Dear Loved Ones,

 

Greeting. We still continue to think about our time in Congo. Many souvenirs to share about. Here is one case. The man with a tie is pastor Yoko Muna Kuzola. After high school, Yoko found himself in Kinshasa, the capital city of Congo, RDC with no place to stay and nowhere to go and nothing to do. He became a street boy sleeping outside.

 

I still do not know how he joined our church and who told him about it. Yoko can sing and sings wells. Shortly after becoming member of our church, Yoko become a star in choir. I started to study Yoko as a person but had a hard time understanding this gifted young man with no where to stay and nothing to do. I became very troubled by his presence in our church.

 

Kihomi joined me in praying for the boy. I knew that the young man had to have more to his life then the street life. We sent him to study theology at the school I was professor and dean of academic studies. Yoko became part of our family. We supported Yoko until he got his theology degree.   

 

Now Yoko has become a very prominent leader and pastor in our Baptist denomination. He is also helping Compassion International in its efforts to help educate young Congolese. 

 

Yoko is married and father of more than 5 children. In the picture, the son on right is about to finish his medical studies and on left is finishing up his Bachelor degree in sociology.

 

When I think of Yoko's life, I can picture my own. I have always wondered how many of young person’s we all could have saved if we acted on time.

 

Thank you for standing with us as we try to help those who are not able to help themselves.

 

In Haiti,

 

Nzunga & Kihomi 

 

Dear Friends,

What a difference you can make when you step forward and get involved with someone who is struggling.  Leon Emmert, IM missionary to Congo, long ago did the same thing for Nzunga.  In 1979 my wife and I took in a Vietnamese “Boot People” family of 6.  They arrived with only the clothes on their back and 2 diapers for the baby.  Now they are all American citizens, have great families and are a living the American dream.  I have often wondered why our churches cannot do that for down and out families here.  Maybe some churches do but all attempts by me to get this started here have failed.  Seems we think that is the governments job.  Jesus said differently.

With hope in Him,

Dennis Shewell

Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener

Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry

E-mail: deshewell@gmail.com

Phone: 812-569-1352

 

Other team Members:

Les Roberson

Diana Peysha

Terry Bivens-Fry

Charles Newman