“Unto us a child is born”= “a baby is here intended for us” -Isaiah 9:6

Such a common phrase during this holiday season, but what a strange thing to say, “unto us a child is born”. To remark that a baby would be meant for us. As an English teacher, I am always asking my students, “What is a synonym for that word?” Synonyms for the preposition ‘for’ are: on behalf of, in favor of, and in support of.

Additionally, who is ‘us’ and what might a baby be ‘intended for’ immediately upon birth?

This month babies are on my mind. My sister, Megan, and her husband, Mark are pregnant with their first baby. And just yesterday, my step-brother, Mike, and his wife Crystal, had their first baby. (So, for the first time, I’m an aunt!) To think, that either of these tiny babies would be purposed for us: those who have superseded it, is ridiculous. We are older, stronger, and more mature in every aspect of life. A baby is helpless and completely dependent. Yet, it was pronounced that this particular baby is purposed for us, humanity, at at the time it's elder, superior.

Yet, who are we? Are we, the elders, really superior? We are the tainted and needy. We are the liars. We ignore injustice. We cheat on our spouses. We steal music. We act with anger and hatred towards our siblings. We refuse to forgive unless they move first. We act like animals craving self-satisfaction in entertainment, sex, and food. We make rubrics in our mind to rank and compare our moral superiority. We fake our happiness and isolate ourselves from relational intimacy while were crying inside for meaning and connectedness. We who are grown have so much to learn.

The bible says that approximately 30 years later that baby taught a crowd of people about God’s heart, proclaiming, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall see God.” -Matthew 5: 3,5,8

With tears coming to my eyes I must share the richness of God. His loving purposes are as vast as the depths of the ocean. You see Jesus announced, “Favored by God are those homeless people who bring nothing valuable to the table. Sacred are the dirty children in the slums of Goma with ringworm and typhoid. Sanctified are those Congolese soldiers who have committed rape and murder. Forgiven is the adulterous American Fortune 500 CEO. Intended for heaven are those ‘Christmas and Easter Christians’ who lack spiritual wisdom, good theology, and a clean mouth. Hallowed are all you who are ignorant of your pride and apathy.” Jesus came for us: those of us in need. Not the moral people who have it all figured out. Not the people who can make it on their own or have already ‘cleaned up their act.’ He came to support us, to advocate for us. (Matthew 9:12)

My Congolese brothers and sisters see God. Today in the office, one of my students was making copies for his physics class. I asked him what it was about. He showed me a diagram of the human eye and began to explain its ability to receive light and interpret images. He said, ‘You know there is so much to learn about this, but there are still so many mysteries.” His face lit up with a handsome smile, “God is amazing. We can learn so much, but there is still so much left to discover. But one day we will know everything.’ You must know that yesterday this student lost in the student government election. In his past, he has experienced rejection by his family, isolation, and loneliness. He currently struggles to pay tuition, and yet is one of the brightest students I have met. Last week he came to me with a brilliant service-learning project idea for the harnessing of hydraulic power for electricity. I know my Congolese brother truly sees God.

And is it so strange that one would be born for many? Here in Congo, the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” is easy to grasp. All community members contribute to the discipline and responsibility of raising children. And the success of this child means future provision and development for his community. Triumph is corporate; inclusion is prolific. Jesus says that if we have faith, even the size of the smallest seed (the mustard seed) we could move land masses the size of Mount Kilimanjaro. (Matthew 17:20) This Christmas look at those places in your life and heart where you need Jesus. He came on our behalf: to show us the love of God. I implore you to muster up a little faith and apply it to those areas where you are meek and poor in spirit. Ask Jesus to let you see God with eyes of faith, dependency, and adoration.

Sights for the Season

friendship

strength

learning

beauty

Corruption

I struggle as I try to explain corruption. My firsthand experience has been frustrating, but seems mild to the contextual realities experienced by our students and staff.

Dilapidated systems facilitate and promote corruption. It's undeniably a huge problem for the development and progress of any nation, but here in Congo it has been especially crippling. Not everyone is corrupt, but every institution has been contaminated by corruption. Let me just touch on the educational corruption that is common in Congo.

Our students have come from high schools and Universities where corruption seen simply as a right of passage. Professors and teachers often require that students pay for the ability to take a test, receive points in the class, or even to simply pass. This is above and beyond the expected tuition. Students explain that even if they legitimately perform well in the class, but don't pay the bribe, they won't pass the class. Girls are often coerced into performing sexual favors in exchange for passing grades. In addition to the appalling immediate atrocity of this reality, are the effects. Students see no incentive for studying thus lacking motivation. Pass their time in University in 'survival mode' just waiting for the next onslaught of unjust stipulations. Students watch their classmates literally purchase passing grades. And this continues after graduation with the bestowing of vocational positions based on 'who you know', 'how many goats (form of wealth) you bring to the manager's home', or 'wether or not you offer your body in return for the position'.

Here at UCBC we are fighting hard to tend the wounds of corruption and create anew a culture of academic excellence. Take a few minutes to read reflections from two of my Preparatory year English students.

Corruption in Congo

When I was still living in our villiage, I usually saw the prince of our village taking things freely. Every Saturday he entered our shop and took clothes, shoes…for nothing only because he is the son of the chief.

I shook my head to regret.

When I was in secondary school, I usually saw girls of my class getting marks freely, without working hard and boys who looked for the teaher and gave him money in order to succeed. Whereas that practice causes a shortage to the quality of the education of Congo.

I shook my head in regret.

When I was helping my brother who was working as a civil servant at TCB Customs, I saw lorries [trucks] from Mombasa [Tanzania] which pass by fraudulently because of corruption. Whereas that practice causes a shortage to the economy of Congo.

I shook my head in regret.

When I was at Lubumbashi University most students told me that to succeed there [one] needs to give money to professors. If you do not do that even if you’re intelligent, you’ll fail. That’s why I realized that corruption is everywhere in Congo.

I shook my head to regret.

Condemned to be a Girl

I’ve arrived at school

I have a big problem

I go somewhere thinking that I can have the solution

The answer of the question is:

You are unable yourself, come on my bed with me: if you want to be successful

I’m confused

I can’t change my nature because I am condemned to be a girl.

I am looking for a job

I get it easily

Problems come immediately

Someone tell[s] me that he has a solution:

To come [in] bed with him.

The job is all I have

I don’t know what to do because

I am condemned to be a girl

Oh! World! Why are you cruel with me?

You wont have the one thing that God give to me?

I am very confused

I can’t change that thing!

It is my nature because

I am condemned to be a girl

That is my destiny

Pray for us...

As they begin the academic year, pray for our students:

-Pray for their spiritual growth. We are asking God to develop our students into strong, mature Christians. That they would love God with all their hearts and love others with humility and compassion. Pray that they would be willing to sacrifice fame and fortune for the benefit of others.

Pray for the leadership:

-Pray that we would be diligent workers and teachers. Pray for us to be united. Ask God to bless our creativity, intelligence, and endurance.

Pray for this country:

-Pray that the DRC would change. Pray that peace and justice would come. Ask God to help it's leaders steward wealth well. Ask God to fix the military and root out rebels. Ask God to restore women to a place of honor and respect. Pray that men would have jobs and children would be fed.

Hunting for Goats

This past week I traveled to go 'hunting for goats' in a neighboring city. We are looking for goats to purchase for our project, "Goats of Grace".The Upper Room Community generously sponsored grants for women at Congo Initiative's Women's Center. The beneficiaries are vulnerable women from the Beni community. Here in Beni a goat is a valuable asset. This is what Susan MacMillian of the International Livestock Research Institute says about livestock as an asset,

Cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminant animals are life-enhancing, as well as life-supporting in poor countries. Animals feed people and soils. They generate incomes. They are the major capital asset of smallholder farmers. They reproduce themselves under even the harshest conditions. They are highly specialized eaters of grasses and similar vegetation that grow not only on range lands, which make up two-thirds of the earth's agricultural lands, but also on and near croplands. They convert these organic materials, which are indigestible by people, into human food of the highest quality. They are the nutrient (manure production) and financial (dairy income) crankhandles of smallholder systems, acting as catalysts that jack up the viability and health of those systems as a whole.

In short, livestock help improve the quality of life for people using agriculture as a primary or supplementary means of survival.

In my search for a herd of goats I traveled to Butembo, a city 54km south of here. We left on a Sunday morning at 6:00am and arrived at our first farm, a beautiful sprawling ranch with tall redwood and eucalyptus trees interspersed with pasture land. We climbed a winding, rain rutted road for thirty minutes to reach the top of the hill. A few wood shacks on stilts speckled the landscape. Inside held a clattering hooves and a chorus of baying goats. We were shown the largest goats in the herd, but they weren't the right breed. I made sure to sneak into the section partitioned for the smallest kids (baby goats) to crouch down and pet them. The shepherds chuckled at my fondness for them. So we kept on searching.

We pressed on to the town of Butembo.

To be continued!

Intensive English Courses

For two weeks prior to the start of the academic year we are teaching Intensive English classes. I've been elected to teach our level 2 students (returning scholars) English Reading. I'm loving it! Many of you have asked me, "What does a typical day look like for you in Congo?" I always have had trouble answering that question because there isn't always a schedule and often something can take much longer than expected (ie. trip to the bank setting you back 2 hours). So one needs to be VERY flexible and patient! However, this teaching opportunity has given some structure to my days.

A typical day consists of the following:

6:15am Wake up.

6:30am Swahili teacher arrives at our house for group lesson

7:15am Get ready, eat breakfast, read bit of Bible

7:45am Rush out of house and hail a motorcycle taxi, negotiate for standard price in Swahili because they think I should pay more because I'm a Mzungu

7:58am Arrive (dusty and windblown) at UCBC (the University) greet teachers and students with handshakes and smiles

8:00am My first class starts (students saunter in until 8:20)

9:00am I, the teacher, move classrooms (because it would take the students 15 minutes)

9:00ish My second Class starts

10:15am Daily Chapel service with vibrant worship songs and preaching

11:ooish My teacher prep time

12:00ish Work on Service-Learning program, and "Goats of Grace" program (planning curriculum, email correspondence over the turtle speed internet, researching care and purchase of small animal livestock)

2:00pm Lunch (beans and potatos or cabbage and rice)

2:30pm Fight with projector, amplifier, computer, and pirated dvds for English Movie and Disscussion class

3:00pm Movie starts

4:45pm Discussion and Assignments for movie critique

5:15pm First UCBC bus leaves to bring students into town, all the staff email like mad until the second bus comes

5:45pm Pack in bus like sardines with UCBC students and staff

6:15pm Arrive at home

6:45pm Sun has set, we turn on the generator

7:00pm Eat dinner with roomies (other volunteer teachers and UCBC support staff from all over the States), pray, laugh, talk about the day, debate all things controversial (politics, theology, etc...)

8:30pm Relax, read, pull hot water off the stove and bucket bathe

10:30 Generator off, fall in bed

These days things are busy! But it's so fun. I feel blessed to be a part of this team of people working at UCBC.

Photo by: Christine

CPC Raises Funds for HEAL Africa at Hope Walks

Christ Presbyterian Church is passionate about loving the poor and forgotten of the world. Over the last few years CPC and Hope Walks have nurtured a partnership with HEAL Africa in the eastern Congo, a part of the world that has been devastated by war, natural disasters, poverty, and AIDS. It is through these partnerships that we have been able to develop relationships with the orphans and vulnerable children of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This year in August, CPC raised $11,000 for HEAL Africa at it's annual church picnic and walk.

The event started with a worship service. We praised God for the faith of our friends in Congo and the opportunity to join his work at HEAL Africa. Mike Hotz and I gave the children's sermon...which brought me to tears everytime I rehearsed it. I was overjoyed because our kids made educational activities for the kids at the hospital in Goma. I KNOW the pediatric patients will be overjoyed! Also, for our kids in Minnesota to be praying for other kids across the globe just enlivens my spirit. God is so cool! Additionally, we had Congressman Eric Paulsen come and talk to the congregation about his experience at HEAL Africa last year. It's great to see our state representatives postured to learn and take action to affect suffering people in the Congo.I'm so thankful to be a part of this work!

Photos by Katy Mc Grath