Bill was called to go to Juba, South Sudan to meet an urgent need yesterday.  After preaching at HEAL Africa chapel this morning, he crossed the border into Rwanda and made the 3+ hour drive to Kigali, where he boarded a flight to South Sudan.  As much as I would have loved to accompany him and support our work there, I was unable to go due to other obligations in Congo.

In Goma (DRC) that same day:

“Less than five minutes ago at a roundabout in town police fired three rounds of tear gas against vendors they evicted.”  There were a lot of police in riot gear around town.  People are on edge because it is reported that the M23 rebel militia group is rumored to be outside of Goma and arming themselves …

…on a brighter note, the threat level of our local volcano, Mt. Nyiragongo, has dropped from orange to yellow due to the lowering of temperatures of the underground lava rivers.

That same day, I taught at the Tuungane School (for orphans and street kids).  We talked about St. Valentine, Valentine’s Day, and that God is Love. The kids made valentines… many of them had never held a pair of scissors so it was a challenge, but with great results and so much fun!

Later that afternoon found me teaching ESL classes. I think those adults had even more fun than the kids making Valentines (and teasing the one single guy who stayed extra time so he could make 8 cards). 

On another bright note,  our daughter Cass has been in Tshikapa (in the middle of Congo ) for a couple of weeks… far from here (near the Angolan border) working on a film and commercials for the Girl Rising (promoting girls’ education) project.  She has just returned to Goma where she will be will doing similar work on advocacy for protection of vulnerable women and children.       

Bill and I are thankful for a loving God who cares for us and knows all that goes on around us. And who gives us the privilege to serve others in His name. We love doing what we have been called to do, and we appreciate being strengthened by partnerships with you in this work in Eastern Congo and South Sudan.