Risking It All!

“Down on the floor, get down on the floor, now,” yelled the leader of the police unit. Surprised and scared everyone else backed up against the sides of the simple house made of bamboo and palm leaves. As the police grabbed the two training pastors dragging them into the village common area the other pastors were rounded up and made to sit and watch as the interrogation began.

Materials are burned in plain sight of the evangelists and pastors, each are kicked and beaten with pieces of bamboo. This intimidation is meant to gather as much information as possible about the two training pastors. Their ethnic look gives away the fact that they are obviously not from the local area. The pastors remain silent which only inflames more beatings and intimidation. As the torture continues they find that the men are from a neighboring country and have come in response to the new churches that are being planted and the need for training new leaders.

The police now turn their attention toward the two training pastors…

Shrieks are heard as the bamboo hits the soles of the two men’s feet. This painful torture causes the flesh to be bruised and flayed resulting in extreme pain and the inability to walk. They are kicked and punched repeatedly until police get what they want.

The men are dragged off to jail and their motorbikes are confiscated. These jails are horrid places and having to remain in jail for nearly six months the men are confined to a small cell with a ragged blanket and two small bowls of porridge (rice and water) a day. In addition to being confined they are regularly exposed to ridicule and beatings and the only comfort they get is when they turn to prayer and worship. Soon word of their arrest reaches their leaders and the church is moved to pray for their release as the leadership of this movement begins a dialogue with the government authorities to secure their release.

Fines are negotiated and paid, men are released and medically treated, and after being welcomed back they are nursed back to health. Within a matter of months they will start making regular return trips back to the same region to continue their training. This is just one story of our partnership between a North American Church and a movement which is planting churches in twenty of this nation’s fifty minority groups that populate this restricted Asian country. In the last five years this group has established more than 300 churches in their country and nearly 35 in a neighboring country. Pray for those who risk it all.

This is your investment. This is your joy.
Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski1957@gmail.com

If you would like to join our financial support team you can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see UWM.

Special Report: Understanding Thailand's Violence

The smell of burning tires clogs your nose as you hear sickening cries of people shot and maimed in the normally peaceful streets of Bangkok Thailand. In the past months hundreds have been killed and wounded as protesters fight for their right as Thailand moves from a constitutional monarchy to a representative democracy. There is no doubt that this is also a war of cultural and class change.

Thailand’s history begins when Tai-Lao people migrated from China around the 10^th century. Soon the Thais established their own states however internal and external warring was common over the next four centuries. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya emerged to solidify the people ruling for three centuries and eventually being toppled in the late 1700’s by Burmese armies. Shortly after Thailand was liberated and a new capital city called Bangkok was established. Many European colonial powers threatened in the region in the 19^th and 20^th centuries but Thailand survived as the only nation to never to have colonial rule.

The “Revolution of 1932” transformed the Government of Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. The cabinet was presided over by the prime minister and in 1946 Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeded his brother as king and continues to reign until this day. He is the longest reigning king and very popular with the poor and rural peoples due to his many social improvements.

In 2001 Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came to power and though he was popular with the rural poor for his social programs, his rule came under attack due to several charges of human right abuse, suppression of a free press, conflict of interest, anti- monarchy, and corruption. While out of the country in September 2006 parliament dissolved government and as General Boonvaratglin led a military coup.

A general election on December 23^rd, 2007 followed restoring a civilian government which had close ties to Thaksin. In June of 2008, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protested against the government by occupying government ministries and disrupting air service at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This protest ended when the courts dissolved the government because of reported election fraud. These protesters are known as Yellow Shirts. If you watched the news during that time many of the protestors wore yellow shits to show their allegiance to the king. Many Thais wear yellow shirts on Monday because this is the King’s special color due to the date of his birth. Another notable fact; this group is made up largely of Bangkok’s upper class and elites.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), better known as the "Red Shirts" are those who are supporters of Thaksin and his policies and include a large proportion of working-class and rural-based Thais. When the elected government of December 23^rd, 2007 was dissolved the Red Shirt movements formed to protest this action. The Red Shirts are angry that the former government that they supported was forced to dissolve. They call this a “judicial coup” because it appears that the elite powers including important army figures manipulated the government for political purposes.

With growing tension between the established government and those representing the poor and disenfranchised protests continue to turn bloody. To add to this complicated situation King Bhumibol Adulyadej who has been the stabilizing force in Thailand since the 1940s is now very old and in failing health. His heir apparent to the throne, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has not inherited his father's popularity and is seen as a spoiled playboy who does not carry the same concern of his father.

The UDD say they will disperse if the deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban turn himself in and face criminal charges over a clash with troops in April that killed 25 people. The UDD has already accepted a date for new elections to be held on November 14^th, 2010.

Please continue to pray for this nation and people. With nearing sixty-eight million people their hope lay in the fledgling evangelical church. Great gains have been made flowing out of the tragedy of the 2005 tsunami. Pray that these present struggles will cause Thais to rethink their present and eternal future. Things learned from the tsunami caused the formation of a national strategy called, “National Plan 2010.” Three Thai Christian denominations, TEC, EFT and TCB, have yoke together to implement evangelical strategies in 76 provinces and church planting in 927 districts. The four aspects of the “National Plan 2010” are creating a prayer network, training and encouraging evangelism & church planting, community social welfare or service mission, and leadership development. There is great opportunity to develop partnerships between North American churches and the denominations of the national Plan.

LAST MINUTE UPDATE: “Though we know the problems here are not over, and this has caused a deep divide among the Thai people, God is at work in this city. Last night a Thai friend said she saw the CEO of a Thai company on T.V. sharing about God’s love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. She said that he boldly shared about Jesus. God is using this situation for His glory and He is giving His church an opportunity to be a bright light to many who are longing for change.” – Gregg Nicholson, UWM Missionary

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski

www.mszymanski.com

mski@earthlink.net

If you would like to join our financial support team you can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see UWM.

* The picture is from the Daily Mail, United Kingdom office.

I Don’t Want to Kill My Baby

With a shriek, the young woman screamed out “I don’t want to kill my baby.” The young mother kept rocking back and forth moaning in a barely intelligible voice, tears streaming down her face. She knows her small child would soon be brutally torn apart. A shiver went up my spine as I listen to just how this act would be carried out.

Maasai children born with the possibility of a birth defect meant they would be taken by their father or village elder to a place in the jungle and after a brief ceremony left alive to be torn apart and eaten by the wild animals of the jungle. The village leader said, “There is no reason any child with a defect should burden their Maasai family.”

Maasai social structures place children next to last above women and below men and cows, who are first and second respectively. But somehow the small male child was different. He was born in the late 50’s to a Maasai man who had five wives, many children, and more than a 100 cows. During that time British forces occupied several east African countries and as they were moving from Tanzania to Ethiopia the child’s father was spotted by a soldier one day near the roadway. He was immediately enlisted to be a porter for the group of soldiers. He protested stating that he was needed to care for his cows and his wife was soon to bear a child but this meant nothing to the soldiers and soon he found himself carrying a large load of supplies north.

Within a few days of her husband’s disappearance his wife began to deliver the child. Boys are prized greatly in the Maasi culture and this first born meant that he would be extraordinary. But there seemed to be a problem. The village elders looked at him and decided the baby must be put to death now. With her husband’s fate unknown one of the elders would carry out the death sentence.

Then the first of what would be several miracles began to unfold. Due to difficulties in the village tribal rituals would be set aside and the child’s own mother would have to take the child to be given to the wild animals. I swallowed hard as I imagined having to kill my own child!
The child’s mother, already heartbroken, now was inconsolable as she left the village with her baby. Being distraught she lost her way to the location where these types of children are left. While trying to find the location she met a white man who asked her what her business was in such a dangerous location. “Many people get killed here by lions,” the man said. She told the man her story. Moved with compassion the man led her to a village five hours away which had a clinic that could possible help her child.

At first she was scared of the white man thinking he may be a canable so she walked far behind him in case he tried to hurt her. After a long walk she arrived at the clinic. The doctor examamined the child but could not diagnose the problem. The child with the doctor so that they could observe him and hopefully provide some care. However soon the child’s condition went from bad to worse. Then another miracle took place. A local pastor visiting the clinic observed the pitiful state of the child. The only words he could utter were a simple prayer which would change the life of this poor baby, “God, save this child.”

Within days the child began to improve and clinic workers returned the child back to his mother. Astonished she received her child and questioned the workers for answers. All they could say was that a man of God prayed for him, baptized the child dedicating him to God, and the child became well.

Soon after the child’s father returned home from his forced labor and was told about all the events surrounding his child. He decided that all his children from all his wives should be baptized and dedicated to this God. The child began to grow, mature and with all of his brothers and sisters went to school. The child’s name was also changed to Godsave!
Tanzanian schools are unlike the schools in North America in every way. The child’s father decided to send all of his children to school and was able to pay for the schooling by selling his cows. This was another cultural violation of the Maasai. Cows were always more important that children however he felt that the Creator God must have something special for a child who captured His heart.

As Godsave grew he also excelled in virtually everything he did. His passion for God became clear at an early age. He continued his education and today helps lead a nationally focused ministry which trains and equips Tanzanian church women to reach out and care for those with HIV AIDS, Mentors and trains new church planters and pastors as well as establishing educational schools throughout Arusha Tanzania. You can find out more about this International Partner, Imara.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski@earthlink.net

If you would like to join our financial support team you can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org

Intense Love

Reaching down and picking up the small child she wipes his nose with her hand. Momma Noel comments, “one day this child will get an education and help change this community, he has a future and I am part of it.”

Several years ago Momma Noel opened her home to what is now more than twenty one orphaned children from Beni, DR Congo. With almost no worldly goods she gives the little she has to the many helpless children she now calls her own. She receives nothing from government or local officials and only makes it by with help from two local churches. I ask her, “Why are you doing this?” She responds, “God has blessed me and this is my chance to bless others, that’s what Jesus would want me to do.”

Our partner in DR Congo encouraged us to bring something for them so we took a huge bag of beans and rice so they could eat and have extra for several weeks to come. With our partner we discussed a potential community service project. A gutter could be installed at the edge of the roof so that rain water could be collected in a barrel and used for drinking, cooking and washing. This will save a long walk to the creek and provide better water quality than what flows in the creek.

The children live in a Momma Noel’s house which is made of mud, tin roof, and two rooms with wooden beds lined end to end and side by side with skimpy foam for mattresses. Total square feet is about 250. The sheer unselfish nature of this woman humbles me. I wonder if the intensity of my Christian faith is based upon whether everything is going right or whether or not I have a comfortable lifestyle. I see how God has met her in the midst of her need, their need. I pray silently, God help my love for you to be as intense when I have nothing and am in need as well as when I have extra and don’t seem to need anything.

I am a witness to selfless love and realize I am in God’s presence. She is doing what Jesus did, a modern day Savior to twenty one children. I remember the word; don’t keep the little children from me…. For this is the kingdom of heaven.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski

mski@earthlink.net

www.mszymanski.com

March Madness – Road to the Final Four or Maybe a Little More!

If you are a basketball fan the road to the final four is the most exciting time of the year. It’s when everyone has to bring their best game putting it all on the line. As the teams are eliminated you know what everyone has done and not done. You have watched what each team has brought to the table. Like the final four I want to take this time to give you an update on how your prayers and giving have accomplish many things and where we are financially.

As Cathy and I work to connect churches, businesses and talented individuals to 35 plus nations of the earth thereby seeing God’s kingdom come to broken and lost people we want to thank you and give you some highlights.

• Sunday, March 21^st we entered another time when we assessed, orientated, and trained nine new missionaries for the harvest field. Building the harvest force has amazing results. Please pray that God will bring more workers for the harvest fields. We have many opportunities for impact but we need more workers!

• In 2009 we trained and appointed (sent out) more than 25 new missionaries.

• For 20-to-30-years-olds who want to investigate a career in mission work we now have two year teams set up in Hungary, China, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Belgium, and England. I hope to soon have one set up in Kazakhstan in the next year and I want to build one in Africa but I need a leader. Pray for this new generation as they are the new harvest force! Here is a new web site to check out.

• The Vietnam partnership is starting to reach into two new unreached groups. There are 52 unreached people groups in Vietnam and with these two new groups we will be making disciples in 22 groups. The training we developed has caused unreal growth. Now I am working to help bring business training to these rural leaders so they can start businesses that fund church growth and multiplication.

• The DR Congo partnership is just flat out growing. We are establishing a world class bilingual Christian University (the first of its kind in DR Congo). This next year I will focus on building bringing groups together to build a global training system whereby interactive training can take place by leaders around the world. On my next in October I want to take people to teach English to new prepitory year students. Do you want to come? I need you! We are expecting to have 350 to 400 students next year. I have also helped to complete all processes and systems to field International Staff to the school.

• The Swedish partnership has seen new growth on the campus of Lulea Institute. There are now over 12 students meeting regularly. This is almost double from last year. We will soon have a couple and single living there. Pray they get their final monthly amount in so they can move before October. The harvest is plentiful but there are no workers on this 5000 person campus!

• Pray for a new partnership we are developing in Pucallpa Peru. I hope to take a trip late summer to bring all the groups together and define goals and outcomes.

• Our Cuban partnership is expanding. We have our annual partnership meeting in Vancouver in May. If you can believe it we are helping to establish businesses in Cuba which are funding church growth. So far we have 5 started!

• Please continue to pray for the other partnerships in Senegal, Tanzania, Thailand, France, Slovenia, Nepal, India, and Colombia. Check out my new partnership page with descriptions and resources by clicking here.

Because of you, new churches are being planted. Each of these churches are made up of people just like you who were once without hope... wondering what will happen to them, living in fear of offending some spirit, busted up families, children without a future, desperate for change. Now thousands and thousands are now are learning about a God who loves then and are experiencing grace and peace. Because of you…!

One last comment that is hard for us to bring up but some of you have told us that we need to make the “ask.” First, again, Cathy and I want to thank you for your continued support. We are honored and humbled that God has led you to partner with us. Words do not express our sincere gratitude. So we are asking you to please pray for this financial aspect of our ministry. Due to hard times our support has dropped to $50,000 a year and we need to get it back to $75,000. This amount includes things like living expenses, travel and ministry expenses, taxes, health care, etc. As you can imagine we live with frugality.

Pray for us to meet people who can help us restore our budget so we can keep working. If you know someone who would like to hear about what we do please let us know. Once again, accept our heartfelt THANK YOU!

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark & Cathy Szymanski

www.mszymanski.com

mski@earthlink.net

704.517.0255

Not in Kansas Anymore

Over this recent Thanksgiving weekend I had the chance to watch a little bit of an old movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” During the movie Dorothy finds herself in the strange Land of Oz and comments to her dog Toto, “I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore.” This comment took me back to a time and place when I was working overseas and I found myself with a team of people in a strange but beautiful land called Slovakia.

It was shortly after the Soviet system crashed and Czech and Slovak Republics had a peaceful separation. During this time one of my roles was to lead churches into significant relationships overseas creating a win, win, win for the US church, and in this case the Pentecostal church of Slovakia, and missionaries Jerry and Faith McCullough. Within this relationship we identified ways to move the national Pentecostal church forward in its desired goal to establish churches throughout the country reaching their people at every level. One of these ways was to establish and build regional churches that would have the capacity to train new leaders who would in turn establish new churches.

As I sat across the table from Daniel in this once soviet stronghold we were working beside people whose experience of church meant ducking and running, secret meetings and routine interrogations by soviet police I realized all that I had taken for granted back in “my Kansas.” Just a few years ago one of this movement’s strategies was never to entrust all the knowledge of the church to one person. In fact many people didn’t know what was happening in the city next to them for fear that if someone was arrested they would be tortured and spill this knowledge. No knowledge meant nothing to spill and nothing to spill meant nothing to lose!

One day Daniel, a plumber who is also a pastor, recounted a story of his youth.

BANG! BANG! BANG! The hard and loud knocks at the door could only mean one thing… we were in trouble. Taking a quick peek out the window mother yelled to father, POLICE! Without hesitation father immediately runs and grabs the records of the church and takes them to the kitchen throwing them into a cabinet. Father tells me and mother, “get in the kitchen and hide the records.” We hurry off as father answers the door. Without any provocation the two police grab father throwing him to the floor. I can hear them immediately begin to yell questions and insults at him. My mother rushes me outside and tells me to dig a hole below the kitchen window. Instinctively I begin to claw at the dirt with all my might. I hear the police begin to hit father and yell more insults.

Mother opens the window and begins to hand the records out and as I grab them I hurriedly throw them into the hole I just dug. Quick, quick, mother yells. Soon the papers and small books are in the hole and covered up. I wipe my hands on my pants and go back into the house where I am met by one of the policemen. What are you doing he yells? I told him I just came in from outside and I quickly lower my eyes.

Mother tells the policemen that I am a good boy and not to hurt me. He grunts and turns. The voices grow louder in the next room. I want to go in and help but mother told me to be still and pray. God will help us. I feel my faith begin to be tested as anger rises in me. I know mother is right but I want to do something, anything. A few minutes later I hear the door open and slam shut. We run into the living room and father is bruised but okay. This is not the first or last time this type of punishment will be dished out. I realize my faith is all I have. I can’t control anything life brings but I can control my choice to believe. Today in Topoľčany there is a flourishing church which has planted other churches and Daniel is more than a pastor, he is a leader’s leader.

If you don’t want to be in your Kansas anymore I can help. Today I work to develop partnerships around the world so tap your heals together three time s and let’s see where God can take you.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski@earthlink.net

Suddenly He Opened His Eyes

Tears filled my eyes as “Pastor O”; a 70 year-old Cuban friend of mine recounted a story to me that he describes as “the greatest thing he has ever seen.” When he prefaced his story with this statement I was totally intrigued because I have known him for about a decade and have listened to many stories over the years that I have been traveling and helping this movement of churches in Cuba.

He has been a leader of a movement which started before the great revolution, through years of secrecy, and decades of persecution so I knew this story had to be really good! Oh yeah, one more thing, though he has had the chance to emigrate to the United States he has refused because as he says, “I am called to Cuba even though it has meant time in jail on several occasions.” So as I sat he told me that in the early 1990’s I had the chance to visit the United States. Upon entry I had to wait for two days in order to get my next flight to see my family who had emigrated many years earlier. As I walked out of the airport I was able to meet a friendly Spanish speaker who put me in touch with a group of Cubans in Miami. As he took me to their church I was invited to stay with them. I was able to rest and get cleaned up but that evening I was asked by the lady of the house of I would be willing to go to the hospital and see her husband who was near death.

Soon I was entering the hospital and as I was escorted to the intensive care unit I prayed. When I entered what I found startled me. The ladies husband was lying with his eyes partially open, just the whites part showing and his mouth wide open drawing occasional breaths. If it wasn’t for the occasional breaths I would think that he was already dead. Composing myself I asked the Holy Spirit to be present. Not knowing if he would respond I began to preach to him about God’s great gift of love, sacrifice, and life. I declared that if he wanted forgiveness that nothing could separate him from God and the forgiveness of his sin. If he wanted this he should squeeze my hand. Suddenly the man’s eyes rolled to the front and opened, his gasping mouth closing slowly.

I continued by saying that I had come all the way from Cuba to tell him that today was his day of salvation and that he should not wait. Tears began to stream down the man’s face as I felt a gentle squeeze. Not being satisfied I wanted to confirm the decision so I said if you are serious squeeze my hand again? A firm squeeze was the man’s response. I sat down and began to tell the stories of Jesus, praying occasionally for healing, and describing the Kingdom of God. Then I quietly left as he drifted off to sleep.

Before I left for my next stop in the United States I was told that the man received the ultimate healing of eternal life. This trip to the United States was no coincidence but rather a preplanned God event to redeem this one man’s soul.

I realized there were now three men who were changed by God’s Spirit that day, the sick man, “Pastor O”, and now me. Returning to the island “Pastor O” continues to this day serving the living God and winning souls. Thank you for your prayers for Cuba and the many leaders that I work with as they reach people and plant churches.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
mski@earthlink.net
www.mszymanski.com
704.517.0255

Kenyan Proud, A Look back when Tribal Conflict Almost Toppled a Nation

At many intersections and along many streets you will find billboards and signage encouraging Kenyan pride. However the attempt to create national unity seems hollow and unattainable and these attempts go unnoticed and are generally ignored in the light of the recent internal conflict. Here in Kenya tribal pride always trumps national pride. “For Kenyans our tribal heritage shows up in every way from the type of job you may have to your name”, says Benjamin, a Kikuyu, the major tribe, which accounts for 21 percent of the population.

This stark reality was never proven more powerfully when in early 2008 this quiet and peaceful nation of Kenya erupted into chaotic violence following elections and subsequent decision of by the government reallocating land and ownership rights. People who held title to parcels and farms now were stripped of their rights through a series of decisions and enforcement and for months Kenya sat on the brink of a national tribal meltdown with an exponentially greater potential of mass slaughter than Rwanda.

Kenya has more than 30 million people divided into 42 different tribal groups all vying for equality, which cannot be obtained. With land ownership being stripped from rightful owners these corrupt governmental decisions fueled people’s inability to reclaim what has been their own leading to frustration turning neighbor against neighbor, worker against boss, now years of peaceful coexistence was disintegrating into hatred, brutality and murder as hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and once friendly tribal relationships disintegrated into hatred and a “getting even” mentality.

People who once felt safe to live and work in areas and among people of a different tribal background now fled in fear, relocating and literally running for their lives as they left everything behind. Buildings and schools were torched, people attached, looting and violence were out of control. Government statistics show that, at a minimum 1200 people were killed however local people recount stories of witnessing many more dying horrible deaths such as burnings and beheadings as ordinary people became thugs, murderers and executioners all along tribal lines.

Jan recalls discussing what people witnessed, “People fled with only what was on their backs in fear because they were living in an area where other tribal groups outnumbered them. For months children woke up with terrifying nightmares from remembering the screaming, violence and the smell of tear gas. Men attempting to return to gather up the little that may have been left after the looting and rioting were dragged away and brutally murdered – all because they were of another tribe.”
Churches began to intervene with prayer establishing camps, safe havens, and tent-cities that housed hundreds and thousands of refugees based solely up on the tribal heritage.

With a united cross-tribal demonstration of the love of Jesus many churches publicly lived out their faith and prayed for unity. Shortly after this demonstration an assemblance of peace began to slowly settle over the nation. Was God at work? Many undoubtedly say yes. However the situation is not resolved.

Kenya in many ways have been reshuffled from a nation which once had large groups of tribal peoples all living together in peace being intermingled and interspersed to a balkanized divided people unsure of the future and if their once friendly intertribal relationships will turn deadly at a moments notice.

What does all this mean? If government and tribal factions continues to create an environment in which tribal vengeance and retaliation can occur then knowing the heart of mankind chaos may be a reality and the types of atrocities we saw happen in Rwanda are exponentially possible here in this nation.

Won’t you pray for Kenya today? Pray for righteous leaders to emerge in government. Pray for the influence of the church to remain and grow and bring healing to the many different tribal peoples. Pray that this light in East Africa won’t go out and the 150-year investment of the gospel will not be extinguished.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
mski@earthlink.net
704.517.0255
Donate Now - Please enter our account number in the comments section: #11013

They Day the Moon Fell from the Sky

The van’s suspension groaned as it leaned heavily to one side then quickly shifted to the other while we navigated the heavily rutted road on our way to the pygmy village in the jungle of DR Congo. Entering the village people no bigger than five feet tall began to run wildly in excitement. Some carrying bows with metal tipped arrows protectively ran to see who we were. As we entered the village we were tenuously greeted and ushered under the roof of the chief’s sitting area.

The Pygmy people are a forest people, hunters, part of a larger group known as the Bantu. These people are forest dwellers. Knowing the forest, its plants and animals intimately they normally live by hunting animals such as antelopes, pigs and monkeys, fishing, and gathering honey, wild yams, berries and other plants but due to forced migration, deforestation, routine deprivation of their rights by governments who do not see these forest-dwellers as equal citizens, and loss of control of the forest and its resources Pygmy’s are reduced to very severe poverty and isolation.

As we sat the chief’s wife angrily came running banging her small cooking pot on the ground and yelling. This got our attention and some of the team became nervous. Our interpreter told us that she is tired of the exploitation. She cries, “We need so many things, larger cooking pots, help with agriculture, and help in the development of new food resources. The government tells us they will help us but the forget us. Will you forget us too?”

You look around the village and you see the people, swollen bellies filled with worms, a few pigs, a few small mud buildings, and a grouping of logs standing straight up in a square outline – no roof – this is the start of a church. You see potential but it will take purposeful and deliberate involvement over time.

As we spoke further they asked us to help them understand what happened yesterday when the moon eclipsed the sun. They ran and hid because they thought the moon was falling from the sky. They spent the day in hiding not working in their small fields or hunting in the shrinking forest. Though Christianity has been introduced to this group they still need help to understand that the many spirits that they believe roam the forest and control the weather are subject to the Lord of the universe.

We leave the gift of salt we brought and after some surveying which included a new pond to raise fish, the chiefs small hut, we climb back into the van for our departure. I quietly pray that as I help Congo initiative to develop the first Christian Bilingual University of Congo that new community service programming that is being developed will reach into villages like these so that Christian discipleship and holistic community development transform these lives for God’s glory.

This is your investment. This is your joy.
Mark Szymanski

The Wince

His smile was amazingly bright as this “20-something” security guard handed me his AK-47 to handle and examine. It was a well used gun, nothing new about it, dings and scratches each with their own story that I was not sure I wanted to hear about. As I held the gun I imagined the many people who at one time may have been on the other side of the weapon. My mind raced through scenes of the movie “Blood Diamond” and I could picture how intoxicating one could feel as the power of the weapon was combined with greed, hate and evil. As I slung the AK-47 over my shoulder I was reminded of the young man who recounted to me his story, the story of a small boy who was taken by force from his village and made into a killer as part of a militia.

Mani was just like any other eight year old boy playing in the fields when an armed group of men entered the village. The militia went from house to house rounding up as many of the men as possible bringing them into the center of the small village. Women fled screaming into the nearby fields trying to hide. Some of the soldiers who chased them did unmentionable and despicable things to those they caught.

The militia leader came and put a pistol to the head of one the village men…

This is one of the many stories of what is called the worst humanitarian disaster ever in human history. For more than a hundred years, starting with King Leopold II who owned this country as his personal possession, this nation has been ransacked and raped of it natural resources and people. Finally in 1908 the world spoke with one voice and said no more… but the disaster just continued as Leopold handed control over to his country, Belgium. With the fear of a communist takeover in the 1960s the United States installed a “friend”, Mabutu Sese Seko, a brutal dictator who perpetuated the disaster and lived like a leach off his own nation. Recent wars and fighting have resulted in more than 6 million people murdered (some place the dead near 20 million), hundreds of thousands of women raped, families destroyed and a nation left in complete ruins. Even today 25,000 a month die from disease and isolated trouble.

With a new democratically elected government lead by, President Joseph Kabila, the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo have some hope. The largest United Nation peacekeeping force in the world occupies this nation allowing the government to begin to bring some stability. There remain some areas where fighting still breaks out but the people are hopeful that peace will one day come and a new nation will emerge.

I am working with an international partner, Congo Initiative, as they are building a bi-lingual Christian University with educational tracks in business, engineering sciences, journalism/communication, family health, and theology. I recruit Master’s level teachers to be instructors for two weeks to two years. I am also connecting churches and businesses into a collaborative partnership to help with everything from training to construction. Today we are starting our third year with approximately 260 students. When I visit, it is not unusual that I meet a parliament representative or a government official touring the facility encouraging the faculty to be strong and faithful as they grow new leaders with a different mindset; new leaders who will not perpetuate injustice and corruption as they enter the market place, political arena, and church leadership. While visiting one student residence there was an inscription scrawled on the wall in French. It said, “We had no future… We did succeed… It was no accident”. Having seen the future through the eyes of these students and knowing the past I weep every time I have to leave. What a difference between the past and this new future.

“The militia leader ordered the man to his knees as he cocked the gun. Mani winced as the he heard the shot. There was no more resistance, everyone join the militia as they marched off into the bush.”

January 7th I take a church to interact with Congo Initiative leadership to determine if a partnership can emerge. Pray for this work and partnership. The hope of a nation rests in the hands of a new generation and those God brings to partner with Congo initiative.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Blessings,
Mark