Suspended "Congo Inland Mission Trip": Oct. 18, 2010

1st Week (July 6-July 11)  Mission Report

By early July, Maha Mission began “Congo Inland Mission trip”. We issued mission report.

Three weeks into it, one of missionary was struck with severe malaria, and the trip has been suspended.

He lost partial eye sight, reduced hearing capability and voice has changed.

However, after two months of intensive care back home in Korea, he is out of medical danger and regained

his health, and  now  Maha is planning to continue its trip from October 24. We left mission car over there.

God’s special care;

It broke out in a big city, Kisangani! We have been at least one week in wilderness where even cell phones

were not working. God had him well taken care of a good clinic in a big city. We cannot imagine what could

have happened if we were still in forest. We thank Him! He really cares!!

We now owe you three weeks of mission reports. Some of you may wonder as to what has happened for

long silence. We did not disappear. He cares.

Today - First week of mission trip;  (July 6-11, 2010)

Kampala, Uganda – Arua-(cross border to Congo DR)-Aru (extreme northeastern Congo city)-50km to Bethel  SDA Church(naked tribe Lugwaran)

Kampala, Uganda;

This is the capitol of Uganda.  Mission’s specially ordered and equipped “Land Rover” (1995 model)

(supported GWS-Global Welfare Supporters-a new Korea based NGO) has finally arrived from US, 

but in a surprisingly bad shape due to long shipping period to Mombasa, then a professional driver drove

too non-professionally almost 1500 km to Kampala.

We had it repaired, and equipped custom- made roof rack, additional spare tire rack (total 2 tires), 

2 of 20 liter spare can rack, one for extra fuel, another for drinking water. This car has an over-sized

special mud tires (295/75/16), lifted up for better clearance, and, so it stands tall like a pickup truck.

Finally, we all left Kampala at 3 am to Arua (Uganda) on July 6th so that we can cross the border to Congo

on the same day. It’s about 500km. Road condition is good but then roof rack was making squeaking noise

moving gently left and right. In spite of strong support by metal bars welded to lower body of car, we just

had too heavy loads, we were too ambitious.

Once in Congo, fortunately, we found a specialist who took down all expensive metal works, then re-sized

to smaller and steadier roof rack, reinforced with additional metal- bars in all directions.

hile all works were in progress, we did not waste time by ministering in Bethel SDA Church.

This church (Bethel) has delivered 3 daughter churches early this year, giving them 22-24 members

each. Thus, the main church naturally shrunk.  It is like a mother, after baby, she is on a diet.

ut very soon she will gain a lot of weight. Bethel will surely grow to bigger congregation because it had

branched out.  God blesses church which expands for evangelism and He fills them more than previous

congregation. This is a mystery but you better believe it because it is God’s work.

Already each branch grew to 32-45 members in several months.

It is already more than 3 years when Pastor Lukando (first pastor) arrived at Bethel. His contribution in a bare

land of naked tribe is tremendous. Now he is transferred before he becomes too dry. Maha does not believe

to ask even Congolese pastors to work in a remote area for more than 2 years.

We wish all Maha supported pastors to be re-charged well in time.  We had a wonderful and emotional

fair-well worship service for him.

New Pastor Vanden has arrived from Ariwara where he has made 11-13 member church into 45. We pray that

his new ministry will put this church into second gear shift.

Bethel had literally nothing 3 years ago, and today it has clean drinking water, clinic and amongst all a very

well-built high school.

A specially chosen Lugwaran is scholarshiped to study theology at Lukanga SDA University so that one day

soon Bethel SDA Church is ministered by a Lugwaran pastor. Its agriculture farming is maturing and people

slowly try to catch up for better living under God’s protection. This Bethel SDA Church has playing a role of a

mission center of northeast, and SDA plans to start a "Mission” (smaller than Field) office in Aru, hopefully

by early 2011.

We do not know how many years Lugwarans have waited, living without clothes and away from any

civilization.

Today, they have changed.

Once they learned how good it is, to be God- fearing people, they will never go back. They are on a

right track.

We thank God for His blessings. He did not forget Lugwarans. We continue 2nd week mission report soon.

Maha Mission