Tshisekedi held "inauguration"

And it just keeps getting more interesting...

Today, Friday, Etienne Tshisekedi was sworn in to office, or he gave an oath to be a democratic president, in his home, since he is claiming to be the president of the DR Congo.

DR. Congo's Tshisekedi takes 'presidential oath' - AFP
DR Congo police block entry to Tshisekedi inauguration - BBC News
SMS Messaging Suspended Until Further Notice - Eurasia Review

It's frustrating that text messaging is still not working in the country. It's hard for our friends to communicate with one another... In a country where phone calls are not very cheap, sending text messages can sometimes be the most affordable means of communication.

We need to continue to pray for the country, it's leaders, police, politicians and the international community... To act justly, with mercy and love for the Congolese people.

Clinton disappointed by DRC election - UPI

Once again, here are a few links to check out about more news and information on the DR Congo and the recent elections.

• Clinton disappointed by DRC election - UPI
• What the US must do for the Congo - CNN
• The International Community Must Not Turn Their Backs On Democracy - All Africa
• Analysis: DR Congo elections open new wounds - BBC News
• http://texasinafrica.blogspot.com/
• Secretary Clinton's Remarks on Women, Peace and Security - State Dept.

And lastly, here is a message On Gift-Giving, from UCBC President, Dr. David Kasali: click here to read the full letter

In our many years spent in the U.S., people often asked us how we celebrate Christmas in Africa. Here in Congo we decorate churches with palm-tree leaves, slaughter goats and chickens, spend hours in church singing and hearing nativity stories, followed by afternoon feasting with friends and family. We don't have the NBA or NFL to entertain us, but we certainly build community around food.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Maybe today?

Thanksgiving dinner, 2011

Please check out my colleague Chelsie's blog with an update on the elections. Chelsie Frank in the Congo:

I want to ask you to take time to pray for peace and justice to reign in the DRC. There is an African Swahili proverb that says, “When and where two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled. (Wapiganapo tembo, nyasi huumia.)” May God protect the civilians, thwart plans of wicked people seeking to benefit from instability, give wisdom to those in power, bring stabilizing pressure at a macro/international level, and strengthen Congolese democracy.

Also, Jason Stearns updated some vote figures... It's interesting, for sure. Go to his blog by clicking here.

Averting Disaster in the Congo - Huffington Post - blog by Ben Affleck, Cindy McCain and Anthony W. Gambino

Today is supposed to be the day when the election results are announced. It seems likely that whether just or not (as Adam Nossiter of the NY Times indicates in After Vote, Congo Braces for Expressions of Discord), Kabila will win the election.

Not so surprising to most. But still disappointing to many. So we continue to wait for the official results.

Please keep on praying for our friends and colleagues in the DR Congo.

Thank you.
Bethany


Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!!!!! I love you both so much!!! 

Congo, très beau

"100% Sure" - Kabila's posters in the capital, Kinshasa

Opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi was blocked from entering Kinshasa for several hours on Saturday and has been accused of inciting and encouraging his supporters to resort to violence before the elections

Kabila is 100% sure he’ll get re-elected.

And he swears that if he doesn’t, there will be war in Congo again.

Although mostly peaceful throughout the country, there have been some deaths related to the elections.

Registered voters in Beni, Oicha, Butembo (and probably many other places) are not on the lists of registered voters. It means that they will not be able to vote. People are crying foul and corruption.

Lots of campaign signs... Not unlike the States!

As a precaution, Chelsie and I were told to spend this election period outside of Congo. Given my background and former love of politics, it was hard to go during this time, even though I haven’t been involved or even very aware of politics lately. However, we followed our leaders’ guidance and are currently in Kampala. Although friends and advisors in Congo don’t foresee violence in Beni or even the region – they still found it best to leave just in case.

So Wednesday night we got to Kampala and have been here since. We’re praying for our Congolese friends and colleagues, our brothers and sisters there, while we’re away. Praying for peaceful elections. For a peaceful Congo. For safety, protection and the right leaders to be elected. Whoever they may be! 

Silence is "not" golden...

This is an interesting opinion piece on Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-otis-moss-iii/congo-breaking-the-silenc_b_1003431.html

I love when I find articles about Congo... Most aren't good or positive, but hearing and knowing people are talking (even if just a little) about this country, is so important!

Silence Is 'Not' Golden When It Comes To The Congo

Rev. Otis Moss III
Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago

The ancient proverbial statement says, "Silence is golden." But how can a person, especially a person of faith, be silent when a woman is raped every minute and 45,000 children, women and men are dying in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world. 64 percent of the world's reserve of Coltan, the mineral that allows you to read this on your iPad, laptop, desktop computer or cell phone -- comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The commercial sale of cell phones and computers is a $1 billion dollar per year global industry. But 80 percent of Congolese women, men and children live on 30 cents or less per day. At the July 2011 "Voices from the Congo" Conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) , who has traveled to the Congo twice said, "It is a nation of breathtaking natural beauty, rich in natural resources. It is also a badly broken country dominated by relentless poverty, war lords, pillaging soldiers, and horrific, almost incomprehensible violence."

The national and global politics of Blood Coltan mining includes the minute-by-minute rape of women and the deaths of children every day. The six million deaths caused by Blood Coltan mining exceeds the number of people who have died around the world in any war in the history of humanity. Why is the world silent? Why is the Christian community silent? Why is the interfaith community silent about this indescribable human tragedy?

Like the Bible, each religion's source of truth emphasizes that love, righteousness and justice are guiding principles for human beings. Yet, silence is offered instead of an interfaith clarion call for justice on behalf of our beloved Congolese sisters and brothers. Are we not our brothers' and sisters' keepers?

We must break the silence about the daily child deaths, rape of women and economic and human exploitation that is occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo and around the world.

Trinity United Church of Christ and the rest of the global "Breaking the Silence" community will participate in the Blood Coltan "Cell Out" Awareness Campaign, October 16 -22. While the challenges seem overwhelming, we can stop the maiming, rape and exploitation of children, families and communities. It's critical that even after this campaign we continue to nonviolently protest the Blood Coltan mining tragedy. By not using your cell phone every Wednesday from noon until 1:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. you can show your solidarity with those being exploited. I also encourage you to email and call members of Congress with a clear moral message: stop the exploitation, and protect the people of the Congo.

Silence is not golden when 45,000 people die every month and innocent youth are forced to be child soldiers. How can we as a nation and a faith community ignore these horrific injustices? Silence to wrongful death is not golden. Silence to exploitation of the poor is not golden. It is time to "Break the Silence." The sins of racism and oppression in the Congo and around the world must stop.

More calls for the UN to withdraw peacekeepers from Congo...

DR Congo calls on UN to withdraw peacekeepers

(AFP) – 1 day ago

UNITED NATIONS — Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday made a new call for UN peacekeepers to withdraw, despite warnings from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that armed groups remain a significant threat there.

DR Congo's international cooperation minister Raymond Tshibanda told the UN Security Council that his government want an "orderly, progressive withdrawal" of UN troops from the giant central African country, where millions are said to have died in conflict in the past two decades.

The resource-rich country is to hold a key presidential election in November, amid fears of unrest.
[...]

The rest of the article can be viewed here.

A fast favorite:: One Day

Very powerful words to this song.

One Day - by Matisyahu



Sometimes I lay under the moon and thank God I'm breathing.
Then I pray, "don't take me soon." 'Cause I am here for a reason.

Sometimes in my tears I drown,
But I never let it get me down.
So when negativity surrounds,
I know someday it will all turn around because,

All my live I've been waiting for,
I've been praying for, for the people to say,
That we don't wanna fight no more.
There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day....

It's not about win or lose.
Cause we all lose when they feed on the souls of the innocent,
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging

And in this maze you can lose your way
It might drive you crazy but don't let it phase you, no way
No way

Sometimes in my tears I drown,

But I never let it get me down.

So when negativity surrounds, 

I know someday it will all turn around because,

All my live I've been waiting for,
I've been praying for, for the people to say,

That we don't wanna fight no more. 

There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day, one day, one day...

One day this all will change, treat people the same

Stop with the violence, down with the hate.

One day we'll all be free and proud to be 

Under the same sun singing songs of freedom like:

One day, one day, one day...

All my live I've been waiting for,

I've been praying for, for the people to say,

That we don't wanna fight no more. 

There'll be no more wars, and our children will play.

One day, one day, one day...

What does the world really need for Christmas this year?

I found this short video (actually it was a commercial I saw last night!) to be very powerful:

I love this little video. It has such an important message.

There are lots of things that we can do this Christmas... Not just through the Methodist Church (and that isn't bad either), but through so many organizations abroad and locally... 

Of course there is UCBC (www.ucbc.org)
And Congo Initiative (www.congoinitiative.org)
The Salvation Army (www.salvationarmy.org)
Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org)

And really so many more organizations... But I won't give you a huge list of places... If you want some more places to get involved / support / volunteer at - email me and I'll share some ideas with you.

But for now, what can we do to give of ourselves, to others? To give them a better Christmas... And not just a better Christmas, but a better life?

International Day of Peace

"My experience of conflict is that those who are involved in it long for even a day of peace. To have a day of cessation of violence, that to me is an idea whose time has come." 

Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Today is the International Day of Peace.

(www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/2010/) 

How do we attain it? How can we get to the point where all have a chance to experience peace? And not just temporary, but long-lasting and real peace?

How can we get past just talking about peace and how much we want it (I keep thinking about Miss Congeniality, a movie which shows Miss USA contestants and their brainless answers to the thing that society most needs - see the video!), to finding ways of reaching it? What can we, what can I do, to help all of us experience peace? And what does peace really entail?

Without God our attempts and hopes for peace will be in vain... True peace with ourselves, with others, can't come by our own doing... But it should start with us. God help us. It only comes from Him.