Our plans for the May and June 2013 visits to Kinshasa and Vanga to further develop the work of the partner churches in the Congo Mission Network are starting to come together. In December, Leon Mukendi made a special trip to Kinshasa in part to make plans and arrangements for the arrival of a team from the U.S. in June. After consultation with the pastors on the ground, they chose the dates for our visit from June 14-24, or June 14-21, depending on your availability. That would be leaving on a Friday and either returning the next Fri (21) or the Monday after (24).
Lord willing, we will be taking 4 focus teams on this trip: education, orphan care, theological training and micro-business. There will be a fifth group, focused on medical care that will have already gone before us in May 2013. Because of transportation cost, accommodations and other logistical needs, we are going to have to restrict the number of participants to 3 representatives from each ministry category. This is a vision/mission development trip, with a goal of seeing how we can enter into and grow each of these areas of ministry in partnership with the local pastors.
Please keep the "long term" perspective in mind. This ministry, if it is going to grow in the ways we believe the Lord is leading us, will take several years to develop, and then many more years to increasingly implement. We are not asking you to have your whole life consumed with this task; but to simply be willing to take whatever part and role the Lord may put on your heart. Obviously, those who step into leadership roles with the rest of the team would have some additional responsibilities beyond the other volunteers. So, we are asking you think seriously about the commitment for the visit in June.
I noticed some of you signed up with an interest in several areas. Don't hesitate to express your willingness to be considered for more than one area of interest on this trip. We will be holding a meeting on Sunday evening, Feb 10 at 6:30 pm for all 5 teams to talk over the possible itineraries and receive helpful information about travel to Congo.
Thank you so much for your partnership in the Gospel. My heart is truly blessed by your willingness to walk out the kingdom in Congo.
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