the locals would wave back, smiling as we passed by.

Another favorite was listening to our friends laugh and pray - sometimes separately, sometimes together. Prayer is heartfelt, no matter how light the communication with our Lord. I miss listening to the rich sound of African voices lifting themselves up in holy prayer to God, even in Swahili or French. Singing to the Lord with our spirited brothers and sisters is inexplainable. There is great joy among the sadness from constant death, sickness, and loss of...well, anything you can think of. Many of our students have lost everything they own, more than once, because of the rebel groups and the war. We have learned a lot from our friends here about joy, love, appreciation, and the will to continue on.

We loved walking with the students through the land, experiencing life together in conversation. They were eager to share with us in everything they had, and we felt the same. Every Mzungu, "rich white person", from our group came with a servant's heart to learn and work. Jake and I both helped slash grass, which made some of our friends laugh with joy that a white person would help in this way. We dusted the floors with makeshift brooms, played with the local children, and enjoyed experiencing community with anyone who was willing to share - and they all were. Instantly accepted, loved, cherished, respected. We didn't deserve any of it, but we are honored to be a part of our amazing Congolese friends.

Congo High School Experience

We had the opportunity to meet with two high schools. Each experience was very unique and heart breaking, making us realize what we really have. Like we said, there were several teachers with our group, and we met with teachers from the first high school. Dr. Kasali and Honore (UCBC's Dean) helped us to communicate with these teachers, discussing the joys and struggles of teaching in U.S. v Congo. In Congo, the citizens do not pay taxes, therefore making funding for schools come from the parents. Families pay $65 per year per child, which is a lot for them. The teachers do not have ANY materials to teach, making all learning a theoretical experience. No text books, no maps, pictures, and the kids sit on makeshift desks and write notes all day long. As you can see, these teachers feel frustrated and burned out, because they have nothing to work with.

Our second experience really touched my heart. This school was built specially for those kids who have been outcasts, prostitutes, and child soldiers. We heard three girl's testimonies of having children at early ages, not having families or being rejected for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Again, the kids have to pay the fees, but they are taught that their lives are worth so much more. The women of our group spoke to a smaller portion of the girls, trying to offer any hope and peace from God, telling them that their stories are not finished yet, that God loves them no matter. We all prayed with them and their teachers. My heart was overjoyed to look down as we were praying and thank God for the three beautiful dark hands that were in my own. They really are a beautiful creation, no matter what mess is in their lives! Krista presented the teachers with a simple map for a wall, and they melted. What an amazing experience. It's so sad to think we have the same problems of child prostitution in our own cities. It's time for us to take a stand here, too, don't you think?

Congo Initiative trip

Congo Initiative

In July a team of nine from the U.S. took part in a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) in Africa. Four are teachers, one becoming a teacher, a mechanic, one educated in agriculture, and one a part business owner dealing with companies and their charities also our group leader. We knew we were going to help out in some way with the first bi-lingual university (U.C.B.C.) in D.R.C. What we did not know was our specific job when we arrived. When everyone arrived from our team we were quickly informed by Dr. Kasali that our purpose was to "be" not to "do". This was a little hard for some of us to understand because some people need a focus. Building relationships was far more important than "getting things done". I (Jake) have been on mission trips where you "do things" and this trip was far more meaningful because of our focus to love our brothers and sisters in Christ and come to know them and them to know us. Our first day at U.C.B.C. was a surprise to our teachers. One of the university teachers (Justin from Wisconsin) was sick with malaria and typhoid and was hospitalized. This meant that someone had to teach the course. Wow! Great! We brought teachers with us and guess what? They took over! First day brought a beginning to starting relationships. All of our teachers were able to teach classes because one of the other U.C.B.C. teachers (Heather, also from WI) left to take care of Justin while he was sick. For five days our teachers (Jaimie, Krista, Luke, Kim and Rhiannon) and the students were interacting and building relationships. Dylan from our group practiced with the U.C.B.C. choir and helped with classes. Tom (our group leader) was busy working with David, creating and talking over future plans for U.C.B.C. and the community. He also interacted with the classrooms. I spent much of my time performing physical labor with the locals and the campus carpenter building a roof and shoveling a LOT of dirt. I think that the workers appreciated the Muzungu (white person) serving them instead of bossing them around. This was one of the points for "being" not "doing". It was a little tough communicating. They spoke french and Swahili and I only speak English. It brought a fun challenge to the job. I also spent a small amount of time in the classroom and loved every minute of it.

Jaimie and her new students and friends

The students were showing where they have gone and where in the world they would like to go.

Rhiannon and Kim interacting in the class room

Krista interacting with her first class

U.C.B.C. choir practice. Dylan is here somewhere.