In late November, a rebel group called M23 overpowered United Nations and Congolese army troops and captured the city of Goma (population 1 million) along the eastern border of Democratic Republic of Congo. This is about 300 miles from our mission in Kisangani, but with no direct connecting roads. In spite of unrest in Kisangani and university student riots, Congo Frontline Mission’s operation has not been significantly affected by this recent violence. Our team members are safe, although we are keeping a watchful eye on events. We praise God that the rebel force of 1,500 is now withdrawing from Goma due to international pressure. The university students have calmed down and we do not expect violence to come to Kisangani. Sadly, our work in the east among the Pygmy tribe has been the most affected by rebel activity. Although we have capable Congolese leaders overseeing this work, we have been unable to visit the work in 2012 ourselves due to political instability. Thank you for your prayers that there will be no disruption to God’s work from this temporary instability.

by Barry Mosier The Bible encourages us to be not only hearers of the Word, but also doers. In May of this year, I spoke in the Rochester, Minnesota Church about the camp meeting that Keith attended in Kirundu, DRC a year ago. I explained how our members there were cut off from our world church during terrible war years and became backslidden. They were thrilled to have a missionary come to minister to them again after so many years. At the peak of their meetings, about two thousand people had gathered. Keith asked them to hold their Bibles high in the air and only about 50 people had Bibles to lift up. This lack of Bibles deeply hurt Keith, knowing how desperately they needed Bibles for revival. At least in Kisangani, Swahili and Lingala Bibles are available, whereas they are not in outlying areas. That morning in Rochester, Amanda Voeltz, a newly wed bride (and brand new Christian) thought of her fellow believers in Congo without the most basic tool of the Christian-God’s Word. She made up her mind to DO something about it! She talked to her husband Brian about it and then to other young people in the church. Her enthusiasm was contagious and soon others joined her in the cause. Together, they decided on a bicycle trail ride in September as a fundraiser for Bibles. Amanda’s goal was not small. 2,000 Bibles at $9 each was $18,000. They organized, they advertised, they promoted….and they prayed. I am embarrassed to say that I was skeptical that they could raise more than a few thousand dollars- which would have been a great blessing anyway. The day of the bike ride was beautiful and many came out to ride or roller blade with us over the trails near Lanesboro, Minnesota. Participants between seven and seventy years old wore Bibles for Congo T shirts as they raced along the trails. In fact, Keith and the team in Congo held their own bike ride with us that day. In the end, with God’s rich blessing, $14,000 had been raised for Bibles!!! We praised God together as we thought of all those who would receive Bibles in their own language- many for the very first time! Can you imagine their joy as they read God’s Word each day in their homes? Thanks to all of you who have made it possible over the past five years to put Bibles into the hands of each of the 3,000 people who have been baptized through our church planting work. James 1:25 urges us not to be forgetful hearers, but DOERS of the work. I am so thankful for Amanda and the many lives she will touch. Perhaps there are some readers out there who would like to be doers also, and join Amanda in reaching her goal of 2,000 Bibles? If so, just follow the instructions of how to send funds in the “Needs” section of the newsletter. Blessings to each of you for your prayers and support of the work in Congo.

We were blessed in July to have six Share Him guests with us for over two weeks. Share Him coordinates people (mostly laymen) from first world countries to travel to third world countries to do evangelistic meetings. It was our first time to host a foreign team this large at Congo Frontline Missions. One of our speakers named Mariette Joseph spoke in Mangobo. A lady named Mama Valentine attended and requested baptism. Nadege Apatout tells us a bit of her story. “In 2007 she went through a very tough time when she lost two of her three children (and her only son) at the same time. She hurt so much; it was so hard for her to understand why that was happening to her family that her heart became frozen in bitterness and anger. She decided that neither God nor Jesus existed. She totally shut them out of her life for good… or so she thought. Then a few days ago, she heard that there was going to be a series of meetings with God and Jesus at the center. She turned her back on the idea of attending them. But her curiosity was stronger and on Saturday evening she decided she would come just to see. And she came … and has been coming ever since. After the fourth meeting, the truth of the Lord was powerful enough to defrost her heart. She decided she would become a Christian again. That’s the reason why she wants to be baptized. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Jesus promised. For me that was amazing to see how active and very much alive God is. He is working with so much power and strength to set His children free from anger, bitterness; to draw them close to Him and give them healing, peace, joy and eternal salvation. I had the feeling I could see Him with my eyes tonight. How come He loves us so much … He had sought to win back the heart of this dear Mama Valentine, and now, after 5 years of struggle, He is winning the battle. The truth in the Bible is powerful!” Mama Valentine was one of 157 people baptized during our six series of meetings. Many more are continuing to study their Bibles. We are so thankful for the Share Him team who sacrificed their time and money to come to Kisangani to share the gospel truths with people here. This harvest of souls is just a fraction of the millions of who are hungering for hope and truth in the Congo River basin, but each one is so precious in the eyes of Jesus. Praise be to God.

Since Three Angels Radio (107 FM) started broadcasting last November, the effects have been far reaching. Our one thousand watt transmitter was supposed to reach out about 100 kilometers, but amazingly, we have regular listeners at 240 kilometers! We can only attribute this to God’s blessing. This gives us a population of over two million people as potential listeners. Jeff Marube, our manager, has organized a good team of volunteers to operate the station and produce programming. At first, our programming was mostly rebroadcast from Tanzania in Swahili. However, we are now producing about 90% of our own programs in Swahili, Lingala and French thanks to the hard work of our volunteers. Although there were ten other radio stations on air in Kisangani when we started Three Angels Radio, investigation has shown that we have quickly become the most listened to station! In fact, when the national radio inspector came and inspected the studio, he told us that our station was the best in Kisangani. He commended us for our excellent programming and for our presenters. He praised the teachings of the Bible that help foster peaceful human co-existence, upholding human values and above all, shaping peoples’ morals in Kisangani and helping people through the health messages. Many have stopped eating rats, monkeys and snakes after listening to our health programs. Others are attending baptismal classes and a few have already been baptized as a result of the station. The awareness of the Seventh Day Adventist Church has been greatly increased and our church planters tell us that the station helps their work significantly. Many come for free literature and Bible studies. Of course, the station is not without its challenges. Other stations are angry at us for taking their listeners. Imported French and Swahili programming is hard for locals to understand as they have their own version of these languages. Locals are quite inhibited to preach in French. We thank those who prayed for Jeff while he returned to Kenya recently to deal with a lump on his chest. He will be returning soon to DRC in answer to those prayers. Although we try to broadcast twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, we are challenged by inconsistent electricity. We were so blessed by the large diesel generator recently donated by AWR (Adventist World Radio), we are sad to say that we are short of funds to buy fuel to run it. The station operating and start- up costs have greatly exceeded our expectations. We are now expecting a significant shipment of improved equipment from AWR, but it has been delayed due to expected high costs of import and border clearing. We are so grateful for the many miracles we have seen so far in the startup of Three Angels Radio. We are asking for your financial support (monthly if possible) to keep this beacon of light shining in this dark and war torn part of Congo. Your prayers and support will help to broadcast Bible truth into peoples’ homes around the clock. Thank you in advance for your help.

Our lay evangelism training course traveled recently to Lubumbashi (formerly Elisabethville) DRC. Pastor Mtenzi and Nadege Apatout crammed their teachings into ten hour days for a week to accommodate the local field far in the south of DRC. They quickly learned to adapt to surprises. They had been told to expect 30 students, they were amazed to find over 100 the first day. Word of mouth expanded the class to 200 by the second day and it remained at this number until the end. One young church elder came from distant Kolwezi over 220 miles away. Young people, old people, men, women, students, office or mine workers, etc. – they all faithfully came drawn by the Holy Spirit to hear the word of God and be trained to be used as instruments in saving souls. Each hour of class was preceded by teaching on Last Day Events - the purpose of it being to first revive the spiritual lives of the brethren and break the ground of their hearts. Then afterwards, through the teachings of Pr Mtenzi, convey a new vision for their direct or indirect contribution to the advancement of God’s cause and the well-being of the church. They shared principles of church planting and public and personal evangelism. Only the Lord will know the impact of this training as these people returned home trained and inspired to share Bible truth in these last days! Almost immediately after their return to Congo Frontline Missions campus, thirty students arrived for the current session of two month evangelism training here. The currently class is attentive and eager to learn how to do church planting work. We are not able to charge these poor students any fees, and rely on our readers to help with the $100 per student to teach this current session. Although many of our current students are interested in becoming church planters, we are currently unable to add more due to lack of funds. Won’t you or your Sabbath School class consider sponsoring a church planter for only $80 per month? Or to launch a new church planter for only $600? You can touch the lives of thousands with the truth in un-entered and dark areas with your support. Thank you for choosing to get involved in carrying the gospel banner forward in the Congo.