February may be a shorter month, but it sure has been packed with miracles in the making. In praying about what part the Lord wanted us to play in facing the challenges that lay before us (ie building a Middle School, adding a floor to our Medical Center and getting an ambulance), He showed us to ask the counsel of a young Muslim couple, Ali and Sameera, we had done birthday parties for over the years. Since one of the companies their family runs, Marsavco, has already been donating a large quantity of products for many years, we had never asked them for help personally. Sameera came to visit our project, bringing a friend along, who donated 4 sacks of rice as well as two large boxes packed with medicine and medical supplies from her company, Caisa Pharma International. Our friend brought yoghurt and cookies for all 200 students. What a treat for the kids!

Unloading our friend’s jeep full of goodies for the kids

Sameera and her friend distributing cookies and yoghurts to the kids

Distributing treats to the kids’ delight

The kids paraded and sang for our visitors

Ali and Sameera suggested we approach their family foundation for the building of the Middle School, while they offered to personally finance the building of one of the classrooms! Work will start this week and the foundation will give us their answer in a couple weeks. We are so thankful, as will be all our bright 6^th grade students who wish to pursue their studies.

We had a close call this month when one of the mommies who came to our center to deliver twins ran into a complication when the first twin presented itself hand first. As usual when facing emergencies, a doctor was called to perform a C-section, but he was unable to find transportation to such a remote area in the middle of the night. The poor mother had to be carried on a stretcher all the way to town to the closest hospital. Sadly, one of the twins died and the mother fell into a coma. But thanks to everyone’s desperate prayers and the Lord’s mercy, she and the other twin are now totally fine.

Emergency appendicitis operation in our Medical Center, without a surgery room.

This re-enforced the desperate need to build a surgery room and to get an ambulance. Through another miracle, the Lord supplied a larger than usual grant which will enable us to build the second story to our Medical Center. We are planning to start construction by the end of the month.

Kikimi kids waiting for a medical check up and inoculation

So many babies have been born this month (17 since the beginning of the year), that the plumber has not yet been able to install the sinks and the pipes. When mentioning this to one of our friends in town, he commented, “Well here in Congo, there is no other distraction in the evenings.” While this was funny, we also believe it is because more and more mothers from the surrounding areas prefer to come to us to deliver their babies, being given baby clothes as well as receiving loving care in a clean and safe environment.

One of the many new babies born at our center this month.

This little one was born last Saturday at noon!

The mothers are so thankful for the baby clothes we give them.

Prenatal care

Postnatal care

3         Improvements

We were able to purchase some tables and chairs for the kids to eat on, and moved the volleyball court to a better location. We also purchased a newborn reanimation kit as well as a kit to indentify blood types, which is essential to adequately treat people suffering from SS anemia, so rampant in Africa. 

Tables and chairs for our outdoor dining area where we feed the orphaned children.

Playing volleyball during recess

Newborn reanimation kit

4         Seminar at Protestant University

Cedric is in his last year of Marketing at the Protestant University, one of the best reputed of the country. He organized for us to show a documentary about Daniel Chapter 2 at the American Corner where about 30 students gather weekly to watch a movie. It was great fun to answer their questions in the discussion that followed. We left everyone with tracts and posters on the topic. The organizer was so happy with our presentation that he wants us to come back.

Gino and Cedric presenting documentary to university students at American Corner.

Student reading tract on Matthew 24

5         Upcoming Retreat

We consecrated our last Bible teachers’ meeting to planning our next retreat which will take place during the Easter Holidays. We are planning to invite all those who graduated from our Bible Course, as well as those who are very close to graduating, and are encouraging our main teachers to take on more responsibilities in organizing and running the retreat, as a fulfillment of 2 Tim 2:2, to “teach others to teach others”.

Planning upcoming retreat with our main Bible teachers: Gerse, Olivier, Thierry and Cedric (left to right)

Jacques, whom we met as a little orphaned boy in Kikimi when we first came to Congo, is now studying agronomy at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN). He has started to attend the 12 Foundation Stones Bible classes held by Olivier and is showing a lot of potential. Gerse is also about to start another Bible class with new students in his neighborhood. This time, he will get one of the recent graduates to help him. It’s so inspiring to see the Word transform these young folks and make leaders out of them. 

Jacques at UNIKIN holding his 12 Foundation Stones study book

Olivier with a new Bible student

Keep your eyes on Jesus no matter what you face. The skies may be dark at times, the winds may blow, the waters may be deep and murky, and the waves may crash all around you. There may be no apparent way of escape. But Jesus is our escape. He is the sunshine that chases away the dark clouds. His voice will still the tumultuous waves. His rays of sunlight will make the waters clear so that we can see the wondrous coral and all of the splendor that lies under the surface of the ocean of life.

So when all around you seems dark and gloomy, turn your eyes toward Him, our eternal sunshine. He will shine brightly upon your life and I will calm the seas, helping you to find peace and security. 

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