Joanne Mahar

Bud Kroeker in Congo Report N° 9

Dear friends,

December 12, 2011 Kinshasa

Life is about back to normal today in Kinshasa. Full staff back here at the Guest House making a lot of noise. Traffic is again back on the streets.

The first church I visited in Kinshasa had a hard time last week-end. The pastor, Cyrille Alenge, thought the young men were going to tear down the church. But the police arrived and scattered the crowds. Gombe, the business district was very quiet. I had a meeting this afternoon and then came home with Milenge around 4 o’clock and had my dinner. Tomorrow we’ll take in the baggage to the bus station and then find out what time the bus actually leaves. The bus yesterday was cancelled and that’s why I had to wait another day before leaving for Kikwit.

The cell phone messages have been blocked since the elections. That complicates things. The Carter Center criticized that action saying Congo should go ahead and let them send bad messages, and then take them to court for it.

I got my passport back but they still have to stamp in the visa Monday or Tuesday morning. I haven’t yet confirmed my Brussels flight yet.

December 14 Kikwit

Breakdowns are common

A fine rain is gently misting the morning air here in Kikwit and we also notice a marked reduction in the noise as compared to the larger cities. Erik Kumedisa and I arrived here at 9:15 a.m. after a long night of travel with accidents blocking the road and the bus breaking down three times. We’re thankful to God for His protection. My suitcases were on top of the bus under a tarp, yet still got quite wet. Fortunately the warm sunshine yesterday afternoon dried things out.

After resting today and doing errands, we’ll head for Matende tomorrow. Unfortunately for us, people are slow getting underway here this morning, while I so want get to Matende before it gets late.

New Preschool Under Mango trees

December 15 Matende

We got a taxi in Kikwit—an old Mazda with a very good driver—and though he drove far too fast, he got us out here safely. I was happy to greet the dear friends at Matende.

How good to to sit down with the leaders on the side of the hill—so significant in memories—and to talk as gentle breezes cool the air. What a contrast with the noisy cities.  We talked until darkness fell. The pastor Kibombi has begun showing me the state of the buildings here on the mission. Some changes have taken place but there are still a lot of hurdles.

Meeting with Lbus coeaders

December 17 Matende and Kikwit

We had meetings all day yesterday at Matende. A heavy rain fell last night, but the weather has been beautiful during the day. It’s been good to have this opportunity to renew the contacts here at the mission, to see first hand the progress and setbacks, and also to be able to encourage the friends here.

We came back to Kikwit today where it is much hotter. Tonight I’ll take a bus back to Kinshasa. I don’t look forward to an all-night ride on the bus, but it’s much cheaper than going by air. We’re trying out another bus company this time with the hope that we’ll get a bus in better running condition this time. We’re told that it might be true of this one. We’ll see!

Last night they announced the final results of the election. All is calm here in Kikwit where the majority voted for Kabila; I doubt if we’ll have problems when we get back to Kinshasa.

Today I worked with Erik on the computer program Excel, teaching him the basics of bookkeeping spread sheets. He will be able to use this as he does the accounting for Congo Open Heart here in Congo.

December 18, Sunday morning Kinshasa

We arrived back here in Kinshasa at 5 a.m, grateful to God for answering prayers for a safe trip, and for the fact that this bus cost only $40 per person. A plan ticket—by contrast—would have cost $130.  However But the bus was anything but comfortable. The seats were so close to together that our knees touched all the way, while agricultural produce piled high on top of the bus, also hung over our heads! But at least we didn’t have to deal with mechanical problems or getting held up as we did on the trip to inland. This driver was also more friendly, willingly dropping people off and picking up new passengers all along the way.

Now I have two days here before getting my flight Tuesday night back to Brussels. I’ll need to visit several people to here and a meeting is planned with the observers tomorrow to get the final reports, Then I’ll pick up my visa, etc.

Thank you for standing with me in prayer once again.

Bud

For the background of Matende and much more see Shiny Shoes on Dusty Paths, volumes one and two.

admin | Shiny Shoes | 12 21st, 2011 | Comments Off

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east” (Matthew 2:1).

Amidst staggering world events, concerns over the economy, wars, pressures of daily life, health, grief over loved ones who have recently left us, and the unknown future, it seems somehow unnatural to get into the partying mood. Yet perhaps these very shadows prepare us to better penetrate the depth and richness of the real Christmas spirit.

Pondering these issues I’ve taken some time to reflect on the various aspects of the Christmas story, and in spite of the fact that my brother Bud is in Congo this season, I’m interrupting his reports to share some thoughts with you starting with the Wise Men from the East who appear in Matthew 2. What were they all about?

Like most storywriters, I enjoy figuring out my characters in advance, but sometimes they breathe over my shoulder and correct me on my pre-determined conceptions of who they really are. It would appear that such has also been my own pre-conceived ideas with regard to these fascinating characters that the Bible calls Wise Men. What makes them especially appealing to me this year is that they have connections to the very setting of my latest book: BelkA of BABYLON, that encompasses the Fertile Crescent—or the crescent-shaped body of land around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Those of you who have read the above-mentioned book, no doubt remember the character Parto, the slave of envoy BelkA, whose friend Shai was a Hebrew exile and the landscaping engineer who designed the watering system for Babylon’s famous hanging gardens. This Shai, a firm believer in the One True God, had read and memorized portions of the Sacred Writings that he’s shared with Parto that, in the course of the story, influenced protagonist BelkA.

Daniel in Persia

In that same ancient time frame, another Hebrew exile in Babylon by the name of Daniel, had risen to power in the courts of King Nebuchadnezzar II, and according to Daniel 2:48, was placed in charge of the wise men or Magi—borrowed from the Greek word Magus—a priestly class of sages or nobles formerly mentioned in Scripture about Egypt in connection with Joseph and Moses. These were influential Gentiles of noble birth who comprised most of the educated class of their times. Some were superstitious magicians, astrologers, or soothsayers who imposed on the credulity of the people, while others were devout men of integrity and wisdom who studied nature—especially the skies—and beheld in them the glory of the Creator.

Ancient Library of Alexandria

These sages appeared in Persia, then in Ptolemaic Egypt where the Scriptures were translated into Greek, placed in the famous library of Alexandria, and from there spread throughout the Greek and Roman world where more sages, ever-seeking for a clearer knowledge of the Creator, studied the prophetic Writings and found that a King would come out of Jacob or Israel.

Then one starry night they saw a special star and knew that He had come. The rest of the story is one we all know so well: their perseverance, the Divine guidance all the way to Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, and culminating in that marvelous scene where they kneel in worship before their King, the Eternal God manifested in human flesh.

Though few details are included in Matthew’s account regarding the wise men, we sense a profound significance in their reverential and deliberate actions. Did they truly comprehend that the child before them was indeed the Creator and sustainer of the Universe, the One who determines the number of the stars and counts them by name (Psalm 147:2)? Had they already concluded that He had come to offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and thus open the way to heaven for all who believe? They must have, because it had been clearly revealed in the prophecies of Isaiah (53::6): “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

As we begin to see with their eyes, we catch a glimpse of who the Christ-Child truly is: King of Kings and Savior of the world. And this explains the pouring out of rich gifts in His honor.

2000 plus Christmases have come and gone, and much of the amazing mystery and wonder of that first Christmas are overshadowed with the glitter, glamor and frenzy of extravagant merry-making.

It is indeed appropriate to celebrate this special event, but let us also remember to follow their example in sincere worship and in offering gifts—not just for ones we know and love—but especially those in need whom we may not even know by name.

In my minds eye I see the children and adults of Congo who won’t have fine dinners and gifts this that most of us will enjoy this Christmas,  yet my heart rejoices in the news received even as I write this post, of a women’s Bible study group—composed mostly of widows—who are arranging for a special gift that will help enable brother Bud to travel far into the interior of Congo to encourage good number Congolese of all ages. In my heart I hear the glowing echo of the Savior’s own words in Matthew 25:40: “(Even) as (you) have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”  Wouldn’t it be thrilling for us to live out Christmas just like the wise men in our worship and in our gifts. This is my wish for Christmas 2011.

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing.” —Isaac Waats, 1719

admin | Africa, BelkA of Babylon, Books, Middle East, Seasonal | 12 10th, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker Report N° 8

Friday evening, December 9, 2011

Dear friends,

Thursday morning, Kinshasa comes to life little by little, but as they say here “The getting around  is yet very timid.” There are only a few faithful workers left here at the Guest House.

I have an appointment this morning with Tim and Suzanne Lind of the Mennonite Central Committee, who have their office on the second floor of the building where ECC has its headquarters, and where I work. They come to pick me up at the Guest House in their car and we have a nice visit talking about the future of the work here in Congo. Suzanne Lind was here in 2006 during the elections and was still here the day after I left when the uprisings of Bemba’s army flared up when they refused to accept the election  results and started shooting with heavy guns, aiming at the Congolese army, the FARDC. At that time she’d dropped to the floor of her office and stayed there during the whole affair. I have to admire the courage of both her and her husband for not abandoning Congo after that experience and giving up on her. In spite of all she and her husband devotedly continue their full-time humanitarian efforts.

Immediately following this visit, I accompany Pastor Milenge and Jules Lweso to the 7^th floor of the PNUD—the United Nations—where we wait for the arrival of two diplomats: Stanislas Baba, the General Counselor for Elections and Linda Ekone, Director of a project we were working on the first week of my stay here in Kinshasa. The project is designed to steer the Congolese population—especially the youth—through a process of non-violence throughout the election and the whole year ahead.

With the Director’s signature in hand we go downstairs to the entry hall where large stacks of material for the campaign are stacked including posters, flyers, arm bands, with the slogan No to violence during elections. This message is urgent and all this material has to be loaded into two vehicles that make several trips back and forth.D

The driver drops me off at the Grand Hotel for a meeting with all the European Union Observers. While we load up the cars, several dignitaries arrived in their big 4×4 with license plates CMD (Chef de Mission Diplomatique) Chief of Diplomatic Mission, with their bodyguards. Not the usual place to find a missionary, to say the least.

In the afternoon everyone again scatters so as not to get caught too late in the city traffic. The CENI still hasn’t announced the results of the elections and people are afraid of up-risings and violence. Both police and army are posted at main intersections. Other armed forces ride around in the back of their pickups, prepared to jump at the slightest incident. Folks here haven’t forgotten the events of 2006 when two armies fought each other.

I’ve barely time to get out of the car when someone comes to pick me up to take me to meet Abbot Malumalu to discuss and get the latest news concerning the $5s due each observer. I am given a huge thick book giving a printout with the names of all the 30,000 observers in Congo. He asks me to verify the list. I find that certain names of Protestant observers are missing.

Friday I stay at the Guest House all day. Everything is very calm. I’m working on the names to turn in for this list of observers, in order for them to qualify for their money. At noon I am given a hot meal. Still no news on the Internet concerning the results of the election.

Shortly after 4 p.m. Bertin Basubi phones me to say that the results have been announced. “God has been good to us!” he says. The actual results are hardly different from the grids I made up the last three days, giving 8,880, 944 votes for Kabila (48,95%) and 5,864,795 votes for Tshisikedi (32,33%) of all the 32,024,640 voters in Congo.

Throughout the entire day people talk to me of their worries and fears. Erik Kumedisa was here this morning but his son phoned to plead with him to come home. This evening after the announcement is made on the radio and TV, those with whom I talk are accepting the results. Some coming off the streets even say that there are people celebrating. It is not possible for an African to totally hide his emotions.  We continue to pray that the city will stay calm because tomorrow people will have to go out to find food. Three days staying home here means three days without eating.

The world surely must ask “Why so much excitement and unrestrained emotions for a routine election; these go on in many places all the time?” The answer is that this is only the second election for such a wide-spread and diverse country as Congo, and after a gruesome 50-year dictatorship, we might say they have a right to feel jittery. They need time to ease gradually into democracy. Thus, these first steps have been unsure and unsteady.

May God guide and care for the destiny of this country.

We trust in Him,

Bud

admin | Africa, Shiny Shoes | 12 10th, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 7

Wednesday evening, December 7, 2011

Dear friends,

This morning I sent in the grid showing the amount of votes for each candidate according to province. People here, especially the observers, like this way of comparing as it gives them a picture of what’s going on. A journalist from one of the local television stations asked if he could also have a copy. The grid from this morning was based on 90% of the votes already counted. Some parts of the country have only turned in 80%. Officially the results were to be announced Tuesday but the CENI asked for 48 hours more to finish off the counting of the votes.

Publishing the partial results of the elections can already give an idea of who is winning. The remaining 10% won’t change the outcome. So the population is prepared to accept little by little the results even though the politicians haven’t yet named the winner, and continue talking about fraud.

Today this city is all but dead. Pastor Milenge phoned me this morning to say he was at home and those in his office went home at noon. Other offices decided already last week to stay closed until Wednesday. The streets are basically silent without the usual noise of loud vehicles going down the street. Even the personnel here at the Guest House are reduced in number. The girls who normally serve stayed home. The huge metal gate, usually open for visitors, stayed closed all day. The boys in the little guardhouse are sitting outside looking at an old TV. Only a few cars are parked in the parking lot and some look like they’ve been there a long time, such as two vans of the CAP jacked up on blocks. At noon, the cook tells me that I can go ahead and eat since I’m the only one.

This evening I sat outside where it was a bit cooler and where I could rest my eyes. All around are large buildings of up to 8 floors. And on the roofs is a collection of antennas of all sizes for TV, Internet, and communications. A papaya tree as high as the second floor of a building is sitting there with luscious fruit up at the top that no one is going dare to pick. There are also several banana trees and many palm trees around here, which give such charm to the city. No one is moving over at the Print shop of CEDI next door, even though several lights are lit inside.

We will see if life comes back to normal tomorrow. Those who don’t like the results of the election could go on strike, but life must go on, otherwise one doesn’t eat. We continue to pray for peace and that the population will go back to their normal tasks. If they could but realize that the promises of politicians describing a life that gets better immediately will never be kept. In my opinion it’s time to encourage people to return to the country to a more wholesome life. But they don’t seem to think of it.

Please pray for the many facing difficult situations. There’s a young lady here whose parents have both died, she’s been rejected by her aunt and has no income, yet she has to somehow pay rent, and she’s but one of so many others. Pray also for those who will be leading this country in the days ahead.

Bud

admin | Africa, International Background, News Items, Shiny Shoes | 12 8th, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 6

Dear friends,

 Kinshasa between elections and results 

The streets are calm this Sunday evening in Kinshasa. The reports have been coming in ever since yesterday morning, and all those we’ve talked to say that the population is less nervous and things are calming down.

The CENI published partial results from 33% of the country’s polls showing that Tshisikedi has 34% and Kabila 50% of the votes. But Kinshasa has not been counted as yet and Tshisikedi has lots of votes here in this city. Forecasts still show Kabila in the lead.

It seems that people will accept the results of the elections. But there have been so many rumors going around of fraud, that people have a hard time believing the observers, even when they affirm that the results are reliable and true. I spoke with a man after Church this morning and he was very worried. I hope we can finish the reports of all the Protestant observers tomorrow.

The message in Church this morning was John 14:27. Jesus said “I give you my peace.” This country certainly needs peace during these next coming days. Would you please pray for this?

This coming week I would like to finish off the administrative work here in Kinshasa in order to leave for a trip to Matende. There is still a lot to do here and we need to find a means of transportation inland. There are busses running from Kinshasa to Kikwit, which would be the most economical means. We’ll see.

Next door to the Protestant Guest House where I am staying is a large two- story building which houses the CEDI or Center for Evangelical Publications.

This dates back to many years ago when publishing went on here for the missions. I walked along the edge of the property on my way to church this morning and took some pictures. When I asked the youth walking with me if he knew the print shop, he said: “There has been a lot of negligence.”D I was surprised to hear from him about the situation and didn’t ever imagine he would know about the four large offset presses in there, the two paper cutters and all the other printing material totally run down and almost to a stand still. Through the years, our publishing house (Editeurs de Littérature Biblique in Belgium) furnished their book store with books and we even sent down parts for their print shop and discussed the work with their missionaries and printers. But today the outside of the building does not inspire one’s confidence or trust.

This country needs Christian literature more than ever, and the means of production and importing are very limited.

All day Saturday I worked with Erik Kumedisa in teaching him page layout on the computer. He is doing the page layout of a hymn book in Kikongo and Lingala. The old hymns, ­those translated 60 to 70 years ago from English or French are still sung here. Usually the whole Church sings with not one single hymn book. People know the hymns by heart.

When Erik gets the page layout done, he will be able to print off some pages and staple them together by hand. Hopefully one day there will be a place here where things can be printed using modern technology.

Thank you again for your prayers.

Bud

admin | Africa, International Background, News Items, Shiny Shoes | 12 6th, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 5

Kinshasa, Tuesday evening, November 29

Dear Friends,

It is time to send off news of what is taking place before I get caught up in the work tomorrow. I didn’t write Sunday because my Vodaphone subscription ended on Nov. 27, one month after I purchased it. So I had no connection to internet but I will pick up there.

Sunday morning November 27: I visit the Protestant Cathedral of Kinshasa, attended by least 5000 people. The Churches of Congo are all filled. While choirs sing the well known hymns, the audience picks up the tune and repeats it after them. The personto me explains that it is especially meaningful today because the people are afraid and anxious concerning tomorrow’s election. The Pastor preaches on Psalm 91:1-12 and Matt. 28:18-20: “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. He who calls Himself I am is with you always.” Then he repeats the great commission: “Go, baptize, teach, and surely I will be with you always,” he says, adding “Jesus assures us that He has all power to save, deliver, protect, heal…” The Africans are vibrantly expressive, but this morning I get the impression that they are breathing in and hanging onto every word being preached. The atmosphere is charged with emotion, and tears well up in my own eyes. We end by singing the old hymn: “No never alone” though, of course, in French Non jamais tout seul.

Sending out the Observers

In the afternoon we meet with all the observers from the Protestant Churches in one of the large halls of the Protestant University. The badges and materials are passed out. We wait for Bertin who has gone to to get the forms that the observers will need to fill out during the voting. Time passes without any sign of him so I begin to go get jittery, and send a fellow to go and make 100 photocopies. Finally a car arrives with 400 guides and 750 of the necessary forms. This material is what we should have had a month ago, and since it’s so late arriving, the observers in the provinces of Congo won’t be getting theirs in time. The people who have done the training seminars go out to the various centers with the observers and distribute the forms. You might remember that I mentioned in my last letter that the UN Development Project fund would be sending money for the observers, and now we learn that it won’t be available until midweek.  This means we won’t have it tomorrow to offer a snack or drink to the observers, so some of the younger observers decide to back out. I return about 6 p.m. to the Guest House where I’m staying. There a friend from Kikwit who is standing by the gate says, Mono kele na mawa mingi, “I’m very sad. He explains that his friend, who was on the road to the airport, had run into the spot where shooting was going on when a random bullet shot by a policeman stuck his heart and killed him instantly!”

Monday morning November 28 Election Day

The Streets on election day

Standing in line early in the morning

By 3 a.m. people responsible for preparing the polling stations are already busy at work laying out ballots and posting lists on the walls. At 7:30 they meet with all the international observers. Then we all head off to the various polling stations. Nick Frey drives us in his 4×4 Toyota Prado. What comfort compared to the rickety taxis. He is a pilot with MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) but is very competent on the muddy roads of Kinshasa as well. A former Swiss missionary, Meieli Stettler, is also with us as an international observer, and her experience is a blessing. Both of these people speak French. Our guide, Jules Lweso, takes us to various schools that are being used as polling stations. The first is a new, nicely arranged school belonging to the Kimbanguistes. Immediately, we’re confronted by witnesses of the political part, who complain that they were not permitted to do their work properly at the polling station. It appears that at first they had stuck to the rules with 6 witnesses and observers at each polling station, but since there are 18,000 candidates for parliament, and each needs his witness, they soon ended up with 30 squeezed into a polling station. As I stand back and watch, one man in particular catches my eye. He stands tall, strong and confident as he waits in line, and even raises his hand as though expressing triumph. But once inside his expression changes dramatically. He now holds before him a huge newspaper-size ballot and appears totally lost. Obviously he can’t figure out what to do.

In the polling stations

We pass several schools in poorer parts of the city where there are problems for people who are trying to find their names listed so they will know which polling station to go to. The print is small and the lists aree usually nailed on a tree, or tacked on a wall. So some of them never even find their poling stations. It would take pages to tell of all the experiences.

The sky is heavy and threatening all morning, but around 10 a.m. the heavens let loose. A tropical downpour now pounds against the gutters and rapidly fill them up to overflowing so in no time rivelets collect on the playgrounds and flood the whole area. I soon find my shoes below the water-level. Usually everything comes to a standstill during a rain storm. But today the voting must continue in the dark polling stations where the only light is from a few battery-powered lamps or the light of cell phones. I try to visit all the classes of the school either by jumping from bench to bench or by walking in water.

Around 3 p.m. I am interrupted by a phone call from the Abbot Malumalu, the leader who had arranged to get funds from the UN for the observers. He asks me to come help him with his computer as it is not displaying the lists properly. His own computer technician looks tired. “I haven’t slept for two days,” he tells me. So while the others continue their rounds I help the Abot and when the problem is solved he tells his chauffeur to drive me back to the Guest House.

I can still get a hot meal and take time for a nap before the next episode. My own internet is not working and I have no radio, but from time to time my cell phone rings with messages from Kikwit, Kananga, Goma, and Lumumbashi. I learn that in the Western Kasai (Kananga) and in Lubumbashi (Katanga) troubles have broken out and caused several deaths. This is the news picked up by the media, but when you consider the huge size of the Congo, the rumors of fraud, the nervous temperament of people, all the difficulty in supplying the necessary materials, the way they just naturally express their passion, etc., the problems seem very small.We are grateful to God for his hand in all of this, giving a calm, peaceful spirit to those in charge, to the observers, and to the population on the whole.

Finally we manage to get our team out and continue on to the next place. Thankfully Nick and his young wife Jocelyn have their apartment nearby where we can go to dry off,  get something to drink, and chat for a few minutes in a nice clean place. The rain finally stops.

Erik Kumedisa

Tuesday morning, November 29   Erik Kumedisa comes to my room. “God has given him great peace in reading Psalm 80,” he says. He expresses the hope he hangs onto for his country as to the acceptance of the election results, and for the country to resume a degree of order. The average man on the street is fed up with the administration. “The new roads and buildings don’t put food on our tables,” they say, “and prices rise by the day.” This morning the roads are practically deserted as most people have been up all night. At breakfast I meet an American representing a Foundation for Democracy who is also lodging at the Guest House. He explains that his office in Washington is worried about security and has forbidden all workers to go out of the house or hotel. We exchange thoughts that probably the streets of New York are more dangerous than here. The chauffeur of Pastor Milenge comes to get me to go to Vodacom where I spend $60 to get Internet for the next month, and to send this letter.

I have the big meeting with the international observers at the Grand Hotel at 10 a.m. and then at 2 p.m. a meeting of our observers of the ECC (Protestant observers). During these meetings I learn a lot about how the day went in the other polling stations. Each observer has a story to tell. One man who was out in the outlying district was knocked down and beaten by some men just because he was examining a ballot he thought was false—and finding other problems. The police had to come in and rescue him.

On the whole, the voting was finished before midnight, though in some cases, not before noon today. What one can conclude already is that the Congolese were determined to vote and they they did make the effort. Overall they conducted themselves as good citizens in spite of the obstacles, fears and difficulties. I want to thank all of you for your prayers for me, for the team here, and for this country. The Congo still has a rough road ahead and we all need to pray that the people not lose patience. He who called Himself the “I am” is always with us. He doesn’t have past, present or future.

Bud

admin | Africa, International Background, News Items, Shiny Shoes | 12 2nd, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 4

Saturday, November 26, 2011

On Thanksgiving Day good news arrived. The UNDP (United Nations Developement Program) will pay $5 for each observer. They are sending kits to the provinces by cargo plane. This  really an answer to prayer. We are up to about 10 500 names. We can still record more names tomorrow. We have the cards and can just fill them in ourselves.

People in the whole country have to get the list back to me by tomorrow morning in order to receive their money.

Thursday I wrote another letter to inform each province about the kits that would arrive by air freight to each province. God wonderfully answered prayer, for we had no other source to go to. The ballots are all printed and will be distributed this weekend.

We have a lot of work to do sorting the badges. Each badge has a name on it and we had 20 people around the table, each with at least 2 lists of training centers, with one girl reading off the names as the others searched their list to find that name so that we could give these badges out tomorrow. We were planning to continue working all evening, but news started going around that fighting was taking place near the airport. So we thought best to let everyone go home before 6 p.m. It is too bad, because there is still a lot to do tomorrow and we’ve already called everyone together for a meeting at 2 p.m.

I had to wait in the office of the Abbé Malumalu in order to hand in all the lists of observers we have from the Protestant Churches of Congo.  He happened to be in a meeting. Finally I have a chance to speak with him. He is the one who negotiated with the UNDP for the funds to finance the transportation of observers and bottles of drinking water for the day. He was the President of the Electoral Commission back in 2006 and did an excellent job. Now he is the director of a school for training in democracy.  This year the Director of the Electoral Commission is a Methodist pastor, Daniel Ngoy Mulunda from Katanga. His budget has been so limited that his work has been slowed down, and thus more open for those who criticize.

Sunday morning, November 27, 

Most people will be “praying” this morning. That is their way of saying “We’re going to church.”  In the service they intermingle short tims when everyone prays at once.

We will all meet at the Protestant Cathedral this morning for the French service. Last Sunday I attended the English service, and met the Director for Congo World Vision and we had a good visit together over lunch. Our daughter, Caroline working for World Vision in Brussels, is a friend of his.

A young MAF pilot from Canada Nick Fray got his observer badge and wants to help. He speaks good French and has a car. Glad I met him.

We will DEPLOY 500 observers in 782 election sites and 10 334 poling stations just here in Kinshasa. 30 supervisors. There are more than 100 foreign observers here but only 3 of them will be working with our Protestant observers. We are going to try to have three cars for mobility to get ready for tomorrow. Voting starts at 6 a.m.

Here and there is news of violence, young people of different parties getting nervous and throwing stones. One person killed.

Pray with us for tomorrow. Pray for these people who will be observers, that they might shine as lights, reflecting God’s love to all around them. Pray that the population might accept the outcome of the elections.

admin | Africa, International Background, Shiny Shoes | 11 28th, 2011 | Comments Off

A LETTER FROM GRAMPA

Dear Family,

Kinshasa is actually a beautiful city on the banks of one of the world’s greatest rivers. We show so much of the filth, difficulties and lack of maintenance that one doesn’t  appreciate how unique the city really is. This could be a huge tourist attraction—if only…

This morning I went to the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa. This is an  old building and when I was introduced I mentioned that the last time I was in the church was in 1945. The man leading the service said that all of them probably were not on planet earth then. It is actually on the same property of CAP where I am staying but there are walls and pieces of property have been sold so I had to walk around the block to go there. They have a Lingala service, a French service and then English with missionaries and business people, but over half black. I met the Congo director of World Vision and some of the MAF missionaries and John and Charity Schellenberger self-supporting Mennonite missionaries. I told people I was there in 1945 and you could see clear down to the river then.

Place de la gare at the end of Blvd du 30 Juin is a beautiful square with a huge TV screen about 10 meters long and other new buildings going up around it.

I don’t have any chance of taking pictures of public buildings as I just shoot wildly from a car when I can. I don’t want to be seen walking around taking pictures.

Blvd du 30 Juin, now eight lanes has the new huge traffic lights with arrows and big numbers counting off the seconds remaining before the light changes, usually about 60. I’ve never seen that in any city. The lights are not at every intersection so there is still a lot of turning over the white line in the middle and the little old busses and taxis picking up people along the side. There are big pedestrian crossings and sometimes cars slow down enough for people to get clear across. In part of the new road out to the airport there is a fence in the middle but I saw people step over it.

It is good to let the children look at the maps to get an idea of the city, probably as big as Paris. After a heavy rain the air is nice and clear and the sky blue but pollution starts with the traffic. Transportation is the big problem. In the president’s publicity he has pictures of the new trains he wants to install. Gombe is the central commune and the business and government center.

It’s 6:30 I need to get ready for breakfast, four slices of white bread with butter and jam and a whole pot of weak coffee. I drink about four cups because I can put in all the powdered milk I want and that is nourishing. The other morning Erik came with a very big papaya and we both ate it. They have a water filter in the dirty kitchen and the water is good. I fill up my bottles. Have had no stomach problems yet.

All my love,

Grandpa

admin | Africa, News Items | 11 22nd, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 3

Dear Friends

Lack of Data

When given the responsibility to coordinate all of the Protestant observers in Congo for this month’s elections, I didn’t know how much was involved, nor how to accomplish the task. In 2006 I made up a list of E-mail addresses of leaders of Protestant Churches throughout the entire country. This time I had to face the fact that half of these addresses were no longer correct. The computers here in Congo are used as a typewriter and not as a data base. Most people here don’t own their own computers so they go to a cyber café or office to rent a computer for a few minutes to send or receive mail. This is, in fact, the only mail presently functioning in Congo. For this reason they also use cell phones, but these too are not useful as data-keepers.

So I went to work on my computer developing a small network throughout the country. Congo is, by the way, about a third the size of the U.S.

Lack of Means

I discovered a team connected with the Peace and Justice Commission who were ready to help me. Four of the men originally come from the Matende – Kikwit area and speak Kikongo, the language I speak which is helpful. For the most part people in Kinshasa all speak Lingala. But the conclusion reached by these men after contacting the Commission in their provinces, is that we just don’t have the means to do the job this time.

Lack of Man-Power

So through long animated discussions, we began to see that only the Lord can accomplish the task and we will have to be as the small army of Gideon, ready to work with the few observers we have. My boss, Pastor Milenge was hoping to rally 30,000 observers to at least work in part of the 60,000 voting stations. We had to come to the conclusion that we would probably not get more than 4000 observers, and won’t be able to offer them any bottles of water to drink or help with their transportation. No government funding is available and no help has come from other sources this time.

Life in the City

Here in Kinshasa and the other cities the people leave in the morning to carry on their little commercial activity, to buy and sell auto parts, produce, clothing etc. and return home in the evening with the minimum amount of food to feed the family that evening and then start all over the next day. When they are asked to do a volunteer job for an entire day it means returning home that evening without food for their family.

Reliance on God

All that I could suggest to the team was to use our creativity and faith by depending on and imploring the help of God. It is indeed a privilege and an honor to be able to represent the church and the nation to assure that the elections take place correctly and in an orderly fashion.

Facing the Challenge

November 7 we received the instructions from the National Independent Election Commission. We must bring in to their office between Nov. 8 – 17 all the names and I.D. numbers of the observers to be registered. Well, we had most of the names, but not the other data. So our team decided to meet each afternoon to plan. We have to organize training sessions for those who will in turn train the observers, then get everyone registered. I finally decided to give a little money to two team members to buy minutes for their cell phones so that they can spend all day just phoning pastors to find locations for training sessions. These two men phoned the entire day. As a result there are six training centers with two pastors each doing the training every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in each location.

A Ray of Hope

The day we launched the operation, a gift came from an association which permitted us to get transportation for those leading the training sessions and provide them with a soft drink.

A Deadline Met

A member of our team worked all night to fill out the application forms and he took them in yesterday, the deadline for getting them in. I had a meeting with the European observers, still skeptical for the way the elections will be run, and looking very tired. The meeting is in the Grand Hotel where the European Union has its headquarters up on the 6th floor. After leaving the hotel I walked down the road quite a ways to avoid all the taxis coming to pick up the important people. Then a local taxi picked me up along with his normal load of passengers, and dropped me off at my office for a little less than a dollar. (400 Congo francs).

The day of the deadline we were waiting for the Vice President of the ECC to sign the document. Finally Bertin and I went over to the nearest office of the CENI since it was already 6 p.m. And there we found crowds of people filling out application forms and standing in line to hand them in. We were ushered  upstairs to an office where a girl filled out the 9 forms from our team, writing it all out by hand in immaculate handwriting. The electronic age hasn’t yet taken over here.

Capturing the Foreigners

The director calls us in and explains that since I am a foreigner they need to capture me. Not that he considers me a wild animal, but that is the word they use for taking a picture of someone. The young secretary guides us through the crowds of people on the ground floor to a man with a webcam on his computer who takes my picture and registers it. I will have my badge later because it has to be signed by the president of the CENI.

Friday morning after rain all night and morning, the two other ladies who are from out of the country must go to get «captured». But the photographer is not there. They go back this afternoon but he is still not there

A new 10-Day Deadline

We learn that the CENI has given until Nov. 24 to get in all the applications. So we still have time to get more observers registered. I am happy to see that there are 1800 in the province of West Kasai because I didn’t have previous contact there.  We still have 10 days until the elections and there are still many tons of materiel to distribute all over the country. But here in Africa we still believe in miracles.

For now, I have another meeting and there is much to discuss.

Sunday Church with Youth

Last Sunday Milenge took me to his church (still under construction). Very good message by the Pastor on 1 Samuel 8 and how it applies to this country now. This church is mostly people from Kivu and the service was in Swahili and Lingala. The young people presided at the service since it is «Youth Week».

The driver brought me back to my room at the Protestant Guest House, so I had a good nap for once. It rained or drizzled nearly all day today. Got a little wet outside shaking hands. I wore no coat thinking it would be hot but it was cool.

Meeting with Couples

Hubert Miyimi third from left-Photo taken in 2010

Hubert and Marceline Miyimi invited me to a meeting this afternoon without telling me what was expected. He is the one who came to interview me for the television broadcast. I thought I would go to their house for dinner so didn’t eat here at CAP at noon. It was one of their usual meetings for couples.

Couples' Get-together

Beginning was typical singing and praying together. Then they had all the couples hold hands together and thank God for each other and pray for one another. Then he asked me to speak and tell about our marriage. I used Prov 15:1 that I had just looked at this morning about putting God first. They were very attentive and asked many questions. There were 9 couples and two men.

More Miracles Needed

Please keep on praying.  We have indeed a great God who can still perform miracles even today in Congo.

Bud

Photos of some churches in the capital

City Life

admin | Africa, Europe, International Background, News Items, Shiny Shoes | 11 21st, 2011 | Comments Off

Bud (Clement Kroeker)

Bud Kroeker in Kinshasa Report N° 2

Dear friends,

There are less than three weeks left before the November 28 elections and so much work has to be finished by then. I must spend all my time sending out the messages about elections and I don’t know if I’m going to have time to write reports to the folks back home. We have been having meetings all week long.

I am responsible for coordination of all the Protestant observers during the elections. There are 60,000 places where people will go to vote throughout the Congo. The churches expect to mobilize 30,000 of their members to help observe on election day. I need to have the name of each person so that my team here can go about getting them registered with the National Electoral Commission. To register, we need the number on each person’s I.D. card from the last elections so that an official badge can be made and distributed along with necessary materials. Those in each region who are training observers have to send in their own lists of observers.

Erik Kumedisa brought over the printer (that I brought on a previous trip from Belgium) this morning, so I set up the Mac that I brought along in my suitcase, but I feared that it might not recognize the printer any more. So I was greatly relieved that, after finishing the writing of the first Info-Action, I was able to print it without difficulty. I was also relieved that I have electricity and Internet connection here in the room all day, though no air conditions. This is better than at the ECC office where all that vehicle smoke is ozzing in all day.

Sunday Nov. 6

Went with Milenge to the Mennonite church in Ngaba today. This church is possibly the largest in Kinshasa. Many pastors were there. The President of the Mennonite World Conference—a black pastor from Zimbabwe—gave a rather harsh message on Ephesians 4:17-25. “Put off your old ways.”  Milenge followed by hammering on the theme. “Challenges Facing the Church Today” touching current issues such as: 1. Preaching the message, 2. Poverty, 3. Conflicts inside the church, and 4. Political manipulation. The sermons were followed by ceremonies of gift-giving (in the uniquely African style amidst clapping and exuberant joy).

After church they fed us and then we joined the traffic jams coming home. Had a nice supper with the Milenge family tonight.

November 7-9      

Bosuet, the protocol man, brought me papers to fill out for a missionary visa. It will cost $600, good for 5 years. Seems exorbitant, but thankfully my other expenses during these four or five weeks, like food, lodging, and transportation are being covered by the ECC during my stay in Kinshasa these four or five weeks while I am helping them out with coordinating the communications and observers, etc…

Busy day yesterday and by ten in the evening I had sent out the first communiqué to all our addresses throughout the country.

I’m doing fine health wise though some headaches and problems from the pollution. I mentioned to Milenge that all the exhaust from the window is bad for us and death for our computers. After Erik talked to them, a boy in the kitchen bought some bananas and oranges for me. I have one big meal a day, usually fish or chicken with deep fried bananas or rice. Cold shower every morning, water just trickles out of the shower-head way up near the ceiling.

Wednesday evening I was invited to a big dinner at Milenge’s house with dignitaries. I was to ride with the professor from France, a Congolese, but his car would not start so we were eight in a little taxi. Police looked at us but didn’t stop us, «te kenda, te kenda», (just keep going) they told the driver. In the evening the new Toyota van of ECC brought us home. Unfortunately even at his house the electricity was off.

Electricity was back again at ECC office yesterday after being off all weekend. No problem here at CAP yet where I am lodging. Erik bought a multiple plug and I use the printer and Internet.

I’m eating with the Commission for Peace and Justice today. They are my committee for elections. Hard to get news. People can’t send E-mails because of power shortages. Erik has no power.

Matende Church

Matende School

I hope to go to Matende (mission station founded by Abe Kroeker) just as soon as I can after the elections. This means in December. It’s been raining so hard every day and I can’t help but think of the roofs that need replacing up there. Pray that I might meet some organization here that can send some money in the right direction.

I talked with David Dehan last night. He is the young Belgian doing agriculture here outside of Kinshasa that I wrote about last March. Dan Yoder, a friend from Indiana, will fly to Kinshasa Nov. 15 and hopes to work in another village in Congo, installing water pumps. Please pray that both of these men will be able to visit Matende with me, especially since Dan is also interested in agriculture.

Please pray also for quiet hearts and strength as we depend on the Lord each day for His wisdom, and for safety during the turbulence expected in this city. Also that, as we write letters and communicate with folks here, we’ll have the right words.

Everyone here is praying for peace to prevail before and after the elections. They are so tired of conflict and violence. Some politicians are dangerously aggressive in their speeches.

Last Saturday night I did not go to Milenge’s house for dinner as planned because he had to go to the Universities to settle student uprisings. There are several Protestant Universities here.

Mrs. Grings on right

Kinshasa

We just received the prayer letter from Dan Grings and his wife, a missionary couple living and working here in Kinshasa. You may remember my staying with them five years ago while I was here helping with the elections. Dan wrote the following in this letter:

“Presidential elections are scheduled to take place on November 28 and results will be announced December 6. Tension continues to mount with unruly demonstrations and increased crime. Several times a week we receive security warnings from our local American Embassy… This is a cruel and volatile period for Congo and we appreciate your prayers for peace.”

Thank you for praying. May the Lord bless you each one.

Bud

Please Pray for Kinshasa

“I will bow down… and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. May all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth.”

admin | Africa, News Items, Shiny Shoes | 11 15th, 2011 | Comments Off