Monday, November 26, 2007

David, Lori near mall shooting

Lori called at 1:12pm to say that they were OK and now in their mini-van, but that they'd both been near a shooting at a Douglasville, Georgia mall.

David had just passed a man that was shot and Lori was headed in that direction as they went to meet up after some shopping.

Atlanta TV web sites say that a security guard and a suspect have been shot and that this seems to be an attempted robbery of a Brinks security person unloading cash from an ATM machine.

After the shooting, police locked down the mall and people were not even allowed to return to their cars. When Lori called, they were in the mini-van but waiting to get out of the area and back onto Interstate 20.

Lori told another member of our church that when law enforcement people checked their vehicle for a possible second suspect, one remarked, "Well, if he's in there, he's mighty uncomfortable." You should see their mini-van -- it's packed "to the gills" when the travel around the U.S. on speaking tours, with bags and boxes from floor to ceiling in the back and the second row seats piled high too.

What with continuing Congo conflicts, you'd think that David and Lori deserve a break from violence. We praise God that they are both unharmed.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Speaking in Atlanta

Mululngwishi cross and Bible display

David and Lori were invited to speak at Avondale Pattillo UMC in Decatur, Georgia on Sunday, November 25th. A combined Sunday School listened with sad hearts to the DR Congo's history of violence and the resource pillaging by former dictators as well as international companies, and countries.

The assembled crowd found relief in the uplifting DVD about Mulungwishi's success in training and sending forth pastors and their wives. Many parts of the video brought wide smiles, and the enthusiasm of graduates of the Seminary and Women's School was infectious.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Radioactive ore dumped into nearby river

Radioactive copper and cobalt ore were illegally dumped into the Mura river near Likasi. Levels of radioactivity in the water registered nearly 50 times over legal limit. The government has warned people not to drink water from the Mura river due to the contamination.

Likasi is the city below Mulungwishi station.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Travelling is such fun!

Travel re-packing

As David and Lori travel around the U.S. telling the Mulungwishi story, they often need to reorganize the many bags and boxes that fill their mini-van to the very top.

In the photo here, some of the dozens of bags and boxes are laid out on a host's living room floor while David and Lori (hiding around the corner) decide what goes where. This was the evening prior to their trip to Chicago to see family for Thanksgiving.

"Oh ... don't take a picture," Lori said. "Do take a picture," a smiling David said in a low voice. You can see who won.

The Hands Cross

Mulungwishi Hands cross

Mulungwishi has an inspiring hand-carved cross that's heavy with symbolism -- the "Hands Cross".

The cross symbolizes the creative hands of God (at the top), through the redemptive hands of Christ (at the left and right parts of the cross) and the power of the Holy Spirit (the dove), to the hands of the world (extending down from the center).

David's late father, a former missionary at Mulungwishi, conceived of the cross and comissioned local wood carvers to create several. Those carvers have died and Mulungwishi needs to find others who can create these marvelous and unique crosses.

Click on the photo to see larger versions and see our Flickr photo albums for other Mulungwishi cross photos.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

November Prayer Focus

United Methodist Church at Mulungwishi

The 2007 Mulungwishi Ministry calendar asks us to pray for the Mulungwishi church life during November. Pray for the pastors. teachers, and lay leaders.

Also pray for the Mulungwishi District churches and schools being established in the villages around the mission station.