June in Review

A short-term team arrived June 4^th and stayed until the 15^th to work with 3 different projects alongside the Congolese church. Read one of the previous posts to find out what those three projects were. We hosted 4 women and 4 teenage girls. Sam’s dad and aunt were also here during that time and were involved in some of the projects. This is the largest team we have hosted so far and it was hard work! It was exciting to have the ladies here and to use the time to work one-on-one with members of the Hospitality Team while an American team was here. Our days usually began at about 5:30AM when we got up to start breakfast for the team and ended around 8PM when dinner was cleaned up or all our meetings were finished. Whew!

Sam and Bebe cooking scrambled eggs early in the morning

Because there were three different projects going on, Sam, Aaron, Michelle and I were often going three different directions to help translate, cook, arrange transportation, etc. Since one of the projects was beginning the plans for an Elikya Center restaurant, we took the team out to eat at two local restaurants and ate meals at many people’s homes so they could experience a variety of local foods and atmospheres. We particularly enjoyed all the special and delicious meals we got to eat.

Out on the "town" with the team



On the last day of planning meetings for the Elikya Center restaurant, the team set up a mock restaurant. They spent all day cooking and transforming one of the classrooms into a restaurant. That evening they invited all of the Congolese people who had been involved in the planning meetings (and will continue to work with planning the restaurant in the future) and members of the Hospitality Team. They did an amazing job decorating and cooking a delicious meal using only local ingredients. It was definitely a night out. We felt like we were in the city hanging out with friends over a good meal, not in our English classroom right next door to our house.



Some of the guests at "Restaurant na Esengo"



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The teenage girls who were here spent a lot of time with orphans in the Global Fingerprints sponsorship program. They spent a few days at a local church helping with a program for orphans. They shared their testimonies, the gospel and memory verses with the orphans. Some of the older orphans were also involved in running the program.

Sarah translating Anna's testimony

The girls meeting some of the orphans

It was a very busy 11 days for all of us. Sam and I are ready now to rest in Central African Republic and wait for the arrival of Baby Snyder, who will make our lives even busier. We leave on June 28^th.

Graduation Day!

On June 11th, the Elikya Center class of 2010-2011 graduated! The day before and the morning of the ceremony was crazy. So many people were here preparing the yard for the ceremony…setting up tarps, chairs, tables and various items made here at Elikya. The yard looked fantastic and you could feel the excitement of the students as they practiced the songs they would sing for the ceremony. We originally thought the ceremony was supposed to begin at 1PM, but then we heard from Mowa that it was starting at 12PM. Then, we found out all the invitations that were sent out said the ceremony started at 10AM! So guests began arriving at 10 O’clock but no one was ready to begin the ceremony, so those guests just sat and waited.



Sam and I were helping Mowa print ceremony programs and get a few other things ready while Aaron and Michelle had taken our short-term team to visit a cave that is a few miles from Elikya. The sky was overcast and the temperature was very pleasant…perfect for an outdoor ceremony. Suddenly, at about 11:15 we heard the students singing and realized the processional had already begun! Sam rushed out the door to start recording the ceremony and I quickly changed into nicer clothes and joined the guests. Aaron, Michelle and the team showed up a few minutes later and rushed to change for the ceremony, too.

All the graduates singing at the beginning of the ceremony

The graduates sang two songs and during their second song it began to rain lightly. By the time they had finished the song the rain was pouring and everyone was scrambling to find shelter because the tarps that were set up were not holding off the rain water. The students began grabbing all the nice things that were set up outside and put them inside the training building while the guests found shelter under roofs and inside classrooms. Sam even slipped and fell into the mud and barely saved our camera from being destroyed. We sat in one of the classrooms for about an hour with other guests as the wind blew and the rain poured. It finally let up enough for everyone to set up chairs around the building under the roof and the ceremony began again.





Mowa addressing the crowd when the ceremony began again

Each student received a diploma, a Bible and some tools or a sewing machine to take back home. Even though the ceremony didn’t exactly go as planned it was an encouraging time for the students and there was a lot of excitement among the graduates.

Ravis with a big smile as he receives his diploma




Sylvie and Marta celebrating after receiving diplomas and sewing machines

The rain had completely stopped by the end of the ceremony and we all shared a meal together. We took the opportunity to take plenty of photos with the graduates who will begin returning to their homes over the next week or two.

Aaron and Sam with Bio after the ceremony

Sarah, Nadege and Michelle

Sarah’s unexpected, multi-cultural, bilingual baby shower!

I (Sarah) am feeling so incredibly loved. Not only am I constantly reminded of God’s love for me and the fantastic gift of a child He is giving us, but He has also provided me with amazing family and friends. Last Sunday, I walked in on a surprise baby shower…all for me! I knew that some gifts were coming from the states from friends and family to help us get ready for the baby, but I did not know that an actual, real-live baby shower had been in the making all this time. Michelle had apparently been working hard to sneak around behind my back and make this excellent party happen for me.



Our short-term team from the states arrived on Saturday and had brought some of the gifts with them. This team includes two of Sam’s aunts and two cousins, as well as a few other women I had just met.  Two other missionary women that live in the area joined the party and brought baked goods with them (a cake and cookies!). Michelle also invited several of my Congolese friends who had never experienced something like a baby shower. The room was full of women, most of whom are mothers. Because the team had just come from the states, the coffee table was full of sugary morsels such as M&Ms, Starburst, and Thin Mint cookies…all of which were delicious. One of my Congolese friends, Simplice, told me the next day that she took a few M&Ms home after the party and ate them slowly on her way home because she liked them so much and she saved one for her mom and niece at home.

All the party guests partaking of the sweets.

Most of the party was spent praying over me, the baby and our little family. Michelle used the opportunity to encourage me in the Lord as I step into this new phase of life…motherhood. The women prayed for three separate things: my marriage, for me as a mother and blessings over Sam, me and the baby. It was an incredibly encouraging time to sit before the Lord as these beautiful and unique women stood around me and interceded for my family. Michelle also asked the women to write notes of encouragement and advice to me that they brought to the shower. Several of my friends and family also wrote notes in the states, but I had to wait until Sam’s dad came with them on Wednesday to read through those (his flight got delayed and he was bringing some of the items along). Each of the Congolese women and Michelle read their notes aloud to me at the party and gave me a gift for the baby. Their notes were rich with encouragement, excitement for our coming baby and Godly advice. I was overwhelmed by their love and care…which means there were a few tears involved. We shared encouragement, prayers and conversation in a mix of English and Lingala…and a little bit of French.

Some of the guests preparing to read me their notes

Of course I got to open gifts and the gifts from my Congolese friends were especially fun to open. I was not aware of some of the baby items that are available here in Gemena. But the most practical gift and the one that made me smile the most was a stack of laundry detergent pouches from Simplice. These will be put to use with all those cloth diapers we will be washing.

Packages of "Omo" laundry detergent

It was so enjoyable to experience the dynamics of Congo and America in one room. All the women surrounding me were my sisters in Christ whether they were a part of my family, I had just met them the day before or they live thousands of miles away from my country and familiar culture. At the same time I sat there surrounded by so many unique women, I was opening gifts from women at home who have known me and loved me for years. We were all brought together to celebrate the new life that the Lord has given to me and Sam.

Michelle, the extraordinary party planner, and I after the shower

After the baby shower some of the Congolese women said that they were very encouraged by our time together and the way that our American culture takes the time to honor and encourage the mother before the baby is even born. In Congo, many people come to visit the baby after it is born and to help the new mother a little bit. But they had never experienced a party that is meant to “shower” the mother with love encouragement and gifts. Thanks to all the women who were a part of my baby shower in some way…I am blessed!

Bebe, me, Mama Lopango, SImplice and Mama Francoise