a service station selling both deisel and petrolIt has been over a week now that I have been here and I am finally getting a handle on things. I found a shop that sells all sorts of imported foods from France and South Africa. Things are so expensive here but I am surprised by how much is available.
I found out that the Catholic mother I am staying with built the little place where I am living 2 years ago because God told her there would be a girl coming who would need a place to live! I am constantly amazed by all God has prepared in advance for me to be here now. I am learning so much everyday. I keep realizing how blessed Zambia is and how easy things are there. As far as I can tell I am the only missionary in Likasi and maybe even the only American. I am learning a lot about the other foriegners who live in Congo through the people`s expectations of me.
Not being able to communicate with people is so annoying. I constantly find myself trying to speak Tonga to people and mixing in Tonga words when I am speaking. It is so hard for me to learn French when everyone sepaks Swahili and it is so hard to speak Swahili when I dont know any of it. I can see a big improvement between last week and this week so Im sure it will just take time. Some of the church leaders introduced me to a guy who teaches English and he is going to helping me learn Swahili. I am excited about that because I have been learning it by trying to say something in French ans then asking how to say it in Swahili which is exceptionally challenging.
The guys name is Paul and he dreams everyday of leaving this country. I have met so many Congolese people in the USA and Zambia who have given up on Congo and it is so frustrating. Congo is so corrupt ans so far behind even other African nations but i have faith God will use this country.
I went to Lwambo where we hope to build an orphanage. I discovered that the person we were working with had lied to us about the progress and taken a lot of money from us. I also went to the hospital and met some cholera patients. I talked to a man who works with World Vision who speaks English and he told me he had seen hundreds of cholera cases everyday last month and many people were too far gone to help. It is so sad that people die from preventable and treatable diseases.
I went to church on Sunday and found more than twice as many people as last week and I met the actual pastor. Some times I really have no idea whats going on. Last week most of the church visited a different church for some kind of confrence (I think thats what they said). I enjoyed church so much more this week. The pastor is such an anointed speaker. He preached about Gideon and how we have to stop feeling discouraged and just do whatever it is God has called us to do.
I met with the women and they have lots of ideas for small buisnesses and they are going to reseach and let me know all the details but I think I may be able to help them. Also the youth have some ideas for business things and they are going to come up with a plan. I also went to their youth meeting (youth is 15 to 30) and I could tell the youth arent very excited about Jesus. I started talking to them about ideas I have for reaching out to the youth in the community and they got really excited. I think a lot of youth are bored with church because they feel like they have no place in the church. I brought a soccer ball with me so I think we are going to play some time this week and they will invite some of their nonChristian friends too. Also there are 2 guys in the youth group who speak English so it gives me freedom to communicate! I am speaking at the youth group next week.
Things are finally coming together and I am getting excited about the possibilities of helping people here. The church people are very protective of me and have not wanted me to walk around alone so I am slowly being able to go places by myself and will hopefully be able to meet more people, speak better, and spread the gospel more. Using the internet is difficult because the electricity is out here so often but thankfully its working today. Thanks for your prayers God has been blessing me!
I found out that the Catholic mother I am staying with built the little place where I am living 2 years ago because God told her there would be a girl coming who would need a place to live! I am constantly amazed by all God has prepared in advance for me to be here now. I am learning so much everyday. I keep realizing how blessed Zambia is and how easy things are there. As far as I can tell I am the only missionary in Likasi and maybe even the only American. I am learning a lot about the other foriegners who live in Congo through the people`s expectations of me.
Not being able to communicate with people is so annoying. I constantly find myself trying to speak Tonga to people and mixing in Tonga words when I am speaking. It is so hard for me to learn French when everyone sepaks Swahili and it is so hard to speak Swahili when I dont know any of it. I can see a big improvement between last week and this week so Im sure it will just take time. Some of the church leaders introduced me to a guy who teaches English and he is going to helping me learn Swahili. I am excited about that because I have been learning it by trying to say something in French ans then asking how to say it in Swahili which is exceptionally challenging.
The guys name is Paul and he dreams everyday of leaving this country. I have met so many Congolese people in the USA and Zambia who have given up on Congo and it is so frustrating. Congo is so corrupt ans so far behind even other African nations but i have faith God will use this country.
I went to Lwambo where we hope to build an orphanage. I discovered that the person we were working with had lied to us about the progress and taken a lot of money from us. I also went to the hospital and met some cholera patients. I talked to a man who works with World Vision who speaks English and he told me he had seen hundreds of cholera cases everyday last month and many people were too far gone to help. It is so sad that people die from preventable and treatable diseases.
I went to church on Sunday and found more than twice as many people as last week and I met the actual pastor. Some times I really have no idea whats going on. Last week most of the church visited a different church for some kind of confrence (I think thats what they said). I enjoyed church so much more this week. The pastor is such an anointed speaker. He preached about Gideon and how we have to stop feeling discouraged and just do whatever it is God has called us to do.
I met with the women and they have lots of ideas for small buisnesses and they are going to reseach and let me know all the details but I think I may be able to help them. Also the youth have some ideas for business things and they are going to come up with a plan. I also went to their youth meeting (youth is 15 to 30) and I could tell the youth arent very excited about Jesus. I started talking to them about ideas I have for reaching out to the youth in the community and they got really excited. I think a lot of youth are bored with church because they feel like they have no place in the church. I brought a soccer ball with me so I think we are going to play some time this week and they will invite some of their nonChristian friends too. Also there are 2 guys in the youth group who speak English so it gives me freedom to communicate! I am speaking at the youth group next week.
Things are finally coming together and I am getting excited about the possibilities of helping people here. The church people are very protective of me and have not wanted me to walk around alone so I am slowly being able to go places by myself and will hopefully be able to meet more people, speak better, and spread the gospel more. Using the internet is difficult because the electricity is out here so often but thankfully its working today. Thanks for your prayers God has been blessing me!
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