MEDICS International -- The Fire Line News -- Volume 4, Issue 1

On the Fire Line by Bill Henwood

n excerpt from a recent trip report from our school planter in the Congo will give you an idea of the conditions in which he labors. For much of the last 12 months, he and his family have been living in Bangui, Central African Republic, where he planted MEDICS’ newest central African school. Between January 5 and February 28, 2004, he visited our pastor training centers in Gemena, Bumba, and Gbadolite — all in the neighboring country of Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) — and he investigated areas for new schools in Impfondo, Brazzaville and Kinshasa.

“All transportation means have been used: motorbike provided by MEDICS (3,600 Km), canoe (2 days), pirogue (small boat)(8 hours), car (45 Km between Dongou and Impfondo in Congo-Brazza), foot (8 Km per day for 4 days), plane (2 hours for Imfondo-Brazza and 4 hours for Kinshasa-Bumba). The cost of the transportation was more than planed (sic).”

Thanks to the efforts of this faithful and inspiring laborer, and others like him, in our eight pastor training schools on the Fire Line, MEDICS International and our partners have 800 students from 50 denominations all undertaking our unique curriculum. This is possible because God, in His mercy, has raised up generous and faithful supporters and partners for these schools. As we’ve outlined in previous newsletters, by and large these pastors are largely untrained and poorly educated when we enroll them in each center. The MEDICS International curriculum is similar to a vo-tech type and level of training, equipping our students to be more effective in their communities and in fulfilling The Great Commission. Church members testify that their pastors are getting more involved and being more effective in pastoral care and in preaching-teaching. Spouses notice the differences too.

As noted above, our Congolese “planter” has been targeting three Congo area towns: Imfondo, Brazzaville and Kinshasa. All three are strategic locations, but Impfondo bears special mention. As one of the key towns/cities in the region, Impfondo is under the economic control of Muslims, and their influence is very strong. We want to begin the school there right away. However, we need a funding commitment or sponsor for this school before we can make promises to prospective students (who are already located and recruited) and teachers, some of whom will have to relocate from Democratic Republic of Congo – no small matter. Similarly, there is an urgent need for a pastor training school in northern Uganda that will also impact southern Sudan, where systematic genocide of non-Muslims by Muslim militias has only recently gained the attention of the international community. That school, too, needs a sponsoring organization or individual before MEDICS can go forward.