UNITED METHODIST COMMITTEE ON RELIEF IMPLEMENTS

S A & D PROGRAM IN KASUNGAMI, DRC
 

CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER      DECEMBER 4, 2012
 

Child Action Initiative (CAI) was founded in 2006 by (Isaiah) Esaie Njimbu Chot. This mission serves through Nazareth United Methodist church (NUMC), in Kasungami, DRC in the South Katanga-Zambia Conference meeting the many needs of the 40,000 plus residents of Kasungami. These needs have been met by developing an on-going education program for HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children, drilling wells to increase the supply of potable drinking water,improving medical treatment, reconstruction of NUMC and construction of a new parsonage. Malnutrition and lack of an adequate food supply continues to be a major issue in this community.

 

Isaiah provided a report on the SA&D program summarizing the following:

 

October, 2011 a needs assessment was conducted by Ms. June Kim, Ms. Judith Santiago and Mr. Mozart Adevu with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to determine the need for the Sustainable Agriculture & Development (SA&D) program.

 

More than 200 people from eight communities attended a meeting to discuss food, nutrition and malnutrition problems. A host of problems were revealed such as: people are eating one meal a day; they do not grow a variety of foods or raise livestock; farming techniques must be improved.

The SA&D program is an initiative of the Hunger and Poverty Program office of UMCOR. Over the past eight years this program has operated with demonstrated success in five African countries - Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, DRC, and Mozambique.

 

Providing information through training is more useful and valuable in the long term than only providing money and materials. Knowledge cannot be destroyed by war, stolen or otherwise separated from the person. SA&D's priority is providing training, skills and information. The training and related activities are farmer centered and field based.
 

The SA&D program works in partnership with local churches and community organizations such as CAI with the goal to provide improvements in the standards of living in Kasungami, ensure food security, improve health and nutrition and reduce economic dependency for self sustain-ability.

Early 2012, implementation of the SA&D program began under the direction of trainers Mr. Tshinish and Ms. Nday from North Katanga Province, DRC, as follows:
 

Overall, 80 farmers from Kasungami communities and groups attended the trainings on production and utilization of soybeans and the Moringa tree. Information on the Moringa known as the tree of life provides protein and vitamins. This includes use of the leaves, flowers and roots as food and natural medicine. Soybeans were discussed as a source of protein including how to make soy milk, soy flour, prepare the beans plus recipes.
 

Interviews with people in Kamina, North Katanga Province, who have made Moringa a regular part of their diets pointed out that their health has improved. Those who have made selling Moringa products as part of their business have increased family incomes. Successful treatment of malnourished children with Moringa products have been well documented.
 

Five hundred Moringa trees have been planted in Kasungami. Moringa seeds and 600 poly bags have been distributed to enable people to establish Moringa tree nurseries and transplant the seedlings. Most of the trainees are involved in the extension of planting Moringa trees to help other families who have expressed the need. They are interested in making Moringa and soybean accessible for malnourished and community members who are obliged to purchase expensive nutritious foods.
 

Other topics taught: Integrated crop and pest management, restoring depleted soils as well as the judicious use of agrochemicals and the use of locally available alternative pesticides.

People are now excited to start training other community members and organizing sub-groups to develop Moringa and soybean programs in their respective villages and communities.
 

The next step is to incorporate the bee keeping program. The area is favorable with trees and other conditions for this activity.
 

The UMCOR Sustainable Agriculture & Development program provides hope for the future.

We are grateful to June Kim, Judith Santiago, Mozaret Adevu, Mr. Tshinish & Ms. Nday for their dedication to the SA&D program.
 

We wish to thank Edenton Street UMC, Raleigh, NC and Oak Ridge UMC, Oak Ridge, NC for their financial support to enable the implementation of the SA&D program.
 

If any churches or individuals wish to donate to the Kasungami SA&D program they may do so by sending their donations to Advance No.: 982188. Click on: DONATE NOW next to the Child Action Initiative Newsletter. Page 2, type in Advance No.: 982188. This procedure will take you to the Sustainable Agriculture & Development website.

Thank you for your continued interest in Child Action Initiative.

Blessings,
Bev & Ed Wentz

Beverly A. & Edward L. Wentz, Jr.
U.S. (UMVIM) Coordinators/Advocates for Child Action Initiative
Oak Ridge United Methodist Church
Oak Ridge, NC
North Piedmont District
Western North Carolina United Methodist Church Conference

　

　

Isaiah transplants a moringa seedling.

 

 

　

Villagers planting Moringa trees.

　



 

 

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA UNITED METHODIST CONFERENCE BUILDING TEAM VISITS KASUNGAMI, DRC TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF A PARSONAGE FOR NAZARETH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
 

CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER                 AUGUST 31, 2012

After a year plus planning, praying, fundraising and recruiting a "small" building team led by Max and Shirley Kern, members of Oak Ridge United Methodist Church (UMC), Oak Ridge, NC visited Kasungami, DRC to assist in the construction of a parsonage for Nazareth UMC. U.S. team members included: Jayne James, Good Hope UMC, Lexington, NC; Amy Hurley, Park Street UMC, Belmont, NC; Bill Baxter, Venice-Nokomis UMC, Nokomis,FL ; Dave Heiser, Fuquay Varina UMC, NC. It is not the size of the team that is important but rather the size of each team member's heart that matters.

Led by Child Action Initiative founder Esaie (Isaiah) Njimbu Chot, Nazareth UMC church members fabricated bricks; laid the building's footings in advance of the arrival of the U.S. team. This preliminary work enabled the DRC/U.S. partners to focus on erecting the parsonage's interior and exterior walls during the U.S. team's two week stay. The team also interacted with the children. Since the U.S. team returned home the local building team completed the walls and installed a corrugated roof.

We are also grateful to Joe Mabiala and fellow members of Edenton Street UMC, Raleigh, NC for their large donation of medicines and medical supplies to Child Action Initiative.

 

Following is Shirley Kern's story which captures the essence of the team's experience.

Bev & Ed Wentz

Bev & Ed Wentz

U.S. UMVIM Coordinators/Advocates for Child Action Initiative
Oak Ridge UMC, Oak Ridge, NC

When A Fork Is Not Just A Fork

Max and I recently returned from our mission trip to Kasungami, Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC), Africa, exhausted from the long travel time but exhilarated from our experiences. I have to admit I was somewhat apprehensive about spending two weeks in the DRC with threats of malaria, being in a village where "white people" are rare and there is no electricity. I kept having flashbacks of watching old Tarzan movies as a child. It turned out all my fears were unfounded as we were welcomed with warm and open arms with a wonderful hospitality I can only describe as "amazing".

 

God's love shone through the village as we were greeted by the members of the Sunday worship service and prepared for our work of building the parsonage. The worship service was inspiring with a guest female minister.  We could not understand the Swahili being spoken but the message was clear, God loves you. The young choir of about 20 blew our minds with their harmony and angelic voices. They could easily appear on the "Sing Off" with their rendition of our United Methodist songs sung in Swahili. The service lasted about three short hours and no one seemed to mind as they were truly praising and worshiping God. We could surely take a lesson from them!!

After church we were escorted to our quarters where we would live, sleep and eat for our two week stay.  As most of you know, this mission trip came about because of a providential meeting in 2005 between Ed and Bev Wentz and Isaiah Njimbu Chot on the campus of Africa University, Zimbabwe. That meeting changed the lives of Isaiah, Ed and Bev, as well as the lives of many, many people in Africa and the United States.　

 

That meeting culminated in the founding of "Child Action Initiative" (CAI). This endeavor helps AID's orphans and the very poor children who can not afford to go to school plus an outreach program for women to teach them skills such as sewing, knitting, etc. The center also provides medicines for those children who have no way of purchasing them.　

The "CAI" Activities Center consists of three rooms, a pharmacy, office and one larger all-purpose room where the classes are taught. This building was built on the Methodist church property across the street from the church and adjacent to a new well drilled by Hershey PA Rotarians. To our amazement they had cleared out the office and large room for us to use.  They had borrowed beds, mattresses and mosquito netting from a nearby Catholic mission so we would not have to sleep on the floor as we had expected. To our total amazement they had also built a new African toilet and two areas where we could shower with our camping shower bags. This new addition was connected to the "CAI" building where they knocked out a window and created a new door.  All this was done for our use and convenience while no one else in the community has any of these amenities.  How is that for hospitality? This was only the beginning of the love and graciousness we received at the hands of these wonderful people.

We had hoped our Conference Building Teams Program would be able to send three teams to build the parsonage and raise the needed $15,000 for building materials. Unfortunately, only six people could make the commitment of time, talent and funds to this project. Max and myself from Oak Ridge, NC, Jayne from Lexington, NC Amy from Charleston, SC, Dave from Fuquay Varina,, NC and Bill from Florida. We prayed God would provide a way and he never lets us down. Thanks to the generosity of many people with a heart for this ministry along with help from above, our small team was able to raise $15,000 for construction materials.  Many people donated medicine and medical supplies, clothes, school supplies and much needed new sign for the church.  We filled our bags to the limit and delivered much needed and much appreciated supplies.  There were tears in their eyes as we unpacked all our supplies.

Our work on the parsonage began in earnest the next morning.  Please visualize 10,000 hand-made bricks the members of the church had waiting when we arrived.  I can only imagine how many hours of hard labor went into making these bricks.  The church could not afford to buy the bricks but made the commitment of hand making them so they could help in finally obtaining a parsonage for the church.  The church is currently renting a parsonage but cannot afford the monthly rent from their meager earnings.  Also it was hard to attract vibrant ministers with families because of the lack of a place to live.   So, the commitment was there but our help was still needed to make their vision a reality.  We did far more work than we ever thought possible.　



Our first day began with deciding how to get all the bricks from where they were made to the construction site. God soon worked that out for us.  We started our trek from brick pile to job site trying to carry two to three bricks weighing around 10 to 15 pound each.  The children of the village had been watching us from a safe distance, not sure what to think of the strange white people that had invaded their existence.  Their curiosity soon got the better of them and in no time at all they were following us to the brick pile and bringing them back for us!!  What a blessing to work with these people for a common goal.  Soon women were carrying three and four bricks on their head to help us along with children with babies on their backs helping too.

Over the next two weeks, bricks were carried, bricks were stacked, bricks were cleaned and bricks were laid.  Everyday we marveled at how much was accomplished working along side all the volunteers from the community and church.  Many volunteers that helped were not even members of the church. By the end of our time there, all exterior and interior walls were laid with bricks up to the top of the windows. We were so happy with the progress but it was only accomplished with God's help. With additional funding this project will continue by the local people until the completion of the parsonage.

The work accomplished was only a part of this experience.  We met most every afternoon with a group of children doing crafts, and teaching them songs and games.  It was so much fun getting to know these wonderful loving children. We were not sure who the orphans were as they had been taken into the homes of other relatives or sometimes just a neighbor who cared for them as their own.  The women in the community worked so hard tending their crops where they have to water them by hand twice a day during the dry season.  They dip buckets into shallow, hand dug wells which are everywhere and a hazard when you are walking in the dark.  They cook on small hibachi style grills for their families and wash their laundry and babies from a bucket of water drawn from the local neighborhood well.  No electricity for anyone here.
We had volunteers who cooked for us and they arrived very early and stayed until after dark. It was a challenge for them to feed the Americans who are so use to eating three squares a day. I asked if they ate three meals a day and was told if they were lucky, they ate twice a day.  A lot of them only get to eat once a day. Even though we were paying for our food, it still made the food stick in my throat on more than one occasion.　

After our candlelight dinners (it is their winter and dark comes early) we held our devotions and team meetings sitting around the dinner table.  Isaiah joined us often and one night he was thanking us for the medicine, clothes, shoes, toys, school supplies, etc. we had brought with us. He made a statement to us that had us scratching our heads.  He said "sometimes a fork is not just a fork".　 He further explained, every single thing we brought had a purpose and God knew who would get each and everything sent. Each dose of medicine had a name on it, each pair of shoes was desperately needed by a particular child. This became evident when I saw two sisters standing side by side. One sister had on the left shoe and one sister had on the right shoe because there was only one pair of shoes for them. Sometimes when we send something small and seemingly trivial to us, someone there is in desperate need of it.  He went on to say, it might just be a fork to us but to them it represents something they desperately need.  So, everything we send fulfills a need someone there desperately has. They were SO VERY THANKFUL for everything we brought with us. Thank all of you for your donations. They were received with such gratitude!



　

Even though we reached our $15,000 goal for construction materials, we do not have enough money to complete the project. Based on latest estimates and due to inflation, we will need an additional $5000. I hope you will help us raise the additional $5000 so they will be able to complete the parsonage before the rain season arrives in October/November.  Please send donations to: Oak Ridge UMC, memo "Nazareth UMC Parsonage Construction Materials", 2424 Oak Ridge Rd, Oak Ridge, NC 27310.　
　

I feel so blessed to have spent time with the people of Kasungami. They were warm, loving, generous and kind to us, just as God wants us to treat our fellow Christians. I keep going back to our United Methodist hymn, "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love".  So very true!!

Peace and Love,

Shirley Kern

Our team and church members

 

 

The foundation was in place when we arrived

 



 

Children helped carry bricks to the work site

 

 

The walls are going up

 

 

Eddie and Yvette in the men's quarters

 

 

The local work team continues to build

 

 

The roof is on!

 



NAZARETH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PARSONAGE

BUILDING MATERIAL FUND

 

CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER         MARCH 18, 2012



In a previous newsletter we announced plans for a Child Action Initiative project to recruit members for a building team to construct a parsonage for Nazareth United Methodist Church, Kasungami, Democratic Republic of the Congo, June 15-30, 2012. A team has been organized and an Orientation Meeting for team members was held Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge, North Carolina.

Approximately $6,000 is still needed for the Parsonage Building Material Fund to assure the parsonage can be completed.

Please consider making a donation of any amount to the Nazareth UMC Parsonage Building Material Fund and send donations to:

Oak Ridge United Methodist Church
2424 Oak Ridge Road
Oak Ridge, NC 27310
USA

Please note on check or envelope: Nazareth UMC Parsonage Building Material Fund.
Thank you so much for your consideration in supporting this project.

Blessings,

Bev & Ed

Bev & Ed Wentz, U.S. Coordinators for Child Action Initiative

CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE 2011 UPDATE

   CHILD ACTION INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER        JANUARY 31, 2012

January 2012 marks the third year for the Child Action Initiative Newsletter to inform supporters on progress and accomplishments of this worthy mission founded by Isaiah Njimbu Chot in 2006.

We are grateful for prayers offered during Isaiah’s &Yvette’s young son Eddie’s bout with malaria and typhoid fever before and during the Christmas holiday 2011. Thank you Ms. Paulette West, Executive Director of the United Methodist Volunteer in Mission program, Southeastern Jurisdiction, Decatur, GA and Mr. Tom Corson, Executive Director of Servants in Faith & Technology (SIFAT), Lineville, AL for contacting Mr. Hugh Guffey and his son Dr. Brad Guffey a medical missionary serving in Zambia and friends of Isaiah, for providing guidance during this difficult period. Also, we thank Shannon Trilli, with United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for contacting Siméon Kashala, MD, MPH, Eglise Méthodiste-United, Médecin Directeur Hopital Samuteb/Kapanga,DRC for additional guidance.

Eddie responded well to treatment of antibiotics and intravenous fluids at a clinic in the City of Lubumbashi, DRC. He returned home for Christmas and is doing well.

Milestones reached by Child Action Initiative (CAI) in 2011 under the direction of Isaiah & wife Yvette:

• CAI received a grant from UMCOR for orphan education program. Currently 100 children are enrolled in the primary, high and professional schools. They are provided food, uniforms, supplies and school fees. All performed well and are making significant progress for further studies. This program provides new opportunities and is transforming lives;

• Three wells drilled and pumps installed January 2011 by World Vision in Kasungami, DRC. Wells were dedicated March 22, 2011 during a community wide ceremony. This project was made possible through donations from Hershey, PA Rotary Club and individuals;

• Development & implementation of women’s sewing and micro-business programs to ultimately generate family incomes;

• CAI received donations from Sydney Wentz to purchase 50 pairs of shoes and socks. Isaiah reported the children danced and sang: “we got presents, we got presents.”

• Dispensed over-the-counter medications provided by Dave, Bev & Ed from CAI Pharmacy located in the activities center by Sylvia, a volunteer from City of Lubumbashi;

• Dave Heiser visited in September, 2011 to meet with Isaiah and the congregation of Nazareth UMC to plan the parsonage for the pastor and family and address logistical issues related to the project. Dave also provided donations to purchase glass for the church windows and doors which was installed by Isaiah and church members;

• Representatives of (UMCOR) June Kim and Mozart Adevu and United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) Judith Santiago visited Kasungami October 2011, to meet with Isaiah, Yvette and the residents to begin implementation of UMCOR’s Sustainable Agriculture and Development Program;

• The construction of church latrines started by Dave and Isaiah in 2010 were completed by church members in 2011 under the direction of Isaiah;

• Kasungami orphans celebrated Christmas 2011. A party was organized at the CAI Center including food, songs, dances, competition and games;

• Recruiting continues for Nazareth UMC’s Parsonage Building Team to visit Kasungami, DRC June 15-30, 2012. Cost is $3,000 per participant including airfare, room and board. Application and medical forms available at: www.wnccumc.org/vim/bgt-ScheduleStatus.htm. Application deadline is the Team Orientation Meeting March 11, 2012, at Oak Ridge UMC, Oak Ridge, NC.

• Donations for the $15,000 Nazareth United Methodist Church Parsonage Building Material Fund gratefully accepted. Please send donations to: Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, 2424 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge, NC 27310 and note: Donation for: Nazareth UMC Parsonage Building Material Fund. (Tax deductible.)

If you wish to make a tax deductible donation to support Child Action Initiative, Advance No.: 3021036, please click on the “DONATE Now to this Advance Project” button on right side of this newsletter. Please complete amount and designate area of interest. 100% of your donation is applied to Child Action Initiative.

(Please see photos below)

Blessings,

Isaiah Njimbu Chot, Founder and Executive Director of Child Action Initiative
The United Methodist Church South Congo & Zambia Episcopal Area
Kasungami/Lubumbashi, DRC

Beverly A. Wentz, R.N. (Ret.) & Edward L. Wentz, Jr., P.E. (Ret.)
U.S. UMVIM Coordinators for Child Action Initiative
Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge, NC
Greensboro District
Western North Carolina United Methodist Conference

David Heiser, P.E., B.C.E.E.
U.S. UMVIM Technical Advisor for Child Action Initiative
Fuquay Varina United Methodist Church, Fuquay Varina, NC
Raleigh District
North Carolina United Methodist Conference

Dedicating the New Well near Nazareth UMC



Hand Made Bricks Fabricated by the Nazareth UMC Congregation

for the Parsonage

SHOES ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO A CHILD'S EDUCATION AND SELF-ESTEEM.

"My guardians couldn't afford to buy me shoes I needed for my education and protection. It was so challenging, what then will become of feet without new shoes and socks? I could succumb to peer pressure and become robber to get them," said Joka Lumeka.

Many children are living with financial difficulties. Some of the children never had their own pair of shoes. These are not for a status symbol, but play important roles of protecting the feet from the hazards of the outside world.

"The provision of shoes can free up family budgets and keep us in school. Thanks to Sydney’s generosity for giving children school shoes. It was so exciting to be getting new shoes," said Joka Lumeka with a smile.

Eddie Chot