Another Sunday in the Congo

Another Sunday has come and gone in the Congo. Nick and Levi visited a different church this Sunday, in Kingkoli. The church has a school on the property, with about 300 children. Nick said Levi preached to a "passel" of children this time. When 101 came forward to accept Christ as their Saviour they went over the gospel again, to make sure the children were coming to Christ, not the "mundele" - white man. These numbers are quite hard for me to conceive. Levi also preaches through the interpreter, Telesphore and he was pretty comfortable with it this week. Nick tells me that there are people everywhere. The only thing Levi said so far about the country was, "Mommy, there's so many people". It was extremely hot, and Levi did get nervous, but this week he held strong and finished his message. WOW!!
Then, Nick preached to the adults and 35 came forward for salvation. He said this was a strong church too. Nick said he and Telesphore could've wrung their shirts out a few times!!
Nick and Levi are in Kinshasa, which is the capitol of the Congo. If I remember right it is about the size of New York City. The population is a bit hard to count, but it is recorded as between 10 - 14 million. Many people come into the city to work. Out in the bush, there is no work. In the city, the Congolese are fortunate to make a dollar a day. That will almost feed them. Most live in houses, well, they might call it a house, we might let our children play in it for a play house. They have no windows or doors, only the hole for a window or door. Sometimes it is more like four posts and something to drape over and around it. Although some, with various government jobs or such, do live better. The places are available, just not affordable to the Congolese.
I guess I will have to wait to post pictures till Nick gets back. The government really doesn't like people taking pictures. Its a good way to lose your camera, and pay a fine.

Sunday in the Congo

Levi preached his first time in the Congo. He preached through the interpreter, to the children, about 85 of them. Usually in the Congo services, the children have to sit in the back. They aren't to move or play at all. If they do, the "protocol" will whack them with a stick. Don't have a fit, remember, it's the Congo, not America. And, remember they did discipline here at one time too, and crime was down, graduations up................ I'll let it rest there. Back to the Congo!! These children aren't allowed to come to the altar to pray.
BUT, today the little white boy from America came to the Congo. And that LITTLE boy preached!!! He preached to them! 74 of those precious Congolese children came forward to accept Christ as THEIR personal Savior. They never knew salvation was for them. What a blessing. Our children could open up the way for a whole generation of Congolese to get saved!! Because of the heat (it can get 120*) and his nervousness he got a little sick before he finished. He did recover to pass out the candy he brought for them.
What a blessing to me that God chose to use a little boy from America, to lead so many Congolese children to Him.