Encouragement

Well today is another day here at UCBC!

This week we are sort of back to normal… I’m still trying to figure out what a normal week is! Classes are moving forward, professors are giving quizzes, and we’re waiting for the rain to bring the dust down! I’m told that even though the roads seem dusty, that it’s nothing compared to the days when we’ll be without rain for 10 days… It’s only been two days without rain so far and we are seeing clouds of dust all over the roads.

But it’s been really nice here the past few days… Today it’s a bit cooler, but even on Sunday after church, we walked home. It was nice to be in the sun and in the fresh (and dusty!) air… It must have been about 90 in the sun though! Walking home with the sun on my back was good – and wow, were we hot!

Well it has been a surprising blessing to have Laura, Justin and Luke here. I didn’t know how much I had been in need of just a little interaction with people my age… And we’ve watched a few episodes of the Office! By the way… if this trend continues, I may end up becoming a fan of that show! Hahah. But on Sunday, the four of us spent a good amount of time playing a game of cards. It was called "Tonk" and I happened to win (graciously, of course!), to one of my new brother’s chagrin ;) Wow it was good to play cards though… So relaxing and it just really seemed to prepare me for the week and gave me so much rest! It was a fantastic way to end the day! This week has been good… We had visitors from Goma this week. It was good to meet and spend time with Christina and Chelsea… Not only did we get to hear a little more about Heal Africa, where they work, and the situation in Goma, but we spent last night making quesadillas and tortilla chips! Wow, what a treat!! All six of us muzungus went to work preparing for our dinner... Four hours later - we ate! :) It seemed like such a good idea to have a little grease and oil in my system… But boy did I have heartburn later on that night!! At any rate – I know that I have girls in Goma who I can always call on while I’m here, and even people that I’ll know and enjoy, whenever I get to Goma (which won’t be anytime soon, don’t worry Mom!). I feel so fortunate to have received so much encouragement this week. It wasn't always intentional and I don't know if people even realized how encouraging they were to me. But it's these small blessings that I cherish and am so grateful to receive!

Speaking of Goma, we still have quiet and calm here. There are still heartbreaking stories coming from the south, but we have not lost hope. The people are hopeful, especially as we hear that Nkunda is withdrawing troops.

Please continue to pray for the people of Congo and for UCBC.

And enjoy the photos :) This one here is of one of the bugs that Grace found outside last night... They were huge!!! And I think they sting... I don't know why they showed up in the grass or what their purpose is... But I'll stick to killing small insects and leave these big suckers to the boys!

With love,
Bethany

YUMMMM

Campus Cultivation

Hello!

Well Saturday was a work day here at UCBC and boy, did we work! It wasn't for more than three hours... But with about 110 people (Luke counted), we were able to get so much done!

From cutting down the tall grass and uncovering the basketball court to digging up plants and cutting down trees... We worked hard! But the results were well worth it... And now we have been joined by the architects so we will begin to break ground this week on the Community Center!

Take a look at some of the pictures that I’ve uploaded http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bethany.erickson/UCBCWorkProgram# . The students were surprised that I knew how to use a hoe… I don’t know what they were expecting, but I assured them that I was taught well by my mother in our garden!! Granted, this type of digging was a bit harder than just hoeing a row for corn… But digging away at the dirt and roots was good exercise. It felt good to be active and working hard on Saturday… It kind of seemed like I’d been less active than normal lately, so the work was welcomed!

Ah but the students. It was amazing to have almost 100 students here, working hard for their campus, for their university. These students know that we need to have the Community Center and classrooms in order to accept another incoming class of students next year. So even though some of us would consider it to be “back-breaking work,” they were happy to do it. It’s so good to see them grasping the vision of UCBC and the impact it has not only on themselves, but on their community.

It is so good to have our architects, Dick and Eileen here with us. It was a long journey to get them here, but we praise God that they are with us and ready to work! We are too and are excited for the future.

We were given a matching grant from an organization, which is enabling us to begin work on the Community Center. We need to still raise support in order to maximize the impact and gift of the matching grant. But we are continuously in prayer – trusting that the Lord will move people and that He will provide.

http://www.congoinitiative.org/

Please keep us, UCBC, in your prayers.

In case you’ve been reading about Goma… Let me continue to emphasize that we are safe, well, and happy here in Beni. Like I mentioned before, we have just been joined by the couple from the States. Although they had problems getting here, they did not have travel difficulties because of Goma or any issues related to Congo. The conflict is still very centralized on the areas that you are hearing about in the news. We also have been told that the news in the States makes it sound much worse than it is… Dick was kind enough to bring back a few news articles about Congo to show us how bad things sound there!! All this to say, that we are safe, in the Lord’s hands, and enjoying a sort of quiet (though never dull), life here in Beni.

Much love to you all…
Bethany

Congolese Realities

Argh, I hate loosing my work! I had written a post and it got deleted! Well, I am now going to attempt to write my update… Again! :)

Monday was our first day of classes. It was wonderful to see so many students coming into the building, ready and excited for their first day. So many smiling and happy faces – ready to learn! Sitting in on Dr Kasali’s course, “DRC Realities,” I noticed a few things:

Doors would be really good to have on the classrooms. It’s incredible how much sound is in this building and how much of a difference doors would make in the classes. The sounds of students in the hallway just pours into the classroom. And it was quite easy to realize that the faculty nearly had to shout, in order to be head by their students.
They are hungry! It is a long day to be sitting in class with nothing to eat to carry you from morning to evening…
The faculty have a big task… We all do. There are many students, about 140, and just 12 teaching faculty and staff. Thank God we will be joined soon by Justin and Luke, so we’ll be at a ratio of about 14 to 140!

So now things are underway… And even as I write this, there is a group of men outside behind our building, and they are cutting down all of the tall grass and brush. This is so that when we are joined later this week by our architect from the US, we can begin to lay the foundation of the next building here at UCBC. It will be a community center, one that has many classrooms. And classrooms are needed! This is a great need and I ask that you would be praying for us as we try to raise the funds necessary for this building. Without it, we will not have the space to hold classes for another incoming year of students in 2009-2010.

Now I have two small children who have wandered into our building… They are speaking to me in Swahili and asking me for things… I keep saying “Sielewi” – “I don’t understand.” Or “Nina jifunza Swahili,” which means, “I am learning Swahili.” But they still keep speaking to me and wanting something! Hahah! One day I’ll be able to understand and respond back to them! For now, I just keep saying “hapana” to say “no” because I think they want some of the things here in the office! Wow.

So this morning I was awakened at about 5 am when I heard Dr Kasali laughing... I was confused, and then I realized that I could hear the generator going... Which I knew meant that they were watching the results of the US election... So I got up and like a good American (who failed to vote!), I watched as the news came in... We saw McCain's concession (I was impressed by it, I found it to be well-spoken and good content), Obama's acceptance, and then we went to work! It was incredible to witness these historic events... The impact this election has for the history of our country and its people - is so significant. Anyway I am starting to ramble...

Oh wow, these kids have brought more with them! I have an audience now of five… All wanting something and just staring at me, watching me work!!

Ok well I must work (and find someone to shoo away these kids who think I’m a movie), but I wanted to send a quick update. Things here are still fine… We hear of fighting and clashes around Goma. But it is quiet and calm here.

With Love,
Bethany