Week 4: “Congo Inland Mission Trip”
Kisangani to Ubundu: Oct. 30 – Nov.6, 2010
As reported earlier, after 3 weeks into Congo trip, a missionary contracted severe malaria,
thus the whole trip was postponed for almost 3 months.
Now, we are all gathered together in Kisangani where we have left off; re-affirming our
determination that we will surely overcome any difficulties that might lay ahead, trusting God,
and re-confirming our objective to identify un-entered area where Gospel has not reached.
The Adventist Church has carved up all of Congo into 3 Unions that have 14 Fields and
Missions (or Associations), however that does not mean Gospel has reached everywhere.
Although SDA church has done a great work during the past 90 years or so, Congo has
quite a large inaccessible and impassible area, prohibiting people from outside to enter.
Adequate means of transportation and communication are simply not there, information on
neighbor simply does not exist.
Maha Mission is entering Congo with an objective of dispatching 30-35 lay evangelists
who are educated and trained to preach Gospel, an average of one pastor in 300 km of
un-entered area.
We pray these lay evangelists would be able to branch out in 2-3 years to cover then
loose yet un-entered places.
Foreigners cannot do this mission directly; other tribes in Congo cannot do this mission either.
Only local lay evangelists can accomplish this mission with devotion and local language
capability; that is why Maha Mission is on a support, in-direct mission. We cannot do directly
ourselves but we can inspire and motivate local lay leaders when we can continuously support.
Therefore, Maha’s first objective is to identify un-entered area, secondly, to arrange education
and training of lay through systematic arrangement with existing powerful organization of SDA.
Lastly, Maha hopes to be able to support financial needs of this program. We trust in the
Adventist Church organization and we know it will work. Only thing remaining is how we can
motivate them to work in partnership. That is why Maha is planning to visit every place and
every pastor in the field and talk to them to find out what the problem is. For this we need to
pray that the Holy Spirit to help and guide us.
Mission car had to be repaired again; things had to be dried due to moss and insects for
3 months in storage, the whole weight of car had to be adjusted to be lighter to be able to
manage rough roads ahead. Money had to be changed into Congo franc that makes us
feel very rich due to increased quantity.
The Mosiers of CFM (Congo Frontier Mission - reported earlier) kindly came to visit us and
discussed mutual mission strategy; CFM in training and dispatching lay evangelists, Maha
covering whole of Congo spreading seeds of Gospel, praying someone will water them
because we know for sure it is God who will grow them (1 Cor 3:6).
After crossing very expensive ferry (price jumps with Muzungu presence) over Congo River,
150km road to Ubundu was surprisingly in good condition.
As soon as we settled in $25 a day Catholic guest room where all 4 of us pitched tents
and stayed together, there were tantamount issues to be resolved; DGM (immigration-Congo
immigration is not only entering the country but to observe people movement everywhere)
plus various government agencies’ hassles just to extract pocket income for themselves in
addition to explore boats to carry us because there is no car road from here until Kindu,
310 km.
Finally, we chartered 3 small boats tied together with timbers to accommodate Land Rover.
Finally after 4 nights in Kindu, we were ready to leave on 5th day early morning. Since we are
leaving on Sabbath morning, when we visited Ubundu SDA church quite far away from town
hiding in a place of nowhere behind small railway tracks on Friday evening worship service,
there was only one member and one pastor on time, later about 6-7 came. This pastor was
ministering for 5-6 years already and we had sympathy with him.
Early morning as we came to riverside, we were surprised how we were going to load our
car to these fragile looking boats. There was no facility and this is not even a pier,
just indented river where small boats come and go. Please enjoy beautiful photos of
Congo River. We also noticed, as usual, women carrying heavy things and I wonder how
we can convince Congolese men of their duty.
Loading car onto the boat was not so easy but we managed and balanced car so that mere
15hp engine in the rear of the boat can push the weight for one week.
We were happy that we are leaving, up-stream to South (Congo River flows south to north in
this area) always stay close to banks to minimize water resistance (it keeps us safe also in
case boat capsizes).
Not many Congolese can swim and we had to buy from Uganda life vests for Pastor Malembe
and missionary Moses because they never have been to water. On the way, a fishing boat
approaches and hangs on our boat so that he can sell the day’s catch. Thus we have
embarked 5-6 days of journey along the Congo River of 310 km stretch until Kindu,
Maniema Province.
These boats are not equipped to travel at night, we suppose we will stay overnight at the next
town called “Banandjale”. Where shall we take showers, and what and how to eat dinner are
our immediate mission, though we bought fish from river.
May God bless you all!
And you will hear from us on the following Week 5 - Mission Report on “Congo Inland Mission Trip”
Maha Mission
- 1. Beautiful Congo River.JPG (84.3KB)(30)
- 1. CFM Mosiers on mission.JPG (126.8KB)(34)
- 2. Re-arranging for trip.JPG (140.7KB)(32)
- 3. $ into Congo Franc.JPG (131.2KB)(35)
- 4. Departure from Kisangani.JPG (151.6KB)(32)
- 5. Farewell to Kisangani hospitality.JPG (157.7KB)(37)
- 6. Ferry to cross Congo River.JPG (133.1KB)(31)
- 7. Getting off expensive ferry.JPG (134.0KB)(39)
- 8. 150km to Ubundu,good road.JPG (145.3KB)(38)
- 10. Ubundu guest house.JPG (150.9KB)(23)
- 11. Missionary's cooking.JPG (151.0KB)(25)
- 12. Tents in guest room.JPG (120.5KB)(28)
- 13. Lunch while waiting for boat.JPG (192.1KB)(43)
- 15. Fisherman in Congo River.JPG (99.4KB)(31)
- 16. Congo River shuttle.JPG (87.4KB)(129)
- 17. Longer Shuttle.JPG (85.2KB)(39)
- 18. Lone woman rower.JPG (98.9KB)(41)
- 19. Going fishing.JPG (129.3KB)(40)
- 20. Only women work.JPG (195.7KB)(36)
- 21. Heavy laden.JPG (195.0KB)(36)
- 22. Ubundu SDA Church.JPG (150.6KB)(27)
- 23. After Devotional at Ubundu SDA.JPG (123.7KB)(33)
- 24. Finally, chartered 3 boats in One.JPG (149.6KB)(30)
- 25. Loading Mission Car to boat.JPG (145.8KB)(33)
- 27. Loading is a challenge.JPG (120.6KB)(36)
- 28. Successful loading (1).JPG (132.0KB)(24)
- 29. Balancing Mission Car.JPG (145.7KB)(38)
- 30. Balanced, well in place.JPG (178.9KB)(40)
- 31. Missionaries seat in back.JPG (123.9KB)(33)
- 32. Safety vests for missionaries.JPG (134.9KB)(34)
- 33. Finally moving upstream southward.JPG (148.5KB)(40)
- 34. Down stream to north.JPG (126.4KB)(36)
- 35. Only diet in Congo River.JPG (124.5KB)(34)