Reality

Have you ever had a gun held to your chest? Or soldiers mad at you, following you....calling for your death?
Have your children hid under their beds...in dead electricity transformers...or in ceilings... to escape the AK-47's and pangas (machetes) brandished by those who hate them....simply because of their tribe?
Have you ever moved three times in a year in order to evade and avoid slaughter?

Kibi has. All of the above.

Life in Eastern Congo is quite beyond my understanding. Extreme Anger. Evil Unchecked. Death.

Today we reunited with Kibi and his wife.They arrived in Ft. Portal after two days of travel. She is suffering from what sounds like ulcers and gall stones. She has been in physical distress for a long time. And has one more day of travel to get to a hospital that can help her. She fears the surgery, but can no longer abide the pain.

Kibi, Angelika and their children were faithful members of the church here for several years. They were refugees from Congo and together we dreamed of furthering His Kingdom in their home place. For about two years Angelika and I would meet to study. Kibi had to translate for us. And over time our study grew to include other Congo refugees and all of Angelika's children. I would share a lesson. Then we would sing.

The glorious sound of Congolese voices. Those folks can lift the rafters (or mabati roof as the case may be!) They revolutionized our worship as a church. And the Swahili and Lingala songs they taught us are still favorites.

That was two babies ago for me. And, what probably seems like a lifetime, of fear, panic, physical suffering and loss for her.

Yet, today, again, we sat in a living room here in Ft Portal...listened to promises of hope and faithfulness from our King and sang... of our need, our love...His Ableness.
We also shared in prayer. Derrick, Jeff and I prayed for her. She prayed for us.

She and Kibi shared of their horrors. And God's Hand...protecting them even up to now.
They spoke of their Savior. The prayers that have protected and prolonged their lives. And His sustaining embrace.

Nothing like a huge dose of real world to set my attitude in place. When I came home...I held my children tighter. Praised God for the security of our last few years. And decided that power outs and the complications those involve...really don't matter at all.

Angelika would be blessed by your prayers. Please pray for her physical healing. Pray for her children waiting for her in Congo. And pray for courage.

Please also pray for Eastern Congo. We have an Enemy, friends. And he isn't Congolese.
He is Hate. And Lies.
Love and Truth...destroy all he sets about to do.
Our true reality is that Our Hero stands ready. To redeem whatever crisis or evil we choose or fall victim too. He is always watching...always caring...always there.