Hospitality Team Update

Since our first short-term team has come and gone, we now have a much better idea as to what hosting a short-term team involves. This is helping us tremendously as we think about the best ways to train the Hospitality Team. They will be doing our job of hosting when we return to the states in 2012 and we have a lot of work to do to get them each ready for that.


One of the main things the Hospitality Team will be doing for short-term American teams is cooking their meals. In the past several months, we have figured out some delicious meals that can be made with all local ingredients and are very similar to American meals. This is an important part of our job as we do not want to drastically change the way things are done in this culture and make sure that hosting American teams is something completely sustainable after we leave. Using only local ingredients to cook for teams is very important for sustainability.

So, last Saturday we had a taco night with the Hospitality Team. We had them all come early to actually learn how to cook tacos since it was a completely new recipe for them. Afterwards we enjoyed a meal together.

Sarah showing Simplice how to cook tortillas

As we explained the different parts of the meals and asked for volunteers to help us, Sam, Michelle, Aaron and I felt a little like we were on a cooking TV show. We made sure to get everyone involved in making the meal, even though most men in Congo do not cook.

Mandaba attempting to roll out a round tortilla and Nono learning when to flip the tortilla

We enjoyed spending a few hours with our team outside of the English classroom. Aaron and Michelle even took the opportunity to teach them how to throw a Frisbee while we waited for the meat to cook.

We always enjoy sharing new food with our Congolese friends and in the past tacos have been a success. It was successful once again with our Hospitality Team and is also one of our favorite meals to make here.


Please pray for the following things related to the Hospitality Team:
• One of the ladies on our team, Jose, moved away in early February because her husband got a job in a different village. The church leadership is in the process of selecting another member to replace her. Please pray that the Holy Spirit leads that decision and that the new member picks up English quickly and is a great fit for the team.

All of us with Jose the day before she moved

• We will soon be assigning specific job roles to each team member so we can start one-on-one training. Pray that the whole team has discernment about this decision and that each member gets to use their strengths in their specific job.
• Continually pray for Bebe, Nono and Simplice as they learn English. (Mandaba is already fluent in English). Being confident in English is a vital part of their job and English is a hard language to learn (and teach!)

We have a need. Because of increased costs of insurance which started in January and because we will be having a baby in July, we have had to increase the amount of monthly support we have to raise. We are currently at about 88% of our needed monthly support. We have another $564/month to raise.
I (Sam) recently read 2 Corinthians and was stirred by Paul's exhortation to the Corinthian church in chapters 8 and 9. People in the Macedonian church were helping Paul's ministry by giving beyond their abilities to give, even when they themselves were in poverty (8:2-4). They even exceeded Paul's expectations by giving first to the Lord and then to Paul. He used the example of the Macedonian church to encourage the Corinthians to make the "grace of giving" something for them to excel in, just like faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness and love (8:7). Paul then encouraged them to complete what they had initially promised to do: give.

And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.- 2 Corinthians 8:10-12

Paul then goes on, in chapter 9, to assure them that their generosity will not be overlooked by God.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.- 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

I want to challenge you, like Paul did with the Corinthian church, to make the "grace of giving" something to excel in. I'm not just talking about giving to missions or, more specifically, to us. I'm also talking about excelling at giving to your local church and to your community or those in need around you. I also want to encourage you all that God is a witness of your generosity and is completely able to "make all grace abound to you". If God has laid it upon your heart to give to us, either to increase what you are currently giving or for the first time, please click on the link on the side of our blog. Thank you for your interest in what God is doing through us, here in Congo.