MISSION PRESBYTERY HAS A NEW PARTNER

Partnership Covenant approved with the Luebo-Mission Presbytery in the Democratic Republic of Congo

U.S. Presbyterians have had a relationship with the Luebo area of the Congo since 1891. Many of us have heard since we were children the stories of fellow Texans who served in the Congo. Now we have an agreement for a spiritual bond between Mission Presbytery and Luebo-Mission Presbytery.

In the face of oppressive governments and the resultant anarchy and total breakdown of the country’s infrastructure, the resilience of the Congolese Christians is remarkable. They sing with the joy of faith despite their lack of roads, convenient clean water, and medicines, and their malnutrition and high infant mortality rate.

In Luebo the Church has schooling for children through twelfth grade but no books, paper, or pens; the upper grades have desks, but the younger children must sit on the floor. The Church has a hospital but lacks necessary equipment. Children whose parents have died of AIDS are housed and fed by Luebo's Fifth Church, but there are many more AIDS-orphans for whom there is no room. The material needs are overwhelming.

But the Congolese Christians sing joyfully. These buoyant Christian brothers and sisters have much to share with us. And we have much to offer them.

Partnership Team members visited Luebo in July 2006. They found that mosquito nets are needed to control malaria. Better nutrition and immunizations are needed for the children. Micro-business loans are needed by the women to raise pigs and chickens and better seeds to grow food for their families. A larger home is needed for the orphans, as is equipment and medicine for the hospital. Funds are needed to repair the 100-year old First Presbyterian Church, once the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world.

Learn about Congolese Presbyterians. Invite speakers to your church from the Partnership Team (See addresses below.) Learn from the Congolese how to live Ps. 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you." Pray for them. Accept their gifts. Give to them.

Donations may be given through the Presbytery office.
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Team
Jack Hohengarten: jack.hohengarten@sbcglobal.net
Craig Deats: cdeats@ddollaw.com
Don Bobb: donaldbobb7@earthlink.net
Scott Collins: scollins@mail.utexas.edu

The date given here is an artifice; please ignore.