Hursts in Africa

Before I start - please notice the new family photo, along with our updated profile. I received quite a few comments the month of December - while blogging about the elections - about the outdated photo and ages of the kids. Thanks for the feedback - Emily, particularly, is happy to note that she is now 16 on this site, instead of 13!!

Now for an election update......I apologize for the sudden silence after such a busy blogging season during the month of December. We have had a Central, South, and Southern Africa retreat on the calendar for two years now. So over New Years we went to South Africa to participate in that, and the timing was perfect!! I have to tell you - I am SO thankful that the Assemblies of God recognizes the need for missionaries to receive ministry and that often that ministry not only involves preaching, worship, and prayer......but allowing us to get out of our countries of service, fellowship, rest, and relaxation. I have to say that I was about as fried and in need of a break as I have ever been. Two weeks in South Africa of spiritual ministry, wonderful fellowship, a beautiful climate, malls, and safaris was just what the doctor ordered! We came back to DRC refreshed, renewed, and ready to attack life here.

As for elections - the country is pretty much at a stalemate. The incumbent president, Joseph Kabila, won very internationally disputed elections. Despite the concerns and evidence of "irregularities" the supreme court confirmed the election results and Kabila was sworn in shortly before Christmas. Since then, the main opposition figurehead, Etienne Tshisekedi, has declared himself "president of the people", which has promptly landed him on house arrest, surrounded by military. Which is where he remains to this day. He has tried to have press conferences, which are for the most part squelched by the media and not allowed to be aired, he even tried to "go to work" at the presidential office - of course he did not even get as far as the road before being stopped by tanks, his supporters clubbed and tear gassed (this was just this past Thurs., Jan. 26th).

Many people say that this is "not over yet" and "we are sitting on a time bomb".....which could very well be true. Many people are unhappy, but the reality is - in much of Africa these time bombs could go off at any minute, or they could tick lazily away.....for years. You never know. So for now, we continue as normal. We are encouraged to "be vigilant" and to always have our cell phones on hand, but other than that, circulation is pretty much as normal as it can be here. We are happy to be getting out, interacting with our Congolese friends, and continuing with ministry.

Please continue to pray. Aside from the huge, publicized problem of the elections, there are many things that the Congolese face such as malaria at epidemic proportions, one of the highest malnutrition rates (for children under 5) in the world, a lack of services and medications for those with HIV, and gender based violence (such as rape) on an unprecedented scale. The church has such an opportunity to be light in a dark world.