GOMA REPORT Democratic Republic of Congo 27th May – 1st June

What a time we had in Eastern Congo.  It was like something out of a movie!  So many ways God helped us preach the Gospel.

The crusade was wonderful.  There were 13,723 first time decisions for the Lord.   I felt as if God was breaking through such darkness as the message of his love and saving power went out. The great volcano behind us continued to smolder, the town under the full control of the United Nations peacekeepers continued to maintain an uneasy calm and corruption and destruction was everywhere, but the mercy and love of God reached out to thousands.  Before the crusade I felt the Lord show me that for some in the meetings it would be the last time they would have the opportunity to receive the Lord.  We felt we were literally snatching people from the very gates of hell and giving them to Jesus for his safe keeping.

As you know we asked for prayer in our last report as we were asked by the United Nations to speak at the Amani Goma Peace Initiative.  That was amazing in itself that we would be asked.   We were told that they are making slow progress in getting the different militia groups to disarm.  They now are asking  the churches  to participate in the peace talks.  For 2 days the different parties refused to come to the negotiating table.  I prayed and asked the Lord to arrange this meeting and to get them to sit down.  By Saturday morning nothing had developed.  I went off to the Ladies meeting at 8am and we had a blessed time .  When I came out at eleven Roger said to come quick to the hotel as the car is being sent to collect us.  We were taken to a secluded garden in a residential area heavily guarded with troops with rather large looking rocket launchers and Kalashnikovs   The man from the US State Department warmly welcomed us and asked Roger to say something about peace and reconciliation.  I thought to myself, oh how is Roger going to speak about that.  We walked into the tent and the atmosphere was tense and felt like daggers were drawn.  There were about 40 of these men representing their various warlords.   Roger was introduced and opened by saying, I am not a Politian, I have no political persuasion, I am an evangelist and then launched into his message about  the hand of God coming under their lives and for them to give their whole lives to Jesus.  As he spoke the atmosphere changed the presence of the Lord was there and they all seemed to like what he was saying.  At the end all prayed a prayer of repentance.  We felt God spoke to them through the message.  It was a wonderful opportunity and the UN seemed quite happy that we had spoken boldly about God having the only answer for peace in Eastern DRC. 

The next day we went to one of displaced people’s camps outside the town.  There are thousands in camps in the region all fleeing from the insecurity in North Kivu.  We went with some of the Pastors, Counsellors and singers from the crusade.  We preached on the back of an old truck and about 5000 gathered.  The conditions are in humane, the suffering beyond human description.  One old lady too ill to walk, was carried close to where I was standing.  It was heartbreaking to see this dear old lady in such a way.  I went down to her and prayed for her and quietly made her say after me Jesus Jesus.  She faintly said Jesus Jesus.  I know she will be with him soon in that glorious place.  No more pain for her, no more suffering.  I thought of Corrie Ten Boon's words that there is no place too dark and too deep where the love of God cannot reach into. 

We are now back in Nairobi for a break before we go back in 3 weeks for our next crusade in Rwanda.  Gisenye is just over the border from where we were in Goma and we are going to go back to the refugee camps to do more outreaches also.  Some of the team are still there and moving all the equipment today.  If it were not for the grace of God we could not do this work.  But the Lord is with us, and I believe one day we will meet all these precious souls again heaven.

Until that day we press on through many trials.  Please pray for us, we need that more than ever now.