New Life …..

New Hope

Travel to the Congo

February 2010

Travel Companions

•WHITMAN, JEFFREY SPENCER, SHEILA •UCC Conference Minister Disciples Homeland Ministries - Women Department•Detroit, Michigan Merger Staff of National Convocation

Indianapolis, Indiana

LEARNED, ROBERT HOOD, NICHOLAS IIISon of Former Missionaries to Congo Senior PastorMajor Contributor to Pediatric Wing Plymouth UCC ChurchTucson, Arizona Detroit, Michigan

•MCCRAE, LINDA SCHAFER, DARLA•Co-Chair of Common Global Ministries Board Member of Common Global Ministries Board•Minister – Central Christian Church and Wider Church Ministries Board•Indianapolis, Indiana Bismarck, North Dakota

•GOURDET, SANDRA•Global Ministries Area Executive, for Africa

•Indianapolis, Indiana

REPUBLIC OF CONGO

•Population--3,039,126 •Capital City --Brazzaville (1,169,900) pop.•Country is nearly the size of Montana,• More than 60% covered with tropical rainforests and with grasslands and bush in the north

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Population -- 68 million•Capital City – Kinshasa (population 8 million)•Country is about size of U.S. east of the Mississippi •Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, diamonds, gold, coltan (columbite + tantalite), other minerals; petroleum; wood; hydroelectric potential.

DELAYS, DELAYSSevere winter snowstorm delayed trip by two days

Finally……At Hotel in Kinshasa

Early Sunday morning flight to Mbandaka along Congo River

Landing at Mbandaka

Welcome at Mbandaka airport

Welcome at Mbandaka airport

Dedication of Pediatric Wing

Pediatric Wing – Before and After

Linda McCrae and the Central Connection

OLEKO ?

Robert Learned returning to his roots

Vice-Governor cuts Ribbon

Children at Bolenge

express joy

Preparation for Dedication of

Air Congo School

CDCC Headquarters

WORSHIP At BOYEKA VILLAGE

Sheila Spencer at home

WORSHIP At BOYEKA VILLAGE

Jeffrey Whitman

In Partnership

FUN (and FOND) Moments at BOYEKA

•Nick Hood and Eliki Bonanga hip-hopping

•Darla Schafer finds her passion

BRAZZAVILLE Welcome at the church

BRAZZAVILLE Welcome in homes

Soapmaking in Brazzaville

New Friends…New Beginnings

Beneath the African Sky

Indianapolis OfficeP.O. Box 1986Indianapolis, IN 46206-1986(317) 713-2575fax: (317) 635-4323email: sgourdet@dom.disciples.org

psanborn@dom.disciples.org

Cleveland Office700 Prospect Avenue, 7th FloorCleveland, OH 44115-1100(216) 736-3202fax: (216) 736-3203email: wcm@ucc.org

www.globalministries.org