Goma Friends

You may have heard about the fighting in eastern DRC recently between a rebel militia called M23 and the Congolese government and UN forces. We heard last night that M23 were attacking the city of Goma, where the Tembo translation team live. One of the translators sent a text message to say that he and his family were hiding under their beds as they could hear gunshots and shelling nearby. This morning we heard that M23 had taken over the city of Goma. We are quite concerned for the safety of our friends, and for the future of Goma and the North Kivu region. I wanted to write today just to ask for prayer for them, and to share some photos of our friends there, so you could attach faces to the names. Thanks.

Here are a few links to recent articles:

Congo Rebels Enter Goma, Report Says
M23 Rebels Capture Goma

Head translator Rev Masumbuko Shabani and family: wife Nadine, children Esperance, Jacques and Josue. He just finished a 2-year graduate program in Bible translation at Shalom University-Bunia and moved back to Goma about 2 months ago.

Translator Jimy Ndeshi, his wife and their youngest boy (named Douglas, in our honor). Very dedicated and hard-working. Wants to be a consultant one day so he can help other languages have the Scriptures.

Translator Robert Mwanjale, his wife, and their youngest boy. Also very dedicated and hard-working.

The Morachi family. Morachi is the nightguard at the office and he and his family take care of me when I'm there (cooking, cleaning, hauling water from the lakeshore)

Rev. Batasema Nganga, project director and head of literacy, and his wife

Rev Rasi, one of the first members of the project, now head of external relations, and his wife. A very kind and godly man.

Two of Morachi's children, Safi and Reponse, with Mwanjale's baby

Cultural note: In photos, Congolese tend to prefer to look dignified rather than happy and smiling. It does not mean they are not happy.

 Ironically, the Tembo team moved to Goma several years ago for safety. Their home area is under frequent attack by another rebel group, the FDLR. I have never been to the Tembo home area and do not have any photos of them. In May, Jimy Ndeshi's sister and other relatives were killed in a massacre there.

I am constantly amazed at all that Congolese people endure, and yet they keep going.