Hello from Germany

It is just few hours in the airplane and I seem to have entered a totally different world to the one I just left behind in the DRC. It is good to be a bridge builder!

Praise God for a smooth journey without any problems! I have arrived safe and sound

Even though far away, our hearts and prayer are with the people in the DRC and the work continues. 

Here is another picture from our time in the Congo. It was taken just few days ago.

Goodbye from the DRC!

Dear friends, 

this will be my last update from the beautiful Democratic Republic of Congo

We are reflecting back on...

... four weeks of God on our side guiding our every step...

... four weeks of learning and teaching...

... four weeks of trusting and rejoicing...

... for weeks of giving and taking...

and four weeks of so much more!

Matt was invited to speak at Chai Church in Bukavu every day throughout the past week. The message that God put on Matt's heart for the people here was about receiving forgiveness from and through God, who has saved us by grace so that we can rejoice in our salvation forever. In his teaching series "The Power of God for salvation" Matt focussed on "The power of God", "The debts of men and the payment of God", "Gather the wheat", "The burden of men and the offer of God". Through the teaching the Holy Spirit has inspired some pastors and people from church to form groups, like homegroups, to continue with what has been tought and live and spread the true word of God. So far these groups are lead by our translator Michel and a friend of ours, Baba Eli.

We were also invited to join a kids/teenage prayer meeting, also led by our friend Baba Eli, in a less privileged area of town. We did not expect what we then experienced that evening: a tiny room for 60 young people who were singing, praying, dancing and kneeling before the cross. We also experienced and intimate time together and shared the story of David and Goliath with them. A question Matt asked the kids is valid to all of us and also to you, who is reading the blog right now: What or who are the giants in your life? Do we put our trust in God for Him to take care of them? Among these beloved kids was a young man, who used to be involved in witchcraft, and his sister, who used to be a prostitute. God has changed both of their lives completely after they had encountered him. Matt and I praised God for a generation of Congolese who are dedicated to life a life for God. 

Interestingly we also had the opportunity to interview and talk to a guy, who has written his final paper at university on how the UN workers with muslim faith use their work and presence in the DRC as a channel to spread Islam within the region. As for now, we do not have any other concrete evidence, but as the regional minister of justice as well as Dr. Mukwege confirmed during an interview with us the past week, at least 14 mosques have been built within 5 years only in the area of Walungu (the traditional kingdom of my tribe), apparently through some dodgy food-money trade with local people and MUNESCO funds. Let us pray for the Word of God and the Works of God, the Three in One, to be manifested and lead to peace in the DRC!

On friday, we were invited to speak at ULPG, the Free University of the Region of Great Lakes, here in Bukavu. Again we were surprised by how many people came to listen to us - the auditorium was packed with people - professors, students, lawyer, community developers, nurses and many more. Again Matthew shared the Good News and with god-given authority proclaimed that God is in control of all spheres of society, whether it is the sphere of government, economy, science, health and so on. To our surprise many professors were willing to partner with us and invited us teach for a full week at a university in Goma next year!

The other day we traveled the road down to Ngomo. The purpose for that was for Matt to record and give an interview from inside the DRC along a road that a lot of rebels have traveled on. This interview will be shown at Liberty University in the US and is supposed to encourage Christians to discover the call God has for us to be involved around the world as a church and as christians not just in our own location where we are.

Now we are in Goma. The picture above was taken on the boat on our way there. We are staying at my cousins, Claude and his beloved wife's house. Today we met our friends from Focus:Congo, who continue with the work we are doing once I am not there. Skilled and ambitious young men who dedicate much of their time to take videos where soldiers fight in front lines, collect stories of hope and organize youth events. Only God can reward their work.

Tomorrow morning at 6am Matt and I will cross the border to Rwanda and our flights will leave in the afternoon. 

As I have said before, we have been immensely blessed. It was sad to leave my family but when I said goodbye on saturday evening I was touched to see the joy in their faces to have had me there for a short while.

Full of trust of hope, Matt and I, will leave the beautiful DRC and its vibrant people in God's hands until we meet again. 

Stay in touch with us - I am looking forward to be connected with you.

My thankfulness goes to all of you who have faithfully supported us throughout this time.

God bless, 

your friend Pappy Orion

Our journey continues...

Dear friends from all around the world, 

I am personally touched and amazed by your interest in the DRC, its people and the work that is being done here by so many, who are willing to invest into a radiant future of this nation and its people. Thank you for all your comments, like and shares.

To be honest, there is no better place to be where you are called to - even if it takes a lot of energy, compassion, patience, discernment and strength. In return though, it is a blessing to share love, smiles and moments of forgiveness and truth with people whom we encounter on the streets, in taxis, at the border, in churches, hospitals, in remote villages and the many more places we travel to.

It has been a week since I last updated you on what keeps us busy.

First of all, Matthew and I are blessed to have this time together and bond in our friendship. He is of a great blessing to me personally and a friend I treasure.

Last weekend, we travelled to Uvira to visit a good friend of mine in Uvira, Fahamu and wife Jonni. Even though Uvira is just about two hours down south of Bukavu, where we are at the moment, there is no direct road we could take within the Congo, so we had to cross into Rwanda and take bus a from there. We then again had to cross into Congo. As many may figure, it is not always easy to cross borders in Africa. With the history we share with Rwanda it is not easy for us Congolese to travel there - personally I always have to struggle with fear once I am on Rwanda. Also, crossing borders with a "muzungu" (white person) often happens to be another challenge. However, despite some interrogation by some border controls and after some time them asking us to pray for them - it happened to be and experience to love on our neighbours and live out reconciliation while uniting in spirit.

Our friends, Jonni (an American) and Fahamu, are pioneering Youth With A Mission Congo and have started their own ministries. We were blessed to have had the opportunity to join them on their trip to a remote village and be part of what is God is doing through them in the DRC. Together we travelled to Lemera and visited a pygmie village. The pygmies are small in size, usually do not interact with "mainstream" society and have experienced unspeakable cruelties during the war due to their otherness. It was an impressive experience to gain a deeper insight into their way of life, their daily challenges but also their resilience and capability of organising themselves and their community.

I think the most amazing encounter we had was when I approached a man and started talking to him. While talking to him we figured out he was the pastor of the local pygmie church. A humble man with a passionate heart for the Lord - it was a shock to all of us when we figured out he did not even have a bible. What a man to live out a calling using the little he has in his hands, leading a church and sunday services without an own bible! We invited him to join a local pastors meeting, where we were invited to speak and preach the next day. To have a pygmie pastor join a pastor gathering was a miracle on its own. God spirit was moving and touched many hearts - the many stories I could keep on telling are testimonies of what we experienced there.

My prayer is for God to continue his works also through the ministry of Jonni and Fahamu and continue with His plan to draw His people closer to Him and unite them in unity.

We are now back in Bukavu. Matthew has received many invitations to preach and speak at local youth groups and churches. The place where we are living has turned into a place where many people come visit us, share their stories, talk about life, eat together and share life with one another.

If I am not accompanying Matthew I am busy collecting footage for our documentary "Congo-The Place I Call Home". Together with Prince, another faithful and dedicated friend of mine, we travel places around town and collect precious insights into life in the DRC.

The next week we are planning to visit Goma - friends, family and build up connections with associations.

Thank you for again for your interest, your friendship and support. When life is overwhelming, the thought that so many are backing us up here in prayer and are behind us keeps us going. 

We are together - "Nous sommes ensemble" - this is the way Congolese people say good by to manifest togetherness.

Greetings to all of you, 

your friend Pappy