Muoyo -- Life to You

Working in Congo

Who and what all was involved in making your Thanksgiving’s Day meal? Probably two, three, or four persons were involved, even if they just brought a dish to the feast. Probably you used all four cooking eyes on your stove including the conventional oven and microwave oven. Working in Congo is like cooking a great feast for Thanksgiving’s Day.

If you want to do good things in Congo, it takes many hands, many feet, and many ideas. Many hands are needed here and over there. Congo, a developing country in the middle of developing continent, requires many hands. Labor-saving machinery or equipment is just not available. Actually, labor-saving equipment is frowned upon due to a high underemployment rate of 82 percent. When introducing new ideas, procedures and technologies, you have to be considerate of the impact on the employment situation.

 
Pictured are the 15 Congolese men who manually loaded our Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) in the train for shipment to Mweka (close to Bulape).

You need many people on the ground (feet) doing things to accomplish a task or mission. There is no one-stop shopping or services available in the Congo. There are no Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, or other large store to purchase needed items. You spend hours walking around and asking the same questions over and over again.

Finally, you need to be flexible and have numerous ideas and options to accomplish your task. Even if you check your list twice or three times, you are bound to forget something. And sometime, things just don’t go as planned. You learn to make do with you have.

I hope you appreciated your Thanksgiving’s Day feast. Please pray for God’s continued guidance as we help our brothers and sisters in Congo.

Blessings,

Woody M. Collins

The Harvest Continues

October was nature’s month of harvest. Farmers spent countless hours in their fields. They gathered their crops for storage or sale. But, we continue to gather equipment and supplies for our Congo projects.

Last month, I reported that we took delivery of our Wood-Mizer saw mill and a Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV). During October, we picked up about 4,000 pounds of school bags and supplies, sewing kits, newborn kits, blankets, and medicine boxes. The supplies and equipment were donated by the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Chatham, Illinois (near Springfield). Also, we picked some crutches, a wheel chair, an audiometer, and other medical equipment from the Mission Outreach of Hospital Sisters Health System in Springfield, Illinois.

 

The community of faith in Crawfordsville (Indiana) was busy during the month of October. Members of the First Church of the Nazarene, First Christian Church, First Methodist Church, Christ Lutheran Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, and Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church joined hands to save a life. The churches raised enough funds to purchase a second BUV for our Congo Water Project. The BUV will be used to haul drilling water and equipment.

Completed water wells will bring safe clean drinking water to rural poor Congolese. And water well in villages will allow Congolese girls and boys from having to walk hours a day for water. Also, water well will supply water for family gardens to eliminate hungry.

By the end of November, we plan to take possession of that second BUV. Also, we plan to pick up our LS-300H drilling rig from Texas. Then, it’s time for packing a container and shipping to Congo. Next month, we will have a more detail plans about shipping and delivery to Congo.

Please pray for God’s continued guidance to help our poor brothers and sisters in Congo.

What Rural Schools Are Like

The fairy tale of the three little pigs can tell us a lot about the schools in rural Congo. The schools are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds. The big bad wolf just huffs, puffs and blows them down.

 

Some things, you do not forget. It may be a fairy tale, a nursery rhyme or a song. It may be a Bible verse or a Bible story. Or it may be an event or image. For me, it is the blown down school classroom in Bulape, Congo. It was during our April 2005 mission trip to the Congo.

 
Most of the classrooms at one of the two elementary schools were damaged or demolished. The classrooms were not demolished by a tornado. But it caused by a rain shower accompanied by a strong wind. It was an event that I will never forget.

The classrooms at two of elementary school are built in the traditional rural Congolese fashion. They are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds. It was destroyed by nature’s big bad wolf. We were moved to build better, stronger, and longer lasting elementary schools. Bricks, as used by the third little pig, would withstand the winds, rain, and the big bad wolf. But we quickly found out that bricks and cement are expensive commodities in Congo. They were even more expensive in rural Congolese villages like Bulape.  We were determined. So, the school renovation program would take a decade to complete instead of just few years.

Last fall that was all changed, another building process was revealed to me. After seeing a news story about the plight of roadside vinyl billboards in our landfills, I thought of win-win situation. A solution to getting rid of or use the unneeded vinyl billboards and a solution to building better, stronger, and longer lasting classroom. We would use the vinyl billboard as a light-weight, durable building materials. It would be like a big vinyl camping tent with a wood frame.

Under normal conditions, traditional rural schools have to be replaced or rebuilt every 2-3 years. The mud, sticks, and palm fronds are just not good building materials.

 
In the spring or summer of 2011, we plan to replace half of the classrooms (six) at the two (rural) elementary schools in Bulape. New vinyl classrooms will replace the current classrooms of mud, sticks, and palm fronds. We have purchased a portable saw mill to produce lumber. An Architecture Mission Team of Andrews University, a Christian university, is working on a sturdy, durable, and usable design. And we will start collecting enough the vinyl billboard to complete six classrooms.

 

The First Vinyl School Is Under Design

Do you know how to build a vinyl class room? I did not have detailed plans or know-how. A team of architects will put their best ideas down on paper.

 
Our vinyl classroom project took one more step forward. We have found a designer. Actually, it is the Architectural Mission Team of Andrews University, a Christian university located in Michigan.

The team will design the vinyl classroom project. The classroom will replace traditional stick, mud, and thatched roof classrooms. The classroom will be designed for usability and sustainability in rural Congo. A major consideration is the warm weather. Natural ventilation will have to be accommodated. Also, ample natural lighting will be required for students. Finally, the classroom will incorporate a rain water collection. The availability of water will be used to attract and sustain the attendance of girls in school.

In addition, the team will produce a bill of materials for the vinyl classroom project. The bill of materials will provide the specific amount of lumber needed to construction a vinyl class room. Along with the bill of materials will be general building instructions and plans to follow.

The team asked for the half sheet of vinyl billboard above. Different techniques will be tested to attach the vinyl to the wood frame.

The First Vinyl School Is Funded

Late this year or early next year, you will be able to fly over the village of Bulape and immediately identify the newest elementary school below.  It will be buildings that advertise some American event, product, or service.  It will be buildings made out of used vinyl billboard signs.

 
Last month, I wrote about the ‘Built to Last’ project.  It’s a project to build classroom made out of used vinyl billboard signs for rural Congo.  At the end of article, I mentioned that I had just spoken at the Presbyterian Church in Hartford City.  The following week, I heard from a couple of the church.

I had met with the couple after church.  During this period, I discussed the project in more detail.  I had estimated that a complete school will cost about $3,000 or $500 per classroom.  They responded and provided enough funds to build an entire school consisting of six classrooms.  Also, they funded a (to be designed) rain water collection system for the school.

“We were delighted to learn more about the ministry in Congo to which God has directed you these last years.  As we have talked about our visit since, we believe God would have us share a portion with you of a gift we have recently received.”

Thanks be to God.  Thanks again for Faith’s donations to the project.  As a result, others have joined me and provided the seeds for the first vinyl classroom school.

Built to Last - The Vinyl Classroom Project

Built to Last

The fairy tale of the three little pigs can tell us a lot about the schools in rural Congo.  The schools are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds.  The big bad wolf just huffs, puffs and blows them down.

Some things, you do not forget.  It may be a fairy tale, a nursery rhyme or a song.  It may be a Bible verse or a Bible story.  Or it may be an event or image.  For me, it is the blown down school classroom in Bulape, Congo.  It was during our April 2005 mission trip to the Congo. 

      

  

The classroom was not demolished by a tornado.  But it caused by a rain shower accompanied by a strong wind.  It was an event that I will never forget.

The classrooms at two of elementary school are built in the traditional rural Congolese fashion.  They are made out sticks, mud, and palm fronds.  It was destroyed by nature’s big bad wolf.

We were moved to build better, stronger, and longer lasting elementary schools.  Bricks, as used by the third little pig, would withstand the winds, rain, and the big bad wolf.  But we quickly found out that bricks and cement are expensive commodities in Congo.  They were even more expensive in rural Congolese villages like Bulape.  We were determined.  So, the school renovation program would take a decade to complete instead of just few years. 

Last fall that was all changed, another building process was revealed to me.  After seeing a news story about the plight of roadside vinyl billboards in our landfills, I thought of win-win situation.  A solution to getting rid of or use the unneeded vinyl billboards and a solution to building better, stronger, and longer lasting classroom.  We would use the vinyl billboard as a light-weight, durable building materials.  It would be like a big vinyl camping tent with a wood frame.

I found a local source of vinyl billboards.  They donated to us two and a half billboards.  The missing is another part of the story.  Also, we need a way to produce large amounts of consistently milled lumber in Congo.  A small portable sawmill came to mind.  We even located another local dealer.  Now, we just needed some extra funding.  Faith’s Mission Ministry Unit and its Enduring Gifts Foundation agreed to fund the sawmill.  The final step, designing a vinyl classroom, may be worked by Purdue University’s Chapter of Engineers Without Borders. 

For more details, please review a copy of recent message delivered at the Hartford City Presbyterian Church, download a copy of my Powerpoint Presentation, Download Built To Last - sermon.

Jesus answered the Jews saying: "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." John 10:25-30

Thanks to Faith Presbyterian Church generous donations, our school renovation program will take a few years instead of a decade.

Written by Woody M. Collins

President, Congo Helping Hands, Inc.

www.CongoHelpingHands.org

What Do You Want For Christmas?

That’s what my daughter, Leah, asked me.  This time of the year, that’s a familiar question.  I will bet you have been asked that question at least once, too.  She caught me off-guard and started me thinking.  Now, what do I want and what do I really need?

 

After just a few seconds, I realized what I really wanted.  For the last year, I have asked about a thousand people for it.  I have dreamed about it.  Many times, I have prayed about it.  And I have asked God to give to me because I really need it.

I want a LS-300 portable water well drilling rig.  I really want to drill water wells in central Congo.  It would change my life.  More importantly, it would change the lives of thousands of Congolese.

In village of Bulape, the Congolese girls ask for and need clean water.  And they ask for and need water closer to their homes, schools, and health clinics.  Also, I know many other rural villages need clean and close water.  Seven out of ten rural Congolese do not have access to clean water.  I really want to offer them this water that’s clean and close.

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42

I need your financial and prayer support to purchase a LS-300 portable water well drilling rig.  Please help me bring clean and close water to these little ones.  Your financial gifts can be sent directly to Congo Helping Hands or they can be sent as a designated church donation. 

Also, you can support clean water in Congo by purchasing our 2010 calendar.

A PDF version of this post is available, Download What Do You Want for Christmas.

A Bucket of Clean Water

Inflation is a fact of life. You realize most things are getting more expensive over time. It takes more resources to live. Also, we use more or need more to live now. Today, it takes a bucket of cold water is to sustain life.

 

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

In Congo, girls and women are busy carrying water, each and every day. Their families (or employers) depend on them for water. The price of a cup of water is very expensive when you consider it arrived in a bucket or jerry can. Also, it probably took hours to obtain a few gallons of water.

Virtually, Congolese do not have access to running water in their home. Even if you live in a town or city, you would walk a few miles to a central water faucet. Or if you live in a village, you would walk a few miles to a water source. Finally, more than likely your water source is dirty water from a spring, creek, or river.

We, Congo Helping Hands, plan to drill water wells in central Congo. These water wells give buckets of clean water to thousands of Congolese. These water wells will be located closer the people, too. Your financial and prayer support will give buckets of clean water to these little ones. You can support clean water in Congo by purchasing our 2010 calendar.

Download a PDF version of this article, Download A Bucket of Water.

Expected to Fail in the DRC

The handicapped children of the Congo are expected to fail in life. Many of these children have been denied food, clothing, a place to sleep, also an education. Some of these children have even been left to die in the jungles of the DRC. The Mpandilu Center in Kananga has changed much of this. They take physically and mentally handicapped as well as the deaf children. They give them an education. they provide vocational training. They meet all there religious training as well. When these children leave the school they can survive and take care of them self's and their families. We will be helping to raise funds this coming year. This will allow us to complete the main building, and will provide the school with a bus which is needed to provide the handicapped children safe and reliable transportation.

Expected to Fail in the DRC

The handicapped children of the Congo are expected to fail in life. Many of these children have been denied food, clothing, a place to sleep, also an education. Some of these children have even been left to die in the jungles of the DRC. The Mpandilu Center in Kananga has changed much of this. They take physically and mentally handicapped as well as the deaf children. They give them an education. they provide vocational training. They meet all there religious training as well. When these children leave the school they can survive and take care of them self's and their families. We will be helping to raise funds this coming year. This will allow us to complete the main building, and will provide the school with a bus which is needed to provide the handicapped children safe and reliable transportation.