Happy Report-card Day!

On Saturday, I attended a joyful ceremony marking the end of the school year for the kids in the Ditekemena program. Three of the youngest kids attended first grade at a local public school. Another two attended secondary school at a nearby Presbyterian-run school. The remaining 17 school-age kids were in a ‘catch-up’ school environment based at the center where they are staying – I’ll call that the Ditekemena school. Most of them had spent a few years out of school while they were just trying to survive in the midst of broken family situations or living on the street. So – all of them were THRILLED about the opportunity to go to school this year, and very eager to learn. I want to walk you through the highlights of the ceremony and hopefully you will feel the reason to celebrate too!

The kids who had attended the catch-up school at the Ditekemena center all wore their school uniforms,and everyone was scrubbed clean and looking their best. The ceremony/service resembled a worship service, with hymns, choirs, prayers, and a short message. A youth choir from a nearby congregation joined in the celebratory atmosphere and the choir of Ditekemena kids of course got the limelight. Pastor Manyayi gave a short message about King David – the humble shepherd who probably didn’t go to school, but God chose him, anointed him, and used him in significant ways. He expressed that only by the grace of God were these kids able to go to school this year and reach this significant day.

Pastor Manyayi encourages the kids

The Ditekemena choir

Then, each of the kids in the Ditekemana school were given an opportunity to do a ‘recitation’. They had memorized a text (in French, the language of education in DRC) about a topic such as their country, their school, or family. It was moving to hear from these young kids who had worked so hard and improved so much this year. Aimé, in her recitation, said that before the start of school this year she was not able to read or write, but that now she can read and write “without fault”. Pastor Manyayi shared with me afterward that she literally could not write her name when she came to the center, despite the fact that she had attended a few years of school.

Aimé, with her report card.

Then, you have the near-miracle of Eric. Not only could he barely write his name at the beginning of the year, but he was combative with the other kids and often disruptive. They put him in level 2 of the catch-up school (covering 3rd and 4th grades). In the final month of the school year, they were advised to give him a chance at taking the national primary-school completion exam, simply because he is so tall and wouldn’t fit in very well in primary school. So they bumped him up to level 3 and he reviewed for the exam with the other students. Now, you would never guess from his gentle, respectful, loving demeanor about his difficult background on the street.

Eric (middle) with Jean and Shambuyi

Each of the kids was called up individually to receive their report card. The three little guys who were in first grade came in 8th, 12th, and 18th in their class of 20+ students. Not bad!

Andre, Junior, and Papy, on their way to first grade one morning.

Then, of course, every good party in Congo includes food and music. They had found a small generator for this day, and the kids let loose with the dancing. Then off for a big meal of bidia, greens, and goat meat!

We praise God for His provision for each of these kids this year. Please continue to pray that God would guide and provide for each of them in terms of being placed or reunited with families. And we continue to celebrate the unique and special individuals that God created them to be!

Hopes for healing

On March 1, an orthopedic surgeon will visit Kananga along with a physical therapist. Dr. Theuri, the surgeon, will perform surgeries at IMCK (the Presbyterian hospital near Kananga), and Miriam, the physical therapist, will train nurses and other staff in follow up therapy. The primary motivation for this visit came from three of the children in the Ditekemena program for street kids who have physical handicaps that could be improved with surgery. We want to introduce you to each of them, and ask you to pray with us for successful surgeries and recovery.
First, we have Andre. Andre’s thigh bones are bowed, rather than straight, so he has a hard time running or walking long distances, and his growth is stunted. We think that perhaps nutritional deficiency when he was younger precipitated this problem. Andre is now 7 years old.



Second, we have Espoire. Espoire is currently in the first year of secondary school, and is 13 years old. His right leg is permanently bent at about a 30 degree angle, so he walks with a crutch. It is not clear exactly what the cause is, but we think there was an accident at some point when he was younger without proper treatment or setting of the bone. Doctors at IMCK think that it probably will not be possible to recover movement in the knee, but that they might able to reduce the angle so that he could walk without a crutch.

And third, we have Dominique. Dominique had tuberculosis when he was younger, and it appears that it moved into and affected his spine. His spine is severely weakened, and he has a permanent hunch. It is hard for him to stand, let alone walk very far. We are not sure that his condition is operable, but are praying that something could be done, perhaps inserting a rod in the spine to give support. Dominique loves going to church, and has a gift for drawing. His father is living and has given approval for this surgery; he was chased away from home when he was accused of witchcraft by his uncle.

Dominique, center, celebrates the arrival of our department’s new vehicle with other
kids. For comparison, he and Serge (far right) are both 12 years old.

There are two other children who won’t have surgery next week, but who have physical challenges that we hope can receive treatment soon. One of the children who we hope will benefit from physical therapy is Kanku. Kanku has cerebral palsy. It does not seem to be severe, and he is able to walk on his own short distances with the help of a stick. We hope that physical therapy could help relax and strengthen his muscles, and help him to be more mobile.



The final child is Macqui. A few years ago, when she was about 4 or 5, she was pushed down some stairs. She was seriously hurt, and from that time had trouble hearing. She has partial hearing in one ear, but can only hear someone speaking if they speak loudly directly into her ear. In a country with such minimal infrastructure like Congo, there are very few services or allowances for people with disabilities. This makes it difficult for her to learn or progress in school. A couple of doctors have examined her, but there is not an audiometer in our province that could do a proper hearing test. We are hopeful that she could be taken to Kinshasa soon, and assessed to determine what the problem is and whether hearing aids could help her.

There are several churches and individuals that gave financial contributions to make this medical visit possible. Medical Benevolence Foundation found the medical professionals, and is also providing coordination and funds for this visit. These medical professionals from CURE in Kenya are giving their vacation time to come to an underserved area. They will treat each of these kids, and also perform surgeries on other patients in need and provide instruction and example for other doctors at IMCK. We are very grateful to everyone involved for the part they play and know that God will continue to hear and answer our prayers for healing in these kids!

Growing young faith

The children looked intently at the picture of the baby in the hay surrounded by a man, a woman, and a few animals. A few would eagerly raise their hands to answer Tatu Celestin’s questions:
“Who was Jesus?”
“The son of God!”
“Where was he born?”
”In a stable with animals.”
”Was he born with honor?”
”Yes!”
”Is a stable with animals a place of honor? No, he was not born with honor and glory. He left that in heaven when he was born as a person like us.”

Here in Kasai, most families sleep at night with livestock in their homes – goats, chickens, guinea pigs, etc. So, I could see how that was the concept of Jesus being born in a stable was not particularly “dishonorable” to these kids. And they could recognize the animals and the surroundings in the picture as a familiar setting. Tatu Celestin patiently walked them through the story of Jesus’ birth, always making sure the kids understood and engaging them with questions. One 7-year-old was even able to quote John 3:16 when he asked the reason why Jesus was born.

This Sunday was the first Sunday that a new set of pictures and lessons about the life of Jesus was used here. Tatu Celestin, the Sunday School teacher at our nearby parish in Kananga, was the first to try it out. It has taken almost all year to develop, and it is finally finished! A team of people here, including the Coordinator of Christian Education, the director of Evangelism, and the director of the printing press, coordinated the effort along with a couple of others who helped with writing lessons or illustrating the pictures. The pictures were drawn locally in Kananga, and lessons were written in Tshiluba. Each of the lessons was laminated so that it will last for years despite the humid and dusty climate, and so that nearby churches can share and rotate the lessons amongst themselves.

The staff at IMPROKA, the CPC Printing press, with
the completed Sunday school pictures

We have found few churches here who have a strong Sunday school or time for teaching children. Children are present in the main worship service, and maybe after a 3 hour service adults don’t have the energy or motivation to do anything else for the kids. Many people have told us that a lack of materials like pictures and lessons is one the primary reasons for the neglect of Sunday schools. We know that there are lots of ways to communicate a story and truths without materials – story telling, acting something out, etc., but those require some training and a lot of effort on the part of the teacher.

We are hopeful that early next year a training can be organized in both West and East Kasai to equip Sunday school teachers with knowledge and materials for teaching children. Children are eager to learn, and we have seen many who are fervent prayer warriors or are exceptionally loving and helpful to others. But we know that they need dedicated time tailored to them to really understand the truth of the gospel and the significance of what Jesus accomplished through his death on the cross.

And the support for creating these pictures? It came from a generous and faithful woman in the U.S. who spent many years in Congo as a missionary. In her retirement, she has collected stamps from churches and individuals and used the proceeds from the sale of them for ministry projects in Congo. What a creative idea! Given the decline of postal mail and the increased cost of mailing, “Stamps for mission” ended this year. But, we are grateful for Peggy’s faithful use of time and energy to continue to support God’s work in Congo.

The children and teachers of the Kananga 1 parish,
along with Kristi on Sunday.

Sunday visit to Ditekemena

Mukendi waved his arms dramatically and added some dancing as he directed the choir. I could tell by the applause and the number of people who stood up to join the dancing that the rag-tag group of kids was a big hit in the church service. This was the Ditekemena choir, made up of kids in the Ditekemena program for street kids. They were wearing all the wrong clothes, but their faces were radiant and they were incredibly attentive and behaved during the service.

After the service, Ruth and I joined the group of kids on their long walk back to the center where they are currently living. All 23 kids made a single-file line and made sure that no one was left behind. One of the older ones helped the others to cross the street one at a time. We headed down a narrow path into the valley and crossed a small river before heading up the other side to the center.

It was a hot afternoon and we were glad for some shade when we arrived. We joined the kids for a big plate of beans and rice for lunch, and then told them we wanted them to teach us some of their games. They proudly showed us the games they had – some home-made, like a game like “mancala” with holes made in the dirt – and others donated by kind folks like a couple of frisbees and a checker board. The older boys played soccer, and I enjoyed sitting with the younger kids cheering them on. Kanku, a young boys who is handicapped (probably because of polio) and had been sick recently, was eager to participate and even sang me a song! Then Tatu Francois, one of the care-takers, told the older boys to take a break and give the younger kids a chance to play. The girls and younger boys played together, and they really went after the ball with gusto!

Ruth and I were sad to have to leave – it felt like a short visit! But we had to get home before dark and had a long walk back across the valley to catch the bus. One of the most striking things about this group of kids is how well-behaved they are, given their difficult backgrounds. They have only been together a little over a month, but they act like family and play together incredibly well. Pastor Manyayi, their director, said that when they first came it was a struggle to get them to obey, but that they have made a dramatic change in a short time. Even so, taking care of 23 kids is not an easy task, and their care-takers are often exhausted by the added strain of sick kids or added responsibilities that come up. Please pray for these kids, that they would really know God’s love and that God would protect and provide for a bright future for them. Pray also for the staff, for God’s peace and strength to fill them as they seek to provide a safe place for the children.

VBS in Tshibashi

In our quest to continue to learn about the activities, strengths, and needs of the CPC, I attended a “Kids’ Bible camp”  (or VBS?) last weekend in Kananga. The Tshibashi presbytery, which includes about 1/2 of Kananga, has been doing these for nearly 4 years now. On every major break from school (Christmas, Easter, and summer break), they designate a certain number of days and invite the kids to come to one of the parishes for this ‘camp’. This particular time, it was 3 days, and held at the parish of “Katoka Sud”.

 

I arrived just before 9 on Saturday morning, the last day of the camp. About 20 kids were already there, singing fun kids’ songs. This is somewhat novel because we do not often hear songs here that have been written just for kids, with the energy and motions that we would associate with kids songs in America. Tètè, a law student with an incredible amount of energy and a gift for connecting with kids, was leading them in the French version of “deep and wide”. Groups of kids from different parishes trickled in with their teachers over the next hour, and soon there was a large energetic group of nearly 200 kids who ranged in age from about 3 years old to 14. Tètè transitioned quickly from one song to another, some French, some Tshiluba, using enough repetition and hand motions that all the kids stayed attentive and participated.

 

Then, the whole group transitioned outside, to the large yard at the front of the church. The kids formed a huge circle, with a smaller circle in the center for the smaller kids. Tètè led some fun and active songs, to get all the kids moving and participating. As you can imagine, it did not take long to draw a crowd of onlookers of all ages. It was fun to see how impressed and interested everyone was in this well-organized fun for such a large group of kids!

 

Then, back inside for some more singing, teaching, and games. A few more of the local pastors had arrived by this point, who had all participated throughout the three-day event. They reviewed with the kids the themes from the previous 2 days, and the kids all memorized a verse - “Let the one who gives, give with joy”. There was a short lesson, and then a few games. For the first game, several volunteers stood in front of the group. One end of a long piece of string was put into each of their mouths. On the other end of each piece of string was a piece of candy. The challenge was for the child to pull the string into their mouth without using their hands, until even the candy was in their mouth. Kids of all ages were selected to participate, and the kids were encouraged to keep going until they had reached the candy, then those who succeeded first were given prizes. Some of the kids were quite dexterous with their tongues!

 

For the second game, a table was set up, and 2 kids at a time sat opposite one another at the table. A candle was placed in front of each child, as well as a square of paper that had several peanuts on it. Their challenge: to reach across the table and blow out the other person’s candle, then eat one of their own peanuts, without using their hands. Each time one ate a peanut though, the child had to re-light his/her candle and blow out the other person’s candle before they could eat another peanut. Watching the kids try to blow out a candle while they were trying to chew peanuts made for some fun laughs for all the spectators, but they did a great job! ‘Game equipment’ is hard to come by here, so I was also encouraged by these fun and interactive games that used readily-accessible supplies.

For the final segment, the kids went back outside for a few more games and active songs . Each group of kids had come with their Sunday School teacher, and it was fun to see the teachers who showed a good rapport with their kids and a willingness to be silly with them. One of the goals of this program is to strengthen the weekly Sunday School programs in each parish, by giving them ideas and motivation for teaching the kids in effective ways.

One of the teachers passes out a sucker
to each child at the end of the day

I commend Tshibashi presbytery for their commitment to their kids and their creativity and perseverance in developing a strong program for kids. This is definitely one of the strengths of this presbytery, that hopefully other regions can benefit and learn from. Each church, just like each person, has their unique strengths and weaknesses, and when we appreciate and learn from the gifts of others, we honor our Creator.

 

“…Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grown and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15,16)