Update from Paul and Marty Law - October 2008

(most current listed first if more than one is published per month)

October 30, 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

In the last 9-10 days we have had five rains, two of which were wonderful. The rice is definitely saved so our dear people will eat another year. Please continue to pray for the rain as needed. Your prayers DO make a difference! Our last update went out Monday a week ago and the first real soaking rain came the next evening. YOUR PRAYERS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

We have 8 new Pastor School students this year along with their families. Some of them walked hundreds of kilometers bringing the little they own on their backs. One pastor came in here with his seven children! (We have updated our website with pictures of the new students.)

I am in the process of working with our chief nurse at our mission dispensary in helping to treat several of the children who are suffering with severe malnutrition. It is unbelievable!

One child was brought to me yesterday with a body all swollen, and the skin a lightened color and peeling and weeping. What little hair she had was a light brown. These are definite signs of 'wet malnutrition'.

Our student pastors need to learn more than Bible and theology but also, birth control and nutrition! I am now in English conversation classes at the high school.

I tried to write on the 'black board' the other day but there is no 'black' left. So I bought some black paint at the market only it was diluted with something. So the boards I painted are now sticky. Oh well, we'll see if they will dry?

On Monday, we start our Bible memorization class with 15 of our more outstanding students. Paul says it is going to be a challenge for me to keep ahead of them. Praise the Lord!

Paul is now with our workers out at Esenge placing lumber columns in the ground for the beginning of the rebuilding of the Esenge church. Looking at the boards, one does not realize what all has gone into producing them. That is for another e-mail! We will have pictures of the construction process soon on our Website, www.appointmentcongo.org.

Please keep your effective prayers coming our way!
Marty

 

October 20 , 2008

Dear Friends,

We have been off e-mail for 6 weeks and I have felt the withdrawal!
I have come to the conclusion that communication is necessary for survival!

The dry season has gone on a month longer than normal so people's gardens have been affected. Usually by the middle of November they are starting to harvest rice which is their main stable. 'PLEASE PRAY' that the rains will return as normal. Our people are subsistent farmers so depend upon their gardens to survive. The heat has been stifling as well and all of this affects the growth of and production of rice.

The boat finally arrived that had our items from the container sent back in mid
Feb. of 2007. Things have arrived piece meal. Unfortunately, our wood cook stove and kerosene freezer and one of our mini containers with most of my medical supplies did not arrive. Perhaps they are stored at the church warehouse in Kinshasa-that is our prayer at this stage!

In mid September, Paul and I flew to Kinshasa for one week in order to unload and wrap supplies and items from the second container that we sent. We sent this ourselves and it arrived and was unloaded in record time from shipment to arrival-two months! After all of the hassle we have had with our part of the first container this one is a real miracle. Of course, now the supplies have been sitting in Kinshasa on the boat for a month. We await its departure within the next few weeks.

Paul has been preaching in some of the churches as well as going to the forest to bring in logs to be cut into boards for churches, school benches, etc. It took him parts of three weeks to bring in 6 logs. These weigh several tons so there has been constant break down and repair of old equipment.

Yesterday, Paul preached at one of the churches near the mission. He preached on 'Nearby'. It was on the Kingdom of God and it being "near" but unless we accept it and repent then it is near but we never experience salvation.

With the arrival of our house paint we have been doing that. It is so good as a woman who loves her 'nest' to see disheveled walls take on new life. My, my what a difference quality paint makes (and it sure helps me psychologically too) to see our home take on a prettier look.

Two evenings ago some of our food supplies arrived by another boat. It has kept me busy today unpacking and putting supplies in our pantry. It is kind of like having Christmas each time a boat arrives. It also provides a variety of menus from the local foods that we eat everyday IF our cupboard is bare.

The children's ministry continues to move forward. My next idea is to have a memory class with some of the more outstanding students. Some of them are sharp as tacks so I want to challenge them in that way as they memorize the scriptures. Perhaps then some Sunday have them be a part of the Sunday service. Currently, they are memorizing the books of the Bible by singing tunes that match the books. They love it.

We will be excited to receive our container supplies that are coming on this next boat. Paul will have a complete wood shop and garage and we are especially excited about the arrival of 'The Jesus Film'. In times past, we have found it to be a great evangelistic tool.

However we do need to appeal to you as our friends and supporters. We have paid $3,000 down on the $7,000 bill for importing, handling and unloading the most recent container. The boating to Kela will be $1,500, handling there another $200 and trucking to Lodja $1200. You can do the math. We are trusting the Lord to provide these funds in His own way and time.

We do so appreciate your prayers on our behalf and on behalf of our Congolese co-workers, and brothers and sisters.

Blessings, Marty and for Paul, too

E-mail: paulandmarty@appointmentcongo.com