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Robert & Esther Marsh

Congo Chronicle March - April 2007

Dear family and friends, Mbote na bino! (Greetings to you). All I can say is we have been meaning to get this letter to you sooner but between our responsibilities and unstable electricity for the last 2 months it's taken us this long. On the 27 March, a group of us (Dan & Bob Grings, Pastor Hose, Pastor Gbalanga and Mr Mikedo) returned from a week- long seminar at the church in the city of Idiofa, a 3 hour flight away.. It was the best location that pastors from other churches in the Bandundu province could travel to. I believe there were Pastors that traveled from distances of 15km - 460 km(25 - 285 miles) walking for days, and others just hours. We held a three day seminar - Wednesday to Friday. Saturday we participated in an ordination council for two men. One of these men graduated at our  Longa Bible Institute. Sunday they had the morning service combined with the ordination service. Who would have imagined, that the events of the 22-23 March 2007 would have happen. During this "2 Day War" in down town Kinshasa, it is reported that there were between 160 - 200 killed.  Sadly a more realistic numbers are a lot higher. We live about 15 - 20 minutes from down town Kinshasa depending on the traffic. We are so grateful to the Lord that it did not spread to other parts of Kinshasa and that the Lord protected our families while we were in Idiofa. (Kinshasa is divided into 24 communities, we live in the community of Ngaleima, in the district Macampgne). Congo is in much need of our prayers. I am praying that the Lord will give a plan and solutions to the need of training, as many of the areas of Congo  have been closed for the passed years due to the eight year-long civil war. People have fled their villages to other  parts of Congo, some having to live in refugee camps, or having to start a new life in a new village. Over the passed two years people are slowly returning to there villages, and travel between provinces and cities has become possible again. Continue to pray for the ministries at the Kimbuala church and the Mbanza lemba/University work. Our co-workers Dan and Christine Grings will be leaving on furlough in June and I will be taking over the ministries at the Quartier Congo church as well.  The Church that Mark Grings began.  I am asking the Lord to show me how to use my time profitably for these different ministries.

We thank the Lord for his protection on a daily basis. Continued peace in the country. Opportunities to minister as the Lord wills Pastor Batshingi at Mbanza Lemba. Pastor Christoffe at Kimbwala. Bible Institute. Early morning prayer meetings(6 am)-We finished a study in the book of Romans. Lord willing we will start in the book of Ephesians. Monday to Saturday (except Wednesday at Quartier Congo. Early morning Wednesdays at Kimbwala - We are studying doctrines and themes concerning salvation. Water situation.  We haul from the Grings house on a regular basis. Visas for the Joshua and Jordan are still at immigrations. The added responsibilities of the church at Quartier Congo as Dan and Christine Grings leave for furlough. The safe arrival and settling in of our new missionary school teacher.  The Lord's direction in her life in other ministries that she can fit into. Printing of Lingala Song Book - Layout in done, and we are working of proof reading.

On the home front, the kids only have a couple weeks of school left and then their teacher Becky Bardon will also be leaving on furlough.  The Lord is continuing to provide and Lord willing a young lady missionary from South Africa,  Louise Morrison, will be arriving to be our new school teacher for the new year starting in September. The twins who are 18 months. now are growing in leaps and bounds and we are all amazed at their differences.  They are not identical, and have their own looks from different sides of the family as well as personalities.  They keep us on our toes.  Jeremy who is 4yrs now, enjoys playing with them.  Jordan managed to run into the back of our car door and cut his forehead and eyebrow.  Esther again got out her medical kit, and went to work making butterfly bandages and bandaged up 2 pretty deep gashes and thankfully it has healed up well.  The kids are finally over the 'whooping cough' and the family seems to finally be over these terrible repertory infections that seemed to plague us this time back.  This last week I needed to take Esther in to the Dr.  to see about the possibility of a blood clot again.  Thank the Lord there was none, but she has been given instructions to not spend long times just standing, and to get both exercise and rest for her legs.  We thank the Lord that we have prayer partners like YOU!

In Christ Robert & Esther Marsh