A letter from John and Gwenda Fletcher in Congo
November 2010
Dear Friends,
We are writing this shortly before Thanksgiving and, as we look back on this year, we realize that we have much for which to be thankful. Your prayers, letters, emails and support have encouraged us personally and the gifts of time, money, supplies and equipment you have so generously contributed have kept the ministries of the Congolese Presbyterian Church (CPC) going.
We could not be here without the faithful churches and organizations that contribute to our support: Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church (Odenton, Md.), Broad Street Presbyterian Church (Columbus, Ohio), First Presbyterian Church (Blackwood, N.J.), First Presbyterian Church (Goldsboro, N.C.), First Presbyterian Church (Huntsville, Ala.), First Presbyterian Church (Hollywood, Calif.), First Presbyterian Church (Kannapolis, N.C.), First Presbyterian Church (Yuma, Ariz.), Myers Park Presbyterian Church (Charlotte, N.C.), Peace Presbyterian Church (Fayetteville, N.C.), Second Presbyterian Church (Indianapolis, Ind.), Summerville Presbyterian Church (Summerville, S.C.), Swarthmore Presbyterian Church (Swarthmore, Pa.), Swift Presbyterian Church (Foley, Ala.), the Medical Benevolence Foundation (Houston, Texas) and the Outreach Foundation (Franklin, Tenn.).
Volunteers and visitors bring not only their expertise and knowledge, they also frequently bring trunks of gived equipment and medicines that help stretch tight budgets. Bill Rule has served for many months as crisis manager at the Christian Medical Institute of the Kasai (IMCK). Bill Kell came for three weeks of intense work on the electrical panels at the IMCK hydroelectric plant. Groups from Myers Park Church, New Castle Presbytery (Delaware) and national representatives of Presbyterian Women have all encouraged and enhanced the work of the CPC this past year. New Castle Presbytery’s partnership with Kananga Presbytery has included a joint project to supply solar power to CPC headquarters. This partnership has led to a close and mutually affirming bond between Lewes Presbyterian Church (Lewes, Del.) and Lungandu Presbyterian Church in Kananga. The relationship between these sister churches has resulted in solid friendships between members that has found expression in the development of a primary and secondary school and a multipronged women’s development program consisting of sewing, baking, fabric dying and soap making. Myers Park’s decades of commitment to CPC ministries includes sustained efforts to help IMCK with accounting and personnel issues as well as medical expertise by volunteer doctors and nurses. As longtime supporters of schools in the Tshikaji area, Myers Park has helped in a variety of ways from offering scholarships to orphan and vulnerable children, to providing funds so schools could purchase necessary supplies, to building a much needed block of latrines. Presbyterian Women, that historic champion of Presbyterian mission work, has had a big impact by supporting the income-generating palm plantation projects of the CPC. Through a large Birthday Offering grant in 2009, Presbyterian Women enabled the CPC to hold teacher-training sessions, build one school and refurbish another, purchase a motorcycle for education supervisors, and provide a large number of schools with textbooks in selected subjects.
This year First Presbyterian Church (Evanston, Ill.) made a difference to CPC elementary schools by purchasing teachers’ science textbooks and starting a fund for the purchase of a motorcycle. Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery (Birmingham, Ala.), through its partnership with Tshibashi and Nganza Presbyteries, has built student benches and desks, refurbished school offices, purchased textbooks, and contributed scholarships for worthy students to study at UPRECO, the CPC’s University at Ndesha.
School desks, a gift from Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery
First Pres (Yuma, Ariz.) made it possible for the three regional leaders of the CPC education department to have their first-ever joint meeting, where they worked hard to develop a cohesive, coordinated plan for education. In December the CPC will hold two teacher-training seminars that were made possible by gifts from Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church (Louisville, Ky.), Myers Park Church, First Pres (Evanston, Ill.) and Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery. First Presbyterian Church (Ashland, Ore.) has graciously gived the funds necessary to seek accreditation for over 165 CPC elementary and secondary schools.
School kit distribution following storm
So many of you responded quickly and compassionately with relief for the families, schools and churches affected by the terrible windstorm that destroyed much of Kamenga village at the end of August. Myers Park and First Pres (Yuma) quickly sent funds for the purchase of tarps to provide shelter from the rain. The PC(USA) and Bob and Kristi Rice gave funds for the urgent purchase of seeds and school kits so families could get fields planted and assure that children’s attendance at school would be uninterrupted after the storm dealt a blow to families’ finances. Funds continue to come in for rebuilding Lubi II, the Presbyterian church that suffered significant damage; we are grateful to Rivers of the World–Kasai branch, First Pres (Evanston), Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery and others who have contributed toward that effort.
Through the support of more churches and individuals than we have room to mention, the leaders of both the CPC and CPK education departments were able to attend an education conference in Zambia in May. This opportunity to enhance their professional skills and exchange ideas with peers from countries all over the continent was the highlight of their year.
Dr. Blaise Ndandu wearing a gived LED headlamp.
The Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF) helps in innumerable ways — in addition to their ongoing support of IMCK, they are funding a CPC-wide series of medical training sessions, they finance the trips of experts such as Bill Kell, who keeps the IMCK hydro plant functioning, they generously respond to SOS messages for help with shipping costs, transfers of funds, urgently needed hydro parts and critical medicines.
Dr. Dan Dunaway, an MBF trustee and stalwart supporter of missions, has raised funds for the purchase of headlamps to be used by CPC doctors during surgery at rural, unelectrified hospitals. This project was given a big boost by a large donation from the “Sisters” women’s group at First Pres (Yuma).
Vehicle from the Outreach Foundation.
The Outreach Foundation provided the fabulous 4WD vehicle that makes it possible for us to get around. And it is through Outreach that Eastminster Presbyterian Church (Indialantic, Fla.), First Pres (Huntsville, Ala.), Grace Covenant Church (Mauldin, S.C.) and Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery have contributed to ministry and transportation funds that help us in our work. Broad Street Church (Columbus, Ohio) has long been a vital supporter of the fistula program at IMCK, enabling a large number of women to be restored to health and to their communities and families.
Presbyterians do mission in partnership” — that phrase is not just an oft-repeated policy statement. As you can see from the preceding, it is a living, breathing reality of how Presbyterians in the United States work with Presbyterians in Congo to share the good news of God’s love and grace in a hurting world. THANK YOU!
John and Gwenda Fletcher
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 55.
