Dear Friends,

What an amazing few days it has been. We finally got our ticket situation squared away and we are flying out tomorrow early. It will take us 2 hours to get to Goma. It is cooler than Kinshasa, and absolutely beautiful (I’ve heard.) A journalist once said about Eastern Congo, “It looks like heaven but feels like hell.” We have much to do, including the Pastor’s Conference which will start on Monday.

On Tuesday night Pastor N’sembe of the L’Arche Church invited around 10 pastors he respects to hear and give feedback to the Sons of Congo Vision. We all left this meeting encouraged, seeing possible strategies, and sensing God was working. It was amazing to hear from these men…their stories, their passion, their efforts to make changes in extremely difficult situations. One pastor told us that he had to build his courage up just to come to this meeting because he use to preach in the East and someone had tried to poison him because of his message

Another pastor, and former street child, shared about the time he was working in a disarmement program for soldiers as young as 8 years old. He shared, “I remember when I was in a remote area praying for a wounded women who had been raped. She told me, “Don’t pray for me. I am dead already! You need to pray for the man who raped me that he will stop doing what he is doing.” He is committed to this effort of reaching soldiers especially.

A Brother who use to be a street kid as well and now pastors a large church said, “Now it is time for a testimony. I am one of the rapist who raped women, who raped girls, before I become a Christian. I did it. In Kinshasa here, we street kids did these things. We’ve also put girls on drugs. We’ve lived that street life. But because we became Christians we are different. We are now preaching the gospel. And I think it is possible. If men like me became Christian then other can become converted.”

Pastor N’Sembe ended by saying, “I want to thank you for everything tonight. This is not just American and Congolese but it is Heavenly. What we talked about tonight was the heart of heaven. Sometimes God finishes before He starts. We are seeing the beginning. He sees this thing is finished. God can do that living outside of time. We hang on to that. So we pray that Lord will enlarge this heart. And He will find other hearts that will be like yours and hearts respond to hearts. When a heart responds to a heart that two hearts will be stronger and can do something. And may God bless your churches. And may He raise up men and women that will accomplish this. That is the goal or objective of the church.”

We spent this morning with the staff at the church. We had great discussions, they gave good input and support as well. We are all praying to see who the Lord will raise up to send to Goma to be part of the National Team.

I apologize if I am very factual in this entry. It is late. We had a late night visit from a parliamentary member and the head of the University in Goma. They also encouraged us, gave us contacts in Goma, and some important advise.

I am listening right now to a song that says, “Go where love goes. Angels are pleading with you, go there.” Well that is what we are doing tomorrow. Signing off for the Sons of Congo Team. Aimee