During December, please
Your support through prayer, encouragement, and funds has let us serve at Mulungwishi for over 30 years! We are grateful for the privilege.
Greetings from Denver. We closed things up at Mulungwishi, said goodbye to Zorro, the cat, and Isaiah, the parrot. We went through Zambia on our way to the States. While there, we are taught for two weeks at the Kafakumba Pastors’ Training Center. It is much like the conference course of study. These are lay pastors who are serving churches and come in for 4-6 weeks a year for training. After 8 years they are ordained as Elders. Lori taught a class to the women on Wesley. David classes were on Contextualization, the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God.
As we left, our graduating class were receiving their designations from the Annual Conferences and were leaving to begin their ministry. Please be in prayer for them as they travel. Many will spend several weeks getting to their appointments. Pray also for their congregations. Several are going to areas that have been devastated by the conflicts in the region. Pray that the Lord will use these graduates to bring God’s good news of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation.
We arrived back in the States on September 19th. Seeing our first grandchild, Elliot, was such a thrill. A few days later, David left to begin itineration in Kentucky. Lori joined him two weeks later. Grandma time is very special.
October and the first half of November found us in our churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. The old Toyota cruised on for another 7,800 miles before we got home. We shared some 44 times in 29 churches or venues. These numbers don’t mean much compared with the personal contact that we had with a great number of you who shared your love for us and the Lord’s work. Truly we are all spoiled being chosen by God to receive his love and share it with the world we live in.
We want to share about Sanki. He is a young man that God brought into our lives when he was in high school at Mulungwishi. We helped to support his studies in high school and at university. While at the University, he was part of the Disciple Bible Study. After graduating, he taught at the English Speaking School of Lubumbashi, a United Methodist institution.
From there he went to Africa University where he has just completed his masters in Governance and Conflict resolution. His master’s thesis focused on the plight of women in the northeastern part of the Congo which has seen horrible abuse of women and use of rape as a weapon of war. He spent several weeks in that part of the Congo studying the situation. He found that there are many aid groups there doing a tremendous job ministering to the women who have been abused. Unfortunately, very little is being done to address the cause of this suffering. The international community as well as the government and bordering countries have to make a conscious decision that this is unacceptable and do something about it. Unfortunately, the greed for the mineral wealth and its use in our technology is fueling these conflicts.
Be in prayer for the Congo that the Lord’s peace and justice will come. Be in prayer also for Sanki as he has now returned to Congo and is seeking what the Lord has for him.
We want to share about a very special person in the life of our family who passed away on Thursday. Baba Ngoy's life was one of service to God by his ministry to missionaries. He worked in the house for a number of them at Mulungwishi. Mom Bartlett taught him to cook and his prowess in the kitchen became renown. Many a work team and visitor will attest to that. Jeff, our son-in-law said that he baked the best apple pie he had ever eaten. He was our cook and our right hand man for over 30 years until a year ago.
We could not have done the work we have been doing at Mulungwishi without him. Managing the house and having meals ready for us allowed us the freedom to do the work we needed to do. There was always that twinkle in his eye when he baked a cake especially for David or hid the cookies from some of the single missionaries so they would not finish them all!
But Baba was more than a cook. He was an integral part of our family. When things were complicated, we would ask his council and help. When one of the children was a toddler, he prayed to Baba Ngoy in our prayer time! He reflected God' s love to them. Our children saw him as a grandfather. How many times when the kids couldn't get things out of us, they would go to Baba Ngoy and he would look over at us, smiling, to see what we wanted him to do! Our cats, parrots and plants all knew his loving touch. Our house is like grand central station at the mission.
So many problems and delicate situations come through the door. We are sure that Baba overheard so many private issues. He kept them to himself. He stood with us through the good times and the very hard times. Whenever we had to leave Mulungwishi, either for furlough or evacuation because of political unrest, Baba Ngoy would move into the house and keep everything going and welcome us back.
His place at our table is now empty, but we can still hear his laugh and his influence in our lives will always be there.
This vital program helps local people improve their farming skills.
A round-up of links to United Methodoist news related to the D.R. Congo.
This important program touches the lives of about 200 children on a continuing basis.
The big event in July is the Centennial. Praise the Lord for 100 years of Methodist presence in this Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We might add that it is also the year for the centennial of the Roman Catholic Church in this area and the 50th anniversary of Congo’s independence. There is a lot of celebrating going on.
The Methodist celebration took part in two phases. The first was in Lubumbashi on the 9-11th of July. This celebration was the more high profile one that included invitations to all the political, social and religious personalities in the province. From our Methodist family:
Activities in Lubumbashi started on Friday with a symposium of authors from the Congolese Methodist Church who put together a book on the history of the UMC in the region, its present state, and its future outlook. The session was very well received and the Bishops felt that the book spoke to issues pertinent to other parts of the continent. Later there was a cultural event in which tribal drummers and dancers took part.
Saturday began with the dedication of a new church building in one of the suburbs of Lubumbashi. To our great surprise this lovely church was dedicated and named the "Bartlett Memorial United Methodist Church". We did not know it, but Mom and Dad Bartlett had bought the land for the church just before they left for their retirement in 1985. In the afternoon, a boys’ orphanage constructed with funds from the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference was dedicated. In the evening we attended a concert of the different church choirs of Lubumbashi.
Sunday’s service was a real celebration. The theme was "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8) Groups started marching from three starting points around the city and joined for the service at the main church. The service was held outdoors because of the number of people attending. Bishop Whitfield said that he had never sat through 5 hour service before. It did not seem that long because of all the celebration going on. It was a real tribute to what the Lord had done in this past century and how he has used missionaries and Congolese to build His Kingdom in this part of the world.
The second phase was held at Mulungwishi starting on Tuesday the 13th. This celebration was more geared for the United Methodist community. The day started with a visit to the graves Bishop John and Ellen Springer. They are the couple who started the Methodist work here in this part of the Congo. Joab Mulela (a pioneer pastor with the Springers) and the Bartletts (Lori’s parents) are buried next to the Springers. The worship service was again held outdoors because of the crowd. Bishop preached a wonderful sermon on the theme. This time the service only lasted four hours. Many of the local chiefs were in attendance. On our part being representatives of GBGM we had to say something. Naturally, we brought greetings from the GBGM. As the senior missionaries in the conference we wanted bring more than greetings. Our families in one way or another have been a part of the work in Congo on a continuous basis since 1936. There was a lot of appreciation for what our predecessors had done.
We also felt that we had to say that missionaries were humans and had made mistakes. We wanted to take the opportunity to ask forgiveness of the community for the wrongs of the past. Bishop Katembo in the name of the church offered that forgiveness and in turned asked for forgiveness from the church for wrongs committed towards the missionaries. It was a great moment of reconciliation to close out a century and move into the next. That evening was the opening session of Annual Conference which continued on for the next three days.
In reflection on what the Lord has done during this past century, our hearts are filled with praise for what he has done. We have known in our life time many of these pioneers. They were heroes and grandparents to us and yet so very human. How the Lord used them to implant His church and bring His good news in this region goes beyond imagination. We are both humbled and overwhelmed by His grace. Indeed we have been privileged to be a part of this and we are most grateful. Join with us in thanking the Lord for his faithfulness.
June 26th ... what a momentous occasion ... graduation at the University! We thank the Lord for once again bringing us through the year. Since its establishment in 1951, we have not missed a graduation and it is a tribute to his grace and caring to train His ministers to labor in His fields and now also other young people to take their place in rebuilding the Congo. There were 34 graduates in Information Technology, 14 from Theology, 3 in Psychology and 15 from the Women’s School.
The place was packed with so very many parents and friends, who were so proud of their young people. The Provincial Minister of Secondary and Primary Education and also the District Commissioner represented the government. The government is very positive towards the work that is being done here at Mulungwishi.
After each graduate from a certain school received his/her diploma, they gathered at the front of the church and family and friends ran down to congratulate them. Africa’s spontaneous joy was overflowing. Baby powder has taken the place of white lime powder as a symbol of success, peace and joy. Powder was everywhere. We wish you could have seen it.
David had the privilege of preaching the graduation message. He shared how God had used individuals throughout history to build His Kingdom. To close, David challenged those students in this centennial year who wanted to give their lives to God to use them in whatever way He wanted to stand. Many graduates and even some in the audience stood. Truly it was a sacred moment. The District Superintendant closed with prayer.
Join in that prayer for the Holy Spirit to continue to work in these young people’s lives to be the Lord’s agents in the seeing the Lord’s will done on earth as it is in heaven. Many of you can also thank the Lord for the way He has used your prayers, gifts and love to enable all of this to come about.
The Lord is so GOOD! Here is the follow up on the land issue. It is a beautiful picture of how the body of Christ is coming together to help Mulungwishi in our time of need.
First of all, Connexio (the Swiss Methodist Mission Board) responded to Bishop’s appeal by sending $40,000 immediately as a loan so that we could get the issues taken care of. We then wanted the property surveyed and staked out since there has been so much encroachment on the land. This was done and the survey included all of the mountain in our property. New markers were placed around the property. It was then on to the negotiating process with the government title company. Long story short, it was settled for $37,000. Other expenses brought the total to about $40,000. The money was paid and we hope that within a couple of weeks the new titles will be in our hands. We are so thankful for so many of you praying.
Huge loan to pay offNow comes the time to bring our financial resources together to pay off the loan. The GBGM is looking into what they can do. A number of friends and churches have contacted us and want to help. One person has put together an article for the Eastern PA Annual Conference paper. Others are contacting friends. It will be exciting to see how the Lord is going to bring this all together.
The United Methodist News Service (UMNS) has added an article by Linda Bloom, "Congo Seminary Struggles to Renew Land Title".
The article summarizes the problem as well as the current status: While a loan from Swiss United Methodists has eased the fear of the land being taken, there is now a huge $22,000 debt.
During June, pray for the Katanga Methodist University ... for President Dr. Kasap, faculty, staff, and students. The university, created in 2002, added Schools of Information Technology and Education to the existing Methodist Seminary.
The university provides an opportunity to train young people in a Christian setting while helping them get the skills they will need to become leaders in the new D.R. Congo.
During the last week we were visited by an evaluation team from the Church of Christ in Congo (the equivalent of our National Council of Churches). We had contracted with them to do an evaluation and strategic planning for the University and the mission station. This evaluation was generously paid for by Connexio (the Swiss Mission Board). The most critical assessment that was found was that the titles for the land at Mulungwishi were out of date.
According to the law, the titles need to be renewed every 25 years. Nobody at the University, the mission or the Church at large knew of this regulation. The last negotiations about the land date from the late 1950s when my father was the Legal Representative for the Church to the Belgian colonial government. Since then, nothing has been done by the church with regards to the property. So we find ourselves having missed three renewals (1959, 1984 and 2009). Part of this problem is our fault for not keeping up with the property laws.
Part is due to procedures falling through the cracks with independence, secession of the province and eight different governments since independence in 1960 of which only one was settled through an election process.
The evaluation team told us to get working on this matter right away because churches in the capital, Kinshasa, have lost their property or have had to pay heavily in court because others have bought the property out from under them after the time had expired. This is particularly dangerous for Mulungwishi because of the minerals that people are trying to extract from our property. Already there are 15 operational pits being mined on the Mulungwishi hill by diggers (freelance prospectors). There is a real fear that a mining company will come in and purchase the land; we could loose the entire complex, have to rent our own buildings or get into a very expensive legal battle.
Because of the urgency, Dr. Kasap, President of the University, came to Lubumbashi and has been working with the land title office of the government. Today, we were presented with the bill of some $45,000 that it would cost to have the property completely surveyed, given complete title to the land, pay back renewals and penalties. Dr. Kasap and I took this bill to Bishop Katembo. Bishop has asked me to write this letter on his behalf to all of our partners in the United States and Europe. It is imperative to get this problem resolved as quickly as possible. It is because of the urgency that he is appealing to you as partners. In the meantime, the church here is mobilizing to see what it can do. Also Church and University authorities will be trying to meet with government leaders to see if the figure can be reduced.
On a personal note, we know so many of you and are so humbled by your generous giving through the years. In July, we will be celebrating the Centennial of Methodist work in this Katanga Province of Congo. Mulungwishi has been called the heart and lungs of the Church in this area. The testimony of what the Lord has done through His servants on this property is immense. I dare add my voice to that of Bishop Katembo’s request for help in this circumstance. The future of the training of the leadership of the United Methodist Church in this area would be severely hampered by the loss of the property at Mulungwishi. Would you prayerfully consider a one-time gift for Mulungwishi in terms of an offering of thanks for the Lord’s goodness to us during the last 100 years? At the same time, and most importantly, pray for the Church here as it steps into the next century of involvement in what the Lord is doing on the earth. “It is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit that the Kingdom is built,” says the Lord (my paraphrase)
Those wanting to send gifts should send them through the Advance Special Program of the United Methodist Church. It should be sent for Katanga Methodist University #14433A with the designation “Mulungwishi Property”.
Flowers, food, and friendly folks make up the latest additions. Enjoy!
Through the years, Congolese have assumed faculty and staff positions. Today, there are more than 5 PhDs on staff.
Since 1976 women have also entered the ministry. When you look at the growth of the church, you see how these young men and women have faithfully carried out the Gospel message through the years.
We are back home in Mulungwishi! And sorry we are late getting this off but it has been crazy getting back to our life here!
The High School (Institute Kitabataba) educates 600 students from around the region. The High School offers programs specialties in Education, Math, Physics, and Agriculture.
We want to ask you to pray for us as we travel back to Congo on February 6th-14th. It is a little later than we had planned. Towards the middle of January a neighbor gave us a large amount of computer equipment for our CISCO academy at Mulungwishi. We thank the Lord for His provision. So we went to work packing it and sending part of it to a container leaving soon. The rest we will be taking with us. We also thank the Lord for Lakeridge UMC in Lubbock, TX for their generous gift to help us with the shipping. As soon as we get back, we will be involved with the Masters of Leadership program. Be in prayer for this training session. Two of the visiting professors are heads of institutions in Central African Republic and Burundi. It will be good to have them with us and to share together with our staff common challenges that we face. We also want to praise the Lord for so many of you who responded to the need for the children’s education. Money has come in beyond our imagination. All the children signed up will get their education this year, including the three little girls who knelt in our front yard. We thank you for being a such a real part in this partnership with the Lord. It can only be done through His grace. So again, we ask you to continue to labor with us in prayer.
The Elementary School serves about 450 children from the station and the surrounding villages. For many, especially girls, this is the only formal education they will ever get!
