Update from Paul and Marty Law

August 23, 2009

Dear Friends,

Please pray for Paul as he again travels to another annual
conference--the one in Eastern Congo.

The distance is about 220 miles which in the states would take about 4 hours but will take him a day and a half of travel. He will spend the night tonight at Wembo Nyama then travel on tomorrow to the Lomami River where he
will cross by canoe (leaving the vehicle) and then will be picked up on the other side for the last 16 miles. He will be staying in primitive conditions.

Pray for that conference and for the Bishop as well. This is the sixth conference for him! He has about the second largest episcopal area in the world for the UMC.

Paul will return next Thursday. Pray for his safety and the safety of his vehicle.

Your prayers help us!

In His Service, Marty

August 6, 2009

Dear Friends,

I’m back from Annual Conference... quite an experience! First there was just getting there. The roads only get worse while the government talks about starting to fix them. The picture shows you what we were facing all along the way. It is painful what we have to put our wonderful vehicle through, but we bought it to use not to look at!?

Conference went very well. I was very pleased with how Bishop Yemba was able to handle the business. Firm and yet tolerant and allowing people to pariticpate freely. After many years of not being allowed to express before 2005, the delegates are finally beginning to really take part. He is a teacher at heart and it showed throughout the meetings.

It was amazing to realize how far so many people came to participate in the conference. The pastors and lay people here are paying a real price to serve the Lord and his Church.

We are grateful to have heard from a couple of people and Churches regarding our need for a truck. Several commitments have put us a little closer to our goal of $30,000, but we still need a few more partners. We are just over $25,000, so are seeing the end in sight!? Those who might be considering helping with this need, please let us hear from you.

Now I will be facing the challenge in two weeks of getting back to the Congo East Conference at Tunda in the Maniema area. I told someone recently that it would be like traveling from Atlanta to Denver with no bridge or ferry on the Mississippi River. Many at the conference expressed their appreciation for my help in understanding the issues related to the proposed amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. I am pleased to be able to assist the annual conferences in the Central Congo Area have a voice on these critical issues facing the worldwide Church. In 2005 a proposed amendment was not even voted on by any of the Annual Conferencs anywhere in Africa. That is no longer the case!!

Thank you for your prayers,

Paul