Journal Entry Dec. 7, 2009

After breakfast the team headed to a hotel near the US embassy to have breakfast and then go to meet congressmen. However our plans were changed once we arrived at the hotel.  It was determined that Congress has completed the budget Friday night and closed session out. We will be making another appointment to meet with Congressmen on Thursday morning on our way back to the airport.

 I was taken back onto the university campus to conclude my teaching on leadership, it rained extremely hard on Friday night, so once I got a back onto campus classes were extremely delayed, so I spent that time in prayer. Once classes resumed we concluded them the series on leadership, it was an extremely blessed time in the Lord. Many people shared how they were blessed through the entire series.  I am encouraged that our team has done great work on this mission trip.  Our goal was to have five people to commit after the teaching series to go into five different regions of the Congo to share leadership and start churches. We were blessed on the first night to have twelve. There was one church service were 24 came forward and another service were 13 came forward. So God has blessed beyond our original expectations. To God be the glory for that.

After taking pictures and having fellowship with the students and  other brothers, we came back to have lunch at the place we were staying, however our plans changed because we have a long way to go.  I was encouraged to find out how far our brothers students traveled each day to come to each session, some walked miles, some as much as 15 miles, some caught taxi cabs. After leaving campus we drove for about an hour and half to the Congo River. Pastor Nzashi owns 70 acres of land down near there and that is where we secured two shoe boxes full of dirt that we actually hope to bring back to the states.  If custom will allow.

After that we went down to the river and had a coke and looked over the river.  Upon returning back to Kinshasa, one gentleman, a Bishop from the leadership class had invited us over on our way back from the Congo River, we were not necessarily going to stop at his home,  but we did. His family was waiting, we were truly moved by the fact that they had not eaten dinner and were waiting for us, and at that time it was  9 o'clock at night and they were ready for us. As much as the Congo was without electricity they were without  electricity as well. They put a big spread out for us, needless to say all the food was cold, they had beef, chicken, rice, veggies, as well as water and we were blessed, it was share with me that our presence in his home has  brought a lot of honor to them at that time. They were extremely pleased that we came, that pretty much concluded our day.

We arrived back at homebase 12:30 am.

Journal EntryTuesday, Dec. 8 

Woke up not feeing well. Not sure if it was something I ate while in one of the village Maybe it is a combination of things.   Maybe my stomach can not tolerate eating a lot of the cold food. - There has not been any electricity four days, so all food is served cold.  Not sure how long some of the food has been unrefrigerated at the various homes where we have eaten. I don’t have a fever, but I am feeling lighted headed and nauseated. The team has prayed for me.  It was recommended to me to drink a coke, perhaps it would ease the queasiness.  I am still not 100%.  I am scheduled to give the solar cooking and the water filtration lessons in about an hour. Bur, the people have come early. I have to push through this sick feeling.  If I keep going and not think about it, maybe I will feel better.  I am praying the Lord will bring me through and I am sure he will.

AFTER THE LESSON:

Well, the solar cooking and fresh water demonstrations went extremely well.  Everyone is excited about it. I was able to show them how to construct and manufacture the solar oven. Hopefully by the DVD that we brought in French,  they will be able to use it.

Satan is trying to disturb the joy that we received from the fact that these people received a lot of joy and love because of what Family Community Church was able to do for them. You can see it in their faces. Our plane leaves in three hours to go back to Kinshasa. 

ON THE FLIGHT:

The plane is having a hard time. It is one of those twin prop engine planes, the weather is stormy. The plane is having a rough time in the storm.  It feels like of one of those Indiana Jones rides, and  It doesn’t help that my stomach is still not feeling to well..But, I won’t complain because I am still able to write about it.

ARRIVAL IN KINSHASA:

Well, we successfully landed .We just touched down in Kinshasa, praise God. It is in the afternoon.

We are headed back to the compound.  The Congressman Lumeya, met us at the airport and took us to lunch, and back to his home. We had a great lunch. We met his family. He told us family stories.  He shared his vision for the Congo. We prayed for the Congressman, for his country and his family.

I am extremely tired now.  This missionary trip has been non-stop, I think we planned 9 or 10 hour days but they turned into 14-16 hour days. God has been gracious.  The trip has been a success. I am thoroughly satisfied with what we accomplished. A lot of good relationships have been established.  At many of the schools that we visited we passed out a lot of flyers to the people from the members of Family, the ones you wrote. The children were extremely pleased and encouraged to receive the pictures and drawings from the children of Family. So praise God. The Theme worked. They are going to pray for the children at Family and hopefully the children at Family will continue to pray for the children in Kinshasa.  God bless you and I will talked to you later.

Pastor's Africa Trip from FamilyFilms on Vimeo.