Aimable and I developed a Christmas program that includes the 20-minute video, “The Shepherd,” about the birth of Jesus from The Chosen series. The video is in English, so we run it with the English subtitles and Aimable translates over the audio. This video is obviously centered around the birth of Jesus, but Aimable and I will use it throughout the year as a preamble for the Jesus Film.
“The Shepherd” video really hits home with the locals as the living conditions in the video are very similar to those here in Minembwe. Unfortunately, the political situation in Minembwe is also similar as the locals are praying and looking toward someone to put an end to the rebel attacks and the oppressive and abusive national army that’s encamped here due to the conflict with the rebels.
Aimable and I heading out to a church to show “The Shepherd.”
*Click image for video* We’ve just finished setting up our equipment and settling into our seats only to realize that we were completely exhausted. You’re seeing the fumes of the generator that is located just outside and below the window. Any easy fix… right? Let’s not go there right now.
*Click image for video* Fortunately, to show the video we needed the window shut to block the light. Aimable (standing, dressed in a white shirt) translated the entire video as it played.
*Click image for video* This video is from a New Year’s Day celebration with the orphans.
Orphans at Universities
This November, Joyeuse, who we’ve known for 10 years, was the first of the orphans we’ve worked with to graduate from a university—in this case our own Ebenezer University of Minembwe (UEMI). One month later, we sent Joyeuse to Bukavu where she is building her current Community Development degree up to a bachelor’s level degree with a specialization in Women’s Care.
Sammy completed one year at UEMI last summer, then we helped him to transfer to a university in Bujumbura, Burundi, to pursue a Business Management Degree. It will take Sammy another three years to graduate with a BA.
This past summer, Beatrice graduated from high school as the top student in her class; she is now attending our local university, UEMI. After Beatrice completes this year at UEMI, she hopes to transfer to another university where she can study medicine.
MONUSCO Moments
MONUSCO is the peacekeeping force maintained by the UN in the DRC; we’ve had a pretty good relationship with these guys over the years. I was heading to the helicopter to see if some medicine had arrived for a local man suffering from diabetes. This Pakistani MONUSCO soldier was posing alone for photos with the helicopter as a backdrop, so I asked if I could join him.
MONUSCO uses our spring to get water for their base. When I brought the needed key out to these guys, they invited me to stay for some chicken nuggets and tea. Pakistani’s favor spicy food, and even with the ketchup they had brought, I was feeling the heat.
Finally!
Not an easy task to enlarge a church during the middle of a nasty, armed conflict, but as of the end of December—after a couple of years of delay—the roof is on our village’s church that Miles and his crew built the trusses for. Here’s a picture of the very thankful pastor.
*Click image for video* Here’s a small glimpse of the church service. This video somewhat distorts the size of the church building, making it look bigger than it is (it’s the same church in the above photo). The churches here tend to be oversized because members of the other churches within their denomination will occasionally travel en masse to each other’s churches to worship together.
*Click image for video* Shakers: Sometimes you have to use what’s available to you—in this case a bible and a cell phone.
From the “A Few Months Ago” Files
*Click image for video* It’s always super handy to own a pickup.
Alexi, one of our night guards, is reenacting the killing of this massive rat which he had faced the night before during his shift. Ruzisana and Miles bravely look on.
*Click image for video* Will you read this to me Grandpa?
*Click image for video* Learning the art of playing Hide N’ Go Seek.
And this from two years ago: I walked into my bedroom and found Aimee wrapped in this bag—she seems to understand the “Dress for Less” concept.
Somehow!
Michael