Report from Betty Musau July 14, 2008

I am sending you pictures for the foundation and building of toilets at the orphanage. Toilets provide health and cleanliness for the future of these children.
The church is a caring community that take people from being strangers to being sisters and brothers. The picture to the right shows some of the children at the orphanage. U.S.Methodist Church conferences are caring conferences who contributed to the growth of those children. North Katanga is very grateful to all U.S. conferences partners.
On July 11, 2008, North Katanga got the sad news that the Kenda Bantu high school office was damaged by fire which came from nowhere. The fire started at nigh, and all papers for the headmaster office and teachers were all in ashes. Nothing was recuperated from the office.

Report from Betty Musau July 7, 2008

Bavon Mbayo Mukalay, who was trained in Kinshasa for two years in Opthamology, is now working in th Kamina Vision Center as a volunteer who checks up the patient's vision. This is part of the Kamina Vision Initiative. So far, since February, when they received equipement from Kamina Vision Friends in Texas, they have checked over 100 patients. Bwalya Masangu is the coordinator ad interim, who works on the auto lencometry. Ngoy Kumwimba Mamy guides patients for their check up and providing of glasses after check up. Personnel in Kamina Vision are very happy to work in the center as volunteers.

The North Katanga conference is very appreciative in building the kingdom of God with the gift from Texas team led by precious friends Melody, Betty, Darlene and Cynthia.

To our friends, North Katanga is thankful of the gift of light which is Kamina Vision equipement that serves the community. Kamina Vision personnel are grateful to all donors and all that contribute to this project.

Vision is health and who has health, has hope and he who has hope has everything.

Report from Betty Musau June 25, 2008

News about Booth Library:

None of the primary and secondary schools and universities of Kamina have any good place for reading in order to complete their education.

The unique library of the UMC college is 7 km (About 4.5 miles) from town. Pupils and students have difficulties to walk the 14 km every day to go to the library. This has made it important to have the Memorial Booth library in town. We have a very small library. Most of books were left by former North Katanga missionaries.

There is need for Biblical Encyclopedias, Biblical indexes, Writers in theology as systematic theologians, New Testament writers, and Old Testament writers, to help theology students at UM University of Kamina. There is a need for public health books, grammar and composition books for students in the English department. And we need Business class books and agriculture books.

Presently, we have 120 books, 11 magazines, and 133 english books. The librarian is Rev Muleka Pingwe who is volunteering in the Booth Memorial Library.

Report from Rev. Nday Bondo Mwanabute June 23, 2008

(Rev. Bondo is from North Katanga and just graduated from Africa University in Zimbabwe with a 3.84 grade point average.)

MY STUDIES IN THE NEW MASTER PROGRAM IN THEOLOGY
I am proud to be one of the three graduate pioneers of the new Masters program at the Faculty of Theology, the Masters of Arts in Religious Studies (MARS).I majored in Ministerial Studies or Pastoral Theology, which deals with the pastoral ministry on the ground. My area of concentration was Church Administration.

Many people take for granted the fact that the church already knows its purpose on earth, and there is no need to undertake theological studies, especially at the Masters level. My studies however have proved the opposite.

The Masters of Arts in Religious Studies program has helped me to discover where the church is now, where it was supposed to be, what it is doing now, and what it was supposed to do. Out of these findings, I am able to bring relevant contribution to the ministry in the church in sharing the precious knowledge with others in the church and the community.

The program also opened me to the world of research in church matters. It taught me that the knowledge is to be searched beyond the blackboard, through the library, in front the screen of a computer, and going down to the field in order to collect findings to enhance with church activities. So the program has made me qualified in research action and it has prepared me to confidently undertake further studies.

During this era of globalization, the church needs highly informed people to send to the world in order to competently face the challenges brought by globalization in spiritual and temporal needs. Africa University, in the Faculty of Theology, through the new program of Masters has proved to have understood it. We are the first fruit of this plan. We are ready to bring our contribution.

Rev. Nday Bondo Mwanabute

Report from Betty Musau June 19, 2008

Bicycle is the means of transportation and a source of income for the family. People travel from Kalombo to Kamina. They go to buy fish and resell them in Kamina. The distance from Kalombo to Kamina is 500 km. (About 310 miles).

They pass by Kibula which is the local church in the district of Kanene, supervised by Ngoy Wakuwambala, the female district superintendent. She resides in Kanene which is 300 km from Kibula where the district conference was held.

In this district, there are eight pastors. Pastor Banza Mijibu, the local pastor from Kibula hosted 161 members for the district conference. We have the local church, one school that serves for primary and seconday school. At primary school, we have 151 pupils (61 girls and 90 boys). At secondary school, we have 20 girls and 88 boys.

Pastor Banza Mijibu and the church members have made bricks to enlarge classrooms for pupils and plan to have a clean and comfortable facility for medical purposes. The facilities are pictured, right.
Report from Betty Musau

I would like to share some news that last January 2008, Melody from Texas, Cynthia from Tenessee, Betty Darlene from Texas, and Pamela Couture from Kansas City visited Kamina . They also visited UMCOR NGO in Kamina starting with the office and they also visited worksites for food security and the microfinance program. Betty Darlene was pumping water in Katuba for water and sanitation program in Kamina.

The medical team from Texas donated vision equipment for the Kamina Vision initiative that is helping a lot of people in Kamina. Staff members were trained how to operate the machine. It had been noticed that people put on glasses without any check of their vision. Now with the vision machine that Melody and the team donated, many people are aware of checking their vision before any type of glasses are put on.

Again, North Katanga is blessed for such wonderful of gift of VISION, as sign of light that North Katanga members have to use to enlighten other people.

To all who pray for North Katanga, to those who foresee the future of North Katanga. Let the spirit of God be with you all. Blessings in the spirit of service.

General Conference Report from Betty Musau

The North Katanga Annual conference had 47 lay and clergy delegates to the 10 day General Conference in Forth Worth, Texas in May. After the General Conference, 36 delegates remained in USA for itineration to conference partners. Six delegates were in Little Rock, Arkansas for two weeks. Five were hosted by the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, six more were in the Indiana Annual Conference. Nine were in West Ohio (pictured), plus three governmental ministers from Katanga province and three other staff members who joined West Ohio annual conference later. Nine people were hosted in Texas . Five delegates were in West New York.

The activity was to share experience of work from North Katanga to conference partners and to address issues from North Katanga to conference partners and visit different churches in conference partners.

North Katanga Annual Conference is presided and headed by Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda who is very thankful and grateful to all Bishops and colleagues who accepted the partnership with North Katanga. All delegates are very thankful for the hospitality shown to them during their stay in US conference partners. Also Bishop Ntambo is very grateful to all mission coordinators from conference partners, who agreed to tour with North Katanga delegates in their different projects despite their tight schedules. Once again, thank you!

Reports from each team leader were given and listened to with joy, appreciation, and thanksgiving for all gifts in-kind and cash for the future of the church in North Katanga. Funds were given for the purchase of Bibles, Bicycles, nets for malaria prevention, digging of wells, for pure water, supporting children at the orphanage, building of churches and parsonages for pastors, boosting and sponsoring girls education at medical school and the UMC college, contributions toward the purchase of a new plane, and to sustain the Kamisamba farm.

Again, Bishop Ntambo and all delegates from North Katanga Annual Conference are grateful and thankful to Partners Bishops; from West Ohio, Greater New Jersey, Texas, Arkansas , West New York, Indiana for accepting and staying with brothers and sisters from North Katanga in their respective Annual Conferences and reinforcing their partnerships with North Katanga.

To Partners Bishops, their staff, coordinators in mission , Bishop Ntambo and the whole North Katanga express and appreciate your love , blessings and gospel in action given to North Katanga Annual Conference.

March Report from Betty Musau March 13, 2008

At the Lupandilo Medical School in North Katanga, we have 99 pupils, 47 girls and 52 boys. There 14 teachers where 9 are full time and 6 part time. Our wish is to increase number of pupils for the future nurses.

Dr. Mireille Mikombe Seya (pictured left) has been elected as the principal of the school. She said, "I am very proud to be assigned as the principal of the school in order to promote gender and bring equilibrum with the imbalances of the society for the promotion of women. When a woman is educated , she can make a difference and help children grow. We hope to work in collaboration for a better education and future for the medical." She said, "With God, we will do wonders."

For a better future, invest in women leadership with this month for women.

Bishop Ntambo visited the governor of Katanga, Moise Katumbi Chapwe. The Bishop's visit was to let the governor know since January, there is no potable water. Moise Katumbi Chapwe has offered to provide a generator for 250 KVA (pictured right)which will pump water from its turbine to town. As the episcopal leader, Bishop invests in good relationships.
Also because of the flooding in Kamina, drugs against chlolera have been purchased for the population in Kamina. Pictured left are drugs and supplies ready to be shipped.

News and Visit in North Katanga. Report from Betty Musau February 26, 2008

I would like to let you know that Bishop Ntambo lost his Uncle last Sunday in Lubumbashi. His name is Lupweka Ngoy Alexandre.

The second news is the visit of the American Consul in Kamina Feb 23-24,2008. Laurie Meininger, US Consul DRC and the team visited. We also welcomed Christopher Corkey, the Commercial Deputy of the American Embassy and Antoine Mbala, the Consular Assistant of the US Embassy. They visited different projects in Kamina . The Consul was delighted to be in Kamina and thanked God for the faith she saw in people for the work , integrity and dignity of people in Kamina.

An Airlift of Hope, news from UMCOR

The medical supply storage areas of several hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo are now better stocked, thanks to the collaborative effort of several diverse organizations, including UMCOR, which served as the delivery agency. Medicines worth $14 million were delivered via airlift to Kinshasa on Feb. 2 and will aid hundreds of people in need. Collaborators in the medical airlift were St. Paul's School of Theology, Kansas City, Mo.; The United Methodist Church of North Katanga; US Department of Defense; Islamic Relief USA; United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR); and Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA).

Severe Rain Damage in Kamina. Report from Betty Musau February 14, 2008

I would like to to let you know that excessive rain has caused damage in Kamina. More than 1,000 houses have fallen because of a lot of rain (example pictured). The storms have been at night and it was during the night that houses have fallen. Many women and children are victims. Houses have fallen in the areas of RVA,Q 52, Q 14, Q katuba, and some in Q 53.

In other news, a well is being built in Katuba in the church inclosure.

The Life of a Pastor's Son

Read an account of one pastor's son and his life in North Katanga. By Shabana Banza Horace(in Microsoft Word Format)

Visit Report from Betty Musau January, 2008

This month the North Katanga Annual conference welcomed on January 8th Pamela couture from Kansas City, Saint Paul Theology school, she is the Vice President of the school. Pamela arrived at 11 am Tuesday by plane Wings of the Morning North Katanga whose coordinator is Gaston Ntambo.

The purpose of her visit was a research project. She visited Kamina in 2003 and, from what she saw, she decided to write a book. She was involved in the Kamina Friends project and is interested in Kamina economic development. January was a good time for her to write on the peace process and economic and social development.

The method used by Pamela is interviews and collection of stories for peace making and peace building. She wanted stories about what happened to people. She feels these stories will help to understand peace. She said she is an american woman creating a Congolese voice.

Women's Foyer Report from Betty Musau December 29, 2007

I am sending pictures of Mama Shimba's foyer where women are involved in activities of sewing clothes, women boubou, african attires and designs. These are activities that enable women to be active and valued in the community. They are also involved in cooking services and they train young girls how to cook. They also sew infants clothes and medical gowns, primary and secondary uniforms and choir uniforms. In addition, the women knit socks, pullovers and sweaters.

Among the women we have Ilunga Mujinga Pauline, Mfumu Monga Thimas, Ngoy Lungenyenye Esther, and Ilunga wa Ilunga Leontine.

In addition, the center has a training operation whereby young girls are trained in literacy. They learn how to write and to read French and English. The french teacher is Banza Mpanga Alexis, and the English teacher is Fabrice Ilunga Mujinga. Participants are 18 girls

We thank all partners who contributed to the empowement of those girls and who want to contribute to the empowement of women with Mama Shimba's initiative . This center is open to any support and insight.

Substance Abuse Counseling Report from Betty Musau December, 2007

Webmaster Note: Betty Musau was very ill in October and November and was hospitalized. We thank God for her recovery! We also celebrate her recent marriage. Congratulations Betty!

November was involved with Peer Counseling training program on Substance Abuse and related Violence, from November 22nd through 24th November in Kamina.

15 districts attended the worKshop and they are as follows, Kamina, Kilubu, Kanene, Lubiji, Kaniama, Nyembo, Luena, Kayamba, Kabulo Kisanga, Kitenge, Kalemie, Kongolo, Manono, Kabalo, Moba. Participants were pastors, doctors, students, teachers, demobilised soldiers, and included all denominations, including Muslims. The main trainer came from Ghana. He is an outstanding Bishop by name of Bishop Joseph K Ghunney. The opening session was made by the town commissioner of Kamina Town and the closing session by the representative of the Katanga governor.

The North Katanga Conference, through Bishop Ntambo, thanks the GBGM SPARV committee for the effort made to have the workshop happen.

The enclosure of the orphanage is also being built.

Report from Betty Musau September 8, 2007

The theme of the Annual Conference for 2007 was VISION

There is a process of spiritual discernment where by new initiative is being discovered in NK and people are called to advance in what they exist to do. That means the church is initiating the building of markets and the drainage system in Kamina.

In June, the NK Annual Conference received the Kansas team led by Bishop Harles Crutchfield.

The team funded the building of kasoko soko in katuba-kamina where pillars are built and the roofing and stalls where food is to be exposed. The objective is to prevent typhoid fever and create mass awareness campaign for public health.

By the same token, leadership is to help other people take the next step. With the coming of the rainy season, NK annual conference initiated the program of malaria prevention by digging drainage system in Kamina -ville, quartier 52, quartier 53, and avenue kandele.

With the drainage system, there is a change , not change for the sake of change in those areas, but for the sake of God's will so that people may have new life , good health, clean environment, new humanity.

The church participates in the transformation of the environment , the church builds on people's identity and discovers people's new ministry of good health.

Newsletter Excerpt from Dr Mwana Ngoie Kasanka, Missionary to DRC

I am Dr Mwana Ngoie Kasanka, (Guy), forty-two years old, married with three children. I am the missionary that you are supporting to serve in Kamina (Democratic Republic of Congo). This is my first newsletter.

I've been assigned to serve in Kamina (Democratic Republic of Congo).After four years of absence in my conference, I found again the country where I served for several years as the medical coordinator of the annual conference. The orientation and training event was held in Accra from May 11th to 29th 2007. Thus this allowed me to be re- unified with my church members.

I was introduced during the annual conference meeting to the church by bishop Ntambo as a new missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries assigned in Kamina.

The 37th session of the north Katanga annual conference meeting was held in Kamina from July 14th to 21st 2007.

The church projected to dig wells to obtain healthy water to prevent diseases related to water. Projects have been planned about all of these and need your spiritual, financial and material support.

As a part of my responsibilities, I will be supervising the United Methodist clinics and hospitals, to detect the needs in order to increase the access to health care and the capability of health care providers. After the annual conference session, I visited the surgical ward and the maternity of Shungu clinic, in the remote area of Kamina. I performed 5 cases of surgery among the most severe was an intestinal perforation due to typhoid fever. This came from the impoverished community without any financial access to health care.

Some health related issues were discussed in the medical commission, i.e. how to fight against malaria, which is responsible for more than fifty percent of deaths among the under five children. Beside malaria, other important diseases in the area such as the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis were also discussed. It has been reported that DR Congo was a field of bloody confrontations which brought six countries fighting in the East of Congo. Many cases of women's sexual abuse (rape victims) have been reported and needed a medical screening. Tuberculosis, typhoid and measles are other challenges to deal with in Kamina. About malaria, the United Methodist Church initiated sanitary activities to drain stagnant water. In addition, we planned to establish the HIV/AIDS voluntary counselling and detection in our clinics.

Too many thanks to you for your support of my ministry.

I and all my family (Susanne Mwema my wife and my children: Sabine Monga, Eugene Afesa and Melody Banza) are greatly grateful for all you have done. Do please keep us in your prayers to improve my mission. We sincerely appreciate your help.

How to contact me:
Dr Mwana Ngoie Kasanka (Guy)
Trésorerie Générale du Nord Katanga
N°30-2, Avenue Likasi
Commune de Lubumbashi
République Démocratique du Congo
Cell phone: 00243 (0) 81 290 8855
E-mail: guykasanka@yahoo.fr
Advance number: 15163Z

Appointments from Annual Conference from Betty Musau August 9, 2007

Bishop Ntambo Nkulu appointed Gaston Nkulu Ntanda as the Director of Flight ministry in North Katanga. Dr Kasanka Mwana Ngoy Guy has been appointed as the Coordinator of medical services in North Katanga.

We have Rev Kimba Kyakutala Evariste (pictured above) who is the only student from North Katanga who graduated this year at Africa University with a master degree in Peace, Leadership and Governance. He won the Bishop Emilio De Carvallo special prize of the best gradusting student who has demonstrated best leadership potential. He has been appointed as NGO's and VIM coordinator. Rev Kimba is married to Mary Kibawa and they have four children.

We congratulate him on coming back to serve North Katanga and we wish him success , making difference with the new position.

Rev. Kimba is now the contact for VIM teams wishing to explore visiting Congo. He can be reached at ekkimba187@yahoo.com.

Letter from Melody Ball Concerning the Vision Initiative - July 14, 2007 (printed with permission)

Dear Kamina Vision Initiative Healthcare Workers,
July 14, 2007

It is with pleasure that I am able to report to you this day. Let us thank God together that we can all be in good health so that we can achieve our goal of helping our brothers and sisters to improve their vision.

As you know, when I left you in April, we needed several things for the vision clinic in Kamina. Needs included: Additional training for village healthcare workers on how to fit people with prescription glasses, a source of glasses, an autorefractor to help determine the refractive status of the eyes, a lensometer, and a tonopen to help determine the presence of glaucoma.

God has richly blessed us with a group of people in Stephenville, Texas who want to help us with the Kamina Vision Initiative. The Stephenville Lion's Club is a civic organization which helps people in their communities. This group has extended their community to encompass the community of Kamina. They have recently voted to do the following for the Kamina Vision Initiative:

A. Partner with the Lubumbashi Doyen Lions Club for the purpose of sponsoring the Kamina Initiative.
B. Offer to become a sponsoring Club for the purpose of applying for an LCIF International Assistance Grant.
C. Assist in the purchase of necessary optometry equipment up to $5,000.

Most critically, I can imagine that people in Congo are beginning to hear the news of a vision clinic in Kamina. We need to let people know that the clinic is forming and it is in the infant stages at this time. It will take time to gather and deliver the necessary equipment. People are in need and would like to see quick results. Let us be ever kind to tell people that the clinic is developing and items are coming one-by-one to make a fully functional clinic for vision screening.

When people might appear to be frustrated, we can remind them that they can do a part to help the clinic develop. They can tell their friends and family and encourage people who might have an old pair of glasses to bring the glasses in to be recycled and processed so that someone else can use them. This is something we can encourage while we wait for supplies.

I would like to tell you what we are doing in Texas to help gather and deliver supplies to your clinic in Kamina. A small team of Lion's Club members will meet me in Midland, Texas on September 20. They are going to learn vision screening techniques that you learned in Kamina. They are also going to learn how to operate equipment for vision screening. We will then return to Stephenville with a large order of glasses and reading glasses which we will prepare to send to you in Kamina. People from this team will plan to come to Kamina to bring supplies and complete the training for vision screening. Since we cannot bring all of the glasses with us via airplane, we will need to send most of them in advance.

For coordination on your part, will you consider where we need to ship the boxes of glasses and who will pick them up. How will the glasses be taken from the post office to Kamina.

I want to thank and encourage all of you in what you are doing to help others. I am so proud to know you and be able to work with you on this important project. If it was not for you, there would be no vision initiative.

My prayer is to see you again soon and further the project.

May God richly bless you,

Melody Ball
Kamina Vision Initiative
Project Coordinator


An important notice:
***People are tempted to try to fit themselves with glasses. Please know and encourage others that one cannot simply pick up a pair of glasses, put them on, and decide if they are the right prescription. The process takes time through screening with the snellen chart and focometer or autorefractor. One can damage their vision if they do not follow the right steps.


SPARV News from Betty Musau July 12, 2007

The special program on Substance, Abuse and related Violence in North Katanga Annual conference started in 2005. This program is present in so many places in North Katanga where drug was a taboo topic. Now people can talk about how bad it is in the life of idividuals. The culture of silence is broken.

Rev John Mutombo Mwembo , graduate from Africa University and Rev Kabongo Ilunga Boniface, master student in the faculty of theology at Africa University are two pastors who are running the program in the conference. They are trainers and the people behind Sparv program in North Katanga.

Sparv started from Kamina and it moved to Kalemie, Moba, and Kabongo areas where abuse was present. Demobilized soldiers and young people involved in drug consumption are today called sparv friends, where trainers have personal contact and they organize session of counselling and care.

Training has been conducted by the committee members, and participants were active. The membership was 36. North Katanga Sparv program is open to any guidance, advice, or support. Commitee members are at work. Please, join the rehabilitating process of brothers and sisters for the future.