Dear brethren,
I do thank you very much for the work you are doing for the spread of the gospel in East and Central Africa. Since the graduation in the month of May, we have been busy with the preparation for another intake. The ladies did not come as we had planned. Three of our ladies had given birth and their kids were still young. We plan to bring them after the Alumni seminar in September. On the 25th of June 2014 I left for Congo and arrived on the 28th of June 2014 at around mid day and from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm I was able to teach the brethren at Uvira. On the 29th of June 2014 I continued with my teachings during the worship.
After worship, brother Samuel Akilimali, one of our graduates, invited me for lunch at his home. His wife prepared a very nice meal of cassava flour bread with (kisafu) young cassava leaves cooked together with dried fish and a dish of fried meat. After that heavy lunch we jumped on a motor bike heading to Baraka in Fizi District. From Uvira to Baraka is 95 kilometers. For almost 70 kilometers the road was very rough with stones and holes and broken bridges.
We had two bursts during this travel to Baraka and because of that we arrived at around 8:00 pm. Brother Mtendjwa, the preacher of Baraka and the evangelist in Fizi District, brought us supper. After we had finished our supper, we had a knock at the door. When we opened it was the District security officer in charge of Fizi District, he had booked in the third room from my room where we were all sitting. He asked for my passport and I told him that it was detained at the border. I gave him the visa which they had given me at the border. After reading through he told me that I was not allowed to be in Baraka. He said the visa only allowed me to be in Uvira and then back to the border. He told me not to leave the room until I meet him in the morning. He went with my visa. In the morning at around 7:00 am we had a discussion with him, he told me that I have a case to answer. I must tell him why I was in Baraka while the visa was stating that I was to stop in Uvira. We pleaded with him and he said that he can forgive me if I will pay $100 dollar or else I should be taken to the police and record a statement. He checked in my bags and also opened up my computer and also checked my camera and looked for every photo I had taken. He checked all documents in my computer. After all that we gave him what he wanted and he told me that I should not have another night in Baraka. After that brother Mtendjwa brought us breakfast, but I did not have an appetite for it. I was cleared at around 10:00 am and went where the brethren were waiting for me to give them a word of God. Two brothers had traveled from Kilembwe on motor bike which is 250 kilometers from Baraka where we had a seminar on World Evangelism.
One of the brothers is a court prosecutor who working in Baraka courts was taught the truth by brother Mtendjwa. He was later transferred to Kilembwe courts. He did not keep the word of God for himself. He shared with people which resulted in a church in that area. He called for brother Mtendjwa to go and baptize them.
Brother Mtendjwa and his wife, after the support stopped, he did not stop preaching, even this new congregation was planted when he was no longer getting any support. Before he was staying in two rooms, but he was later chased away from those two rooms as he could not afford paying $30 dollars every month. He took me where he is staying, I saw what made me shed tears. He is staying in a room which is 6ft by 8ft. I only saw a mattress and three chairs squeezed together.
To come out of this problem, he told me that he has managed to purchase a plot, but he does not have funds to build on it. He is pleading for help that he may erect a small house which can cost $1,000 dollars.
The church in Baraka did make a contract with one member, brother Veza, who rented them a space to build a small church building for a period of five years. It now has 2 years remaining and the contract will end.
This is the only congregation in Congo with something they can call a worshiping place. They have built although on a rented land.
After I had taught three lessons on World Evangelism, we had our lunch, beans and rice. We started our journey to return to Uvira. From Uvira I used a taxi which took me to the Burundi border. When I reached the border I presented my visa to the officer who was on duty. He asked me where my passport was and I told him that the officer who was on duty when I was coming remained with it. He went and looked for it and handed it back to me after stamping on it. He warned me not to accept next time to leave my passport behind, as it is not lawful. I wondered which did the other officer used to detain my passport. I know now next time I will be very careful. I arrived in Bujumbura at 7 pm. I went and booked the morning bus to Kampala. I had asked the bus people for a hotel where I could spend a night. They told me to wait for them so that we may all stay in one hotel so that we come together in the morning. They called for a Hotel taxi which came for us. Very early in the morning we took another taxi to the bus station. The bus left at 6:30 am central Africa time and arrived in Kampala at 11:30 pm East Africa time. I had to look for a guest house near the Jaguar Bus terminal. In the morning at 10:00 pm I boarded a Busia taxi at the old taxi park. I arrived in Busia 2:30 pm very tired but thankful to God for a safe trip back home on the 3rd of July 2014. I found my wife Margaret doing fine. I am now working on plans to inform all the applicants to report for interviews on the 15th of July 2014. Those who will be accepted will stay behind waiting for the opening day on the 21st of July 2014. We request your prayers for the Lord’s work in Busia, Uganda.
Yours In Christ
Francis Wechesa