December 6, 2007

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.”
Luke 1:34-35.

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that six years ago this month we arrived here in Tshikaji! So much has changed since the beginning of our service. God has richly blessed the work at the hospital and in the village, resulting in greater hope and a better life for many of our Congolese brothers and sisters. Our personal life has also greatly changed, with Mike now a cancer survivor and with the blessed addition of two beautiful grandchildren to our family. As we reflect back on these years, we are filled with gratitude that is impossible to express. Gratitude to God for His constant kindness, care, and guidance and also gratitude to all of you as you have served as an endless source of support and encouragement. We thank you for “being there” for us in our time of great need.

Unwed mothers bring their babies to the new sewing school.

This month in Tshikaji, we are not only celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, but also the beginning of a new and wonderful program that is a response to a critical unmet need: a special school for young unwed village mothers. These girls are often the victims of sexual violence that results in an unwanted pregnancy. In Congolese culture, the family and community usually blame the girl for this act of violence and shame. She often finds herself alone with her baby, neglected or completely rejected. When these girls and young women are shunned, this contributes to the cycle of poverty and despair not only for the victims, but for the entire community.

With the help of four dedicated local teachers, this school responds to the acute needs of the single mom by offering a creative curriculum that includes training to become a seamstress as well as selected courses from the national primary and secondary school curriculums. The instruction in professional machine sewing techniques will provide these young mothers with a valuable skill to help support themselves and their babies. As the sewing students progress and start producing clothes and other items for sale, the profits of these sales will be divided between the students and the school, which will use the funds to replenish supplies.

Teacher Ngalula Kabasele is responsible for teaching the young women the art of sewing.

The core didactic courses are important, as most of the students have not had the privilege of attending school beyond the third grade, which could impair personal development and self-esteem for a lifetime. Most importantly, this new school offers the girls and their babies a warm and welcome environment where they are greeted with Christian love and respect. In this safe place, they are not judged or condemned, but given much hope, encouragement, and support.

We ask for your prayers for this new program and for all single mothers and their precious little children.

Merry Christmas and God bless you all!

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 313