Adventure in Travel, and Other Thoughts about Transport

So, I'm sitting in yet another airport, with about my 5th flight reschedule due to weather.  But I just realized that I arrived earlier than I planned on Tuesday (due to some creative changes), and I'm probably going to get home about an hour and a half late (if all goes will, hope this doesn't jinx it).  But I started imagining all of the things that might happen on a 30-hour combo of flights and layover on the trip to Mbandaka, which led to thoughts of the river trip that we will take when we get there.  In spite of the minor annoyances, the system worked for me, as it usually does in this country.  But think of a place with almost no roads, very minimal scheduled public transport, where the most reliable transport involves a canoe, only sometimes including a motor.  We just don't understand what we really have here.  We also do not understand the faithful witness of a church that would create a new church start because people had to walk 2.5 miles to get to church, school, clinics, and so on.  The church will not just witness to its faith, will not just evangelize, but will meet God's children at their point of deepest need.

As we cancel services because of weather, maybe we can find a renewed sense of being faithful to God through all things.  Our new internet church (DisciplesNet Church, at www.disciplesnet.org), was made for times like these, and places like Congo.  We are always welcome at the table, wherever and whenever we are.  God is always moving a hand over the face of the earth, and new things are springing forth.

Which makes a flight delay look pretty trivial - but it has given me lots of time to think on these things.

How Do They Do It?

New Church Start in Mbandaka - Bokilimba

We know that we have much to learn from our Congolese partners, and one of them is how to "plant" a church.  Obviously, you need a place to hold worship, and we put a lot of time and money into making that happen early in the process.  For the Congolese, if there is a need for a church, they make it happen - quickly.  For this new church, a few posts and a roof of palm branches is enough to begin, and by the second Sunday, there are more than 100 at the worship service.  I am sharing this wonderful story from Rev. Ilumbe, the Principal Supervising Pastor (regional minister) of the Mbandaka Post of the 10th Community-Disciples of Christ in Congo.  It is another learning point that they are concerned about the whole person - soul, certainly, but also mind and health.  But they start with the soul.

"Dear Rev. Rick

I have the joy of sending you photos of a new church in the district of Bokilimba, which is 4 kilometers from the town center.  The residents of the district have difficulty attending worship regularly because of the distance to the nearest parish. In addition, their children go to school on foot a long way, and the same is true for health and medical services, as there is no clinic near. Thus we thought it useful to begin to plant a new church which will enable more development bit by bit.  The church has been open only three weeks. The first Sunday we had 45 participants in worship, the second Sunday 114 and 111 the third. There is a trained teacher whose job is evangelism. Rosette and I visited the third Sunday to offer them encouragement, and to take these pictures.

We are praying so much that this new church may develop into a viable congregation like the others.

Hoping to hear from you soon, I pray for blessings for you and our friends in Indiana.

Révérend ILUMBE NDJONGO Bernard, PSP Mbandaka. "