Internet Tour

A brief video tour of our internet system at UCBC.

Year End

Two of our students, Hulda and Joel, speak about there impressions of UCBC's first year...

Conferences - Prostitutes & Government Officials

Prostituted Girls and Women

Many prostituted women and girls came to the UCBC campus with apprehension. They came thinking that they would be sent to prison or be forcefully tested for HIV/AIDS...instead 3/4 of them found Christ....!! And they are SO hungry for Him....they wish to be discipled 3 times a week and are asking to use our school building as a meeting area....they don't even care if they can't come inside - they are willing to sit outside to learn about this Jesus who loves them!

One of the prostituted girls approached us and said "I've accepted Jesus and I want to be serious, but what do I do? To eat I have to prostitute myself and sell strong alcohol - do I throw away all the alcohol? How can I eat if I do that?"

We hear Jesus clearly saying "you feed them"...we are stepping out in faith, believeing the small loaves and fish we have will be multiplied. The workers are few...please pray to the Lord of the Harvest for more workers! Our container is on the way - full of sewing machines and we hope to train these women in sewing and give them an alternative to prostitution.

Click here for more photos.

Government Officials and Political Leaders

Many govt officials and political leaders came to UCBC for a 2 day conference on integrity, government ethics and future development.

The Governor's counselor for our Provence (Nord-Kivu) came to the conference as well...since seeing UCBC, he has been telling the Governor to support us...that what is happening here is what the Governor wants to see. He also sent e-mails all over Congo, telling people that the nation needs to get behind what is happening here. Again, we don't fully know what happened or what is going to happen, but people of power all over Congo are starting to take notice...

Our Governor's counselor sending e-mails about UCBC to people in power all over Congo....from our computer lab

Missionaries

David Kasali shared his vision for the current generation of missionaries with us.

A Conversation with UCBC's Class President

I had a conversation with our class president about success...I stopped him in mid-conversation and asked him if I could record it. He said 'yes'. It is what we are about - following Christ, being transformed and transforming a nation.

Sarahphina

Sarahphina - one of our students here at the University - had been hit by a truck and miraculously survived - Praise God!

She spend 2 months in the Hospital going through painful procedure after painful procedure BUT she recently came back to school!

We had a special Chapel time which lasted for 2 hours FULL of Praise and Worship for her return!

When Sarahphina stood to speak she was speechless...so instead she sang...and then she spoke...

UCBC Song

Below are the lyrics to a song the students
of UCBC created with Justin Hubbard's
help in an English class. Enjoy :)

Verse 1
UCBC is a Christian University
It sits on a hill in Masiani
Close to life in Beni City
A blessing to the people of Beni

Verse 2
All people come and be transformed
To help us change the whole world
Put down your guns and put down your pride
Come see the UCBC side

Verse 3
The rectors name is Dr. Kasali
The adcedemic is Honore Kwany
We have teahers from Amerique
We have Justin, Heather, and Eric
Verse 4
For the development of DRC
We need schools like UCBC
Our moto is the best one
It says Love, Work, Faithfulness

Chorus
Please everyone come and help us sing this song
The source of change in the DRC
With the will of the almighty
We will be transformed

Congo Update - Heza

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

Many of you have been asking how Heza is doing....so I thought I'd show
you :)

The attached movie was taken in our beloved Isuzu Trooper and she is
sitting on David Kassali's oldest sister's lap - a WONDERFUL women of
the Lord who's name escapes me - pole sana! (very sorry!)

By the way - I'm sending this from our home!! We are testing the
internet connection and then turning it off until we can power it -
please pray for the solar energy!

Blessings,
Eric

Congo Update - UCBC Worship #2

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Just thought you'd like to see another worship video - this time taken from the back of UCBC's truck!



Blessings,
Eric

Congo Update - Transportation

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I thought I'd send you a video of motorcycle travel here in Beni! Enjoy
the video and pray for our and the student's safety as we travel back
and forth on a daily basis. Also, continue to pray for the bus!

Blessings,
Eric

Congo Update - Mourning a Loss

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Two nights ago a student's wife passed suddenly during childbirth. Both Mother and child have passed. Yesterday, the entire UCBC student body mourned with Papa Thomas over the loss of his wife.

Right now, Thomas is strong but we fear that soon the reality will set in...please join us in praying for his comfort - that the Lord would manifest Himself to Papa Thomas and bring him peace during this difficult time!

Loss and suffering are common here in the Congo....but when one of us suffers, we all share in the suffering.

Attached is a short video of the funeral...

Blessings,
Eric

DRC Realities

Malnutrition
One of the most fertile lands in Africa cannot properly feed its own population. Children are needlessly malnourished. With the right education/training, malnutrition will be stamped out overnight. Our friend Josh, an agricultural specialist from Heal Africa in Goma, is planning to visit and implement his agricultural plan! We pray that our Agricultural budget will receive funding by the time he arrives in two weeks - please pray with us for the funding!

Poverty
One of Africa's wealthiest nations in natural resources is also one of its poorest. This wealth is the Congolese greatest hope and greatest curse. Many wars have been fought over it. Many people are enslaved to extract it. Pray for financial independence of the Congolese people. Pray for our micro-enterprise program. Pray for the students at UCBC that are training the become economists.

Poisoning
Over the past month I've learned that poisoning is very common. Most the Pastors and Church leaders I've met have been poisoned multiple times. Our own Festo Kasali is suffering from being poisoned. Pray for his healing and the protection of the Congolese Church leadership.

Militias
Tribal conflict has been a way of life - our friend's ministry visits different tribes, calling for reconciliation through the cross of Christ. Former militia members have said "the UN has disarmed us of our weapons, but Jesus has disarmed us of hatred". Millions of dollars have been spent by NGOs in negotiation tactics with little effect. The Gospel has triumphed where the world's wisdom has failed - please pray for this ministry!!

Lies
Corruption and lies are a way of life for many here. A government that publicly approved of lies and theft as a means of surrvival has recently been overthrown but the effects are still here. This country has been old to the father of lies, statan, and desperately needs holy men and women, setapat by God for the leadership of Congo. Pray for the future leaders at UCBC. That they would be transformed in order to transform their nation and redeem it.

Sexual Violence
It is estimated that over 50% of the women in this region have been a victim of sexual violence...pray for wisdom and direction of the Holistic Family Center that will be dealing with these issues! For an eye-opening article on sexual violence in Congo, visit:

http://thewip.net/contributors/2008/04/the_greatest_silence_rape_in_t.html

UCBC "Coat of Arms"

U.C.B.C. (Christian Bilingual University of Congo)

"Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in
the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."
Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)

Love - Work - Faithfulness

The people of Beni, Congo are wondering why the community at UCBC is so different. Why they love. Why they work hard. Why they are faithful. The answer - Jesus - the Lord is bringing Himself glory through these students.

Our prayer is that UCBC will continue to be a place of spiritual transformation. The UCBC community is not perfect but in spite of our imperfections, the rest of Beni is standing up and taking notice. Bwana Asifewe Sana!! (Praise the Lord most high!)

First Class

I just taught the first computer class...intro to Computer Literacy for 90 students (we have decided to break the class up into 4 groups...praise God!) At the end of the day, some of the students piled into our 4x4. The students are SO HUNGRY for knowledge! As we drove home, we sang thanks to God - the students were asking for more teachers, more computer classes (and goofy things as well :) - they are SO funny) They have such a STRONG desire to change their country. To redeem it from the enemy.

Before the class, a student told me that he knows we love them because we are here, sharing ideas with them. He said that the Holy Spirit is strong in us and he sees the love we have for them...please pray that the Lord would raise more teachers for these promising students!! Experienced, qualified English teachers are crucial at this time.

Getting to know the students

Heather and I have spent our 3rd day with the students. The Lord is knitting our hearts with theirs - they are smart, beautiful students with the STRONG desire to see the Lord's Kingdom come to Congo. Some will be missionaries, teachers, pastors, engineers, computer scientists and political leaders but the Congo Initiative is more than a school - it is a place of spiritual transformation...not just of the students but I believe for us teachers as well. I'm sometimes overwhelmed with JOY when I think that these faces I see are the ones the LORD is raising for His harvest in Congo - the future leaders of the DRC and Christ's Church. What a humbling, honoring pleasure it is to be with them! Bwana Asifewe Sana! (praise the Lord!)

An old Swahili saying puts it well:
Unaona nini?
What do you see?
Ninaona uwa, ina meta meta.
I can see a flower shining.
(A student named Busch shared this with me - he desires to follow his father and become a missionary/pastor)

Technically, the computers and satellite internet equipment should arrive late this month! The students are EXCITED!!

Prayer requests:
The Lord's protection over His PRECIOUS students
Protection over us (Justin, Heather, myself, and the Kasali household)
Resources needed to teach (books, paper, pen, etc...)
A bus for the students
Rest for us weary travelers
Planning for the computer class
Continued health
Safety for the shipping container
Safety for Internet equipment

Beni

March 1st I'll be traveling with 8 others to the town of Beni in the Nord-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Beni is just north of Rwanda and west of Uganda near the Ruwenzori Mountains. 7 of us will return to the States after 2-4 weeks. Heather Wright and I will stay on for 6 months. We will join Justin Hubbard (click here to see his blog) who has been teaching English for the past several months.

I’ll be teaching 90 or so students computer applications at a school just outside the city. Heather will be working with traumatized women.

The population of Beni is uncertain (they don’t have a census in the Congo) but I’ve heard anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 people live there.

I'm excited to be part of God's hand in healing a country that has only known war, slavery and indebtedness since the 1600's - Bwana Asifiwe Sana!! (Kiswahili for Praise the Lord a lot!)