During the past year, the Congo Economic Development Fund received $4,966.45. $6,000.00 was forwarded to the DRC at a cost of $185.00 transmission fees. The difference between the $4,966.45 and $6,000.00 was carry-over from 2007. It is important to note that in the past our brethren had to rent property, but now the "concessions" are property that is deeded to the congregations. They must improve the properties in order to keep the government from taking it away from them. A good problem is that the churches are multiplying rapidly, and therefore funds must be spread amongst more people.

Some difficulties that have been experienced by the CEDF include the following:

1. Donations to the fund have dropped off markedly. However, the world economy including the DRC, has experienced the same downturn as was seen in the United States. It is hard to imagine that average conditions are worse there than six years ago. It is important that we all realize that there is no short-term solution. The need is greater than we can fill, but we must continue to help in anyway we can. The funds sent and the work done there have saved the lives of some of our Christian brothers and sisters there. When I requested pictures to accompany this report, there was no one there who had a camera to take pictures.
2. Our main contact, Rev. Kabongo, has been assigned an increased load of work because of the reorganization of the denomination. Because of that, communication, although difficult before, has become more laborious. In addition, the inexpensive method of getting funds to the DRC is no longer available to us. We must now send funds via Western Union. This requires our treasurer to withdraw cash from the CEDF here in the US, transport it to a Western Union contact, set up specific passwords that must be coded exactly the same here as in the DRC, and then pay about three times the amount to send the funds compared to the older system. One advantage is that the funds get to the brethren in the DRC much more quickly.
3. Although private enterprise works well in the US, it doesn't work at all in the DRC. The reasons are too many to account for here. Suffice it to say that it is necessary to work the economic development through the congregations if there is any hope of success.

Letter from Rev. Kabongo

I have included the latest dispatch from Rev. Kabongo with slight editing:

Dear supporters of this project
in the Congo DR:

We always thank God for your willingness to take your brethren and sisters out of poverty. Your contribution seems to be very little in your own consideration; but it is meaningful to our Lord and to us. Last year you did support projects in rural areas for farming and also in urban area to upgrade the farms.

The word of the Psalmist: "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5-6) became true in the last semester of last year to the ladies and youth of Bupuekele Reformed Church in Mbujimayi. In July-August they cultivated the soil with hoes in the concession in Mbujimayi. In September they sowed corn, red beans, and sweet potatoes. Some were not so happy of going to work the soil on Saturday mornings. Others were so enthusiastic and happy for the work. In December, on Christmas and New Year's Day, they were able to enjoy eating young fresh green beans and boiled corn together with sweet potatoes. All this because of the PRC and RCUS contribution to get the farm which is close to a younger lake that started in April 2005, in our city, Mbujimayi.

The funds for concession received in 2008 were to create value on the land that was purchased. In order to do so, it is necessary to erect a building so that the government can't take and sell it to other people. In Mbujimayi, the house was finished with the November funds. A corrugated sheet metal roof with red mud walls was finished and a guardian can stay in to oversee the farm, the crops, and the livestock.

In Kananga, the concession was cleared of weeds, but the administration is too slow to complete the registration. People were paid to weed out the area and plant palm trees. (Note: Palm trees there are used to grow fruit which yields oil for cooking).

The Kinshasa concession had progressed that there is a hangar (shed or small barn) to keep the swine, but the small house for the keeper is not finished. The November funds finished the hangar and enabled them to make cement bricks to help build the house.

The funds in rural areas Mweka, Kabinda (Lomami), and Ngandajika (Lubilanji) were used to cultivate the soil and make fields to plant corn, beans, and cassava roots. The harvest was very good the last semester of 2008, contrary to the first semester where the rain stopped before the crops grew. The only difficulty is that the churches are increasing in number and the funds become small. The need is for the funds to be sent on time so that the farm work can be done on time.

The pigs are decreasing because of food and medicine. Most of them died between April and August because of the lack of enough water for them to drink and play in to stay cool. This happened in Mbujimayi and Kananga. In Kinshasa the pig chain continues: they continue to give to next congregation to have her own pigs. Out of ten churches, only the three newest local churches have not received pigs yet.

The sewing machines work better in Mbujimayi where we have a social center for women/young mothers and a sewing school for young people functioning in the church building. The need is to have a separate hall for the Sewing activities in the same compound with the Church building. In Kinshasa three local churches have each a separate program for sewing activities. Kananga continues with the Women's Sewing Center for young mothers.

Loans to individuals have stopped because of their failure to reimburse the funds. We need to fund new congregations with sewing machines so that people can learn a job.

We continue to pray for you and hope that more people will contribute to this project in the DR Congo.

May our Lord keep you until we meet.

Yours, Rev. K. M. Kabongo

Make a Donation

To donate funds for the DRC Economic Development, churches, church groups, or individuals may make checks payable to Providence Reformed Church and make a note that these funds are for the Congo. Checks may be mailed to:

Providence Reformed Church
245 East Vine Street
Lodi, CA 95240

And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matt. 25:40)