Jim and Louise Lindquist

July has come and gone too fast! Here it is time to think about August already!

Our summer guests arrived on time with a minimum of difficulties and no lost luggage, a minor miracle these days. In between their arrival here and their safe return to their homes, we had a lot of good fellowship and service together both here in Bukavu and at Katshungu. Check our site, jimnlouise.spaces.live.com, for pictures, or google jimnlouise.

Sarah Yeckley's three-month visit began with a week of orientation during which she struggled to remember her childhood Swahili. With understanding coaches and a dictionary she did well. During those first weeks she thoroughly cleaned, practically single-handed, the second apartment at the center here in anticipation of her parents' and our kids' visits. Two weeks before we went to Katshungu, Sarah and Louise held a training seminar for VBS workers. Sarah began a class of English as a Second Language for medical workers at the general hospital every morning. She organised some afternoon kids' clubs to practice her VBS lessons, and expended some extra energy playing soccer with them. She also spent time visiting in homes of women from the church. By the time we returned from Katshungu, the Bukavu VBS workers were exclaiming over how much her Swahili had improved since their training sessions. Three one-week VBSs were lots of work, but a blessing to both the workers and the children. At Katshungu we had about 200 in attendance with helpers from several outlying areas, as well as Joanne Yeckley (Sarah's mother) and Catherine (our youngest daughter) who helped with Swahili translation and keeping order. At Pageco Berean Church here in Bukavu we averaged 70 children a day. One girl prayed to accept Christ. At one of our affiliated churches here in town we averaged 260 children with a peak of 280 one day, 60 of whom were 3 and 4 year-olds! On the day that the greatest number of workers were absent, (the most difficult day of the week because of the salvation message presented?) seven boys prayed to accept Christ. Our student from Shalom University, who is here for his summer assignment, was delighted to have had the priviledge of talking and praying with them.

Mark and Joanne Yeckley joined our kids Philip and Catherine to travel together from Paris on to Congo. Mark and Joanne were returning to Congo after an absence of fifteen years. After Mark's graduation message at Keita Bible Institute at Katshungu someone remarked that his Swahili was better than when he lived at Katshungu! His intensive review of vocabulary and phrasing which he wrote in the margins of his sermon notes and his studies beforehand really paid off! The ceremony was attended by Rev. SaSimon Ngandu, one of the first two graduates of the school. Now in his eighties, he has known and worked with almost all of our Congo missionaries during the past 70 years (This year marks seventy years since our first missionaries opened a work with the Balega people). At the weekend Philip was able to take him back to his home at Katanti by motorbikeback. It gave Philip a chance to visit old friends where we lived as he was growing up. In addition to the VBS held the week following the Bible Institute graduation, there were several seminars held, one for teachers from five satellite Bible Institutes, another especially for the women teachers with Kathy Lindquist and meetings for everyone, with Mark giving a keynote message every day. Jim and his brother Tom met with the Bible Institute teachers to discuss the program, teaching methods and materials and how we missionaries can best help them as they shoulder the teaching load. Jim and Louise consulted with the Medical Cupboard staff about supplying medicines to the out-dispensaries. Jim took stock of repairs that need to be made to Bible Institute building, church, hospital and the residence converted to guest house where we camped. Tom, Kathy and Louise consulted with a committee that has the oversight of a school for the deaf about beginning the first year again for the 14 deaf children who live in and around Katshungu. Philip took the email laptop up on Yela mountain several times to do e-mail through a faint cell-phone connection. A number of us enjoyed trips to the nearby waterfalls to cool off. We took refuge under our mosquito nets at night and wondered what could possibly be causing so much ruckus on the ceilings, but slept well anyway on our air mattresses on the floors (Philip had to pump his up every evening!) We were wakened every morning at dawn by the gift rooster that we didn't eat until the next to last day. We enjoyed the local dishes joyfully shared by our Christian friends, as well as packets of "add water and cook" dishes generously donated by friends in the US and Canada. Thank you for praying. The Lord worked!

Yours in His service,

Jim and Louise Lindquist