Hebrews 10:35-39

New mercies this morning began in Hebrews and Habakkuk, “My righteous one shall live by faith…” or “the just live by faith…”

Little did I know what divine appointments God had for our team in Kinshasa today.

Appointment #2… 2PM: Pastor Muller and his staff at the orphanage Bomoi Ya Sika (Mercy Home or New life) demonstrate this principle, this philosophy of living by faith. Each day they care for their growing family of orphans confident that Jesus will heal, restore and guide them into a better future.

A beautiful little girl, whom I guessed to be about 2-3 years old, was carried to the porch and set down during the introductions of all the orphans. She made eye contact with me immediately and carefully navigated the few steps to me as one who is just learning to walk. I gladly picked her up and she quickly snuggled to my chest and fell asleep.

This scene was cute and heart warming at first. Then we learned that this precious child was actually eight years of age and had barely made it through the week. My heart was stirred. Suffering from malnutrition and dreadfully ill she and her sister had been brought to the nearby clinic of Bon Berger (Good Shepherd) by her grandmother. God had shown mercy to this little family who was being blessed by the faith of the Bomoi Ya Sika community.

Appointment #1… 10AM: Living by faith is Pastor Mavungu’s church planting model. In his office hangs a 5 year plan for planting churches throughout the D.R. Congo.

Each year college students work hard to raise funds to participate in Shalom, a summer mission trip program. Instead of teaching Vacation Bible School, or painting a church wall or participating in simple labour projects, their goal is to birth a body of believers among a people group.

With a big smile on his face, Mavungu explains the strategy. One of the Shalom participants must volunteer to become a pastor and will be left behind to shepherd the new flock that God will gather during their one month of ministry. The supporting team of college students will participate in a wide variety of outreaches, ranging from door-to-door evangelism to open air programs. Their work is preceded by a month of training in evangelism, discipleship and community development.

Their church plants are partially financed through agriculture. A field was purchased recently where the participants sow, grow and harvest produce to help pay the salary of the new pastors and offset the rent of the humble shelters that serve as places of worship.

Shalom is practicum of living by faith fueled by a vision to see D.R. Congo become a nation for Christ, a nation of hope, and a nation living out Shalom… God’s peace found in and through Jesus.

Appointment #3… 5PM: “What does a mutual partnership look like from your perspective?” was a question I asked of Jean Baptiste’s group of college students. [this group meets each week at Paroisse Missionaire for Bible study and encouragement on Friday evenings.]

A young woman was first to answer to with a passionate counter question and explanation of the tremendous needs and hopelessness of their generation in D.R. Congo. “Lacking access to technologies, infrastructure and resources… how can we as DRC youth offer our brothers and sisters anything in exchange?”

Jean Baptiste reframed her response and urged the group to consider what they have to offer the world without referencing their tremendous needs. Slowly at first they responded, but soon there was no hope the conversation could be translated to English for my benefit because the pace of responses quicked.

The students caught a vision for hosting summer ACTION participants from North America in their university dorms or homes for a few days each summer. They could share their growing knowledge of their study areas, their culture, their love of God, their modes of worship, their entrepreneurship and their friendship.

I got the sense that Jean Baptiste had succeeded in leading the group to an “ah ha” moment that the body of Christ lives by faith, not by technology, not through infrastructure, and not through gifts of finances. The body of Christ is meant to strengthen, encourage and comfort one another for building of God’s kingdom through our knowledge of Christ and our participation with Christ in his mission.

I wonder what tomorrow’s little devotional nugget will be?