Every night in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fifteen women and their eighteen children huddle together in a small rented room partially made of tarps. The conflict in their country has forced all of them to homelessness. Most of them have been abandoned by their husbands and their society because they were raped by multiple rebels. As a result of the rape some are pregnant, others have HIV, and all of them carry haunting memories of the past.
This home/church of theirs is called, "Jehovah Jireh". It is run by two visionary women who rent this small room for $30/month. They don’t have beds, the tin roof leaks on them, there is no bathroom, the noise from the mill next door is deafening. It’s as bad as it gets.
Two of my friends and ministry colleagues, Caleb Bislow & Derry Prenkert had the opportunity to witness these conditions and hear the heart-breaking stories of these women first hand, on a trip they recently made to the DRC in April. Upon returning, they shared (here and here) how the experience of meeting these women, seeing their plight and hearing their stories had “wrecked” them to the point that they couldn’t sit by and do “nothing”.
After first hearing the story of the ladies and children of “Jehovah Jireh” in this video (Note: the video states the cost to buy a building is $2,000 but later it was learned the amount would be much higher at $10,000), I was immediately moved and knew too, that doing nothing wasn’t an option. The feeling I had was so intense that it’s one I’ve only had a few times in my life but it’s one that I’ve become familiar with. It’s the feeling of knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God is calling ME. It’s the feeling of knowing that I know, that I know, that I know that I’m being “called”.
Initially, I thought our role would be to give some money and be done with it. However, in hindsight, that was way too easy. Since then, it’s become quite apparent to me (and to Rachael as I shared what the Lord had laid on my heart) that we are to do more than give and be done with it.
Caleb said on his blog, “I am praying that God will put it on the heart of a person, a group, or a church to assist them with a new building.” I believe God has answered that prayer and that Rachael and I are the answers to his prayer. Not because we want it, but because we feel “called” to it. And when you sense God calling you, you have 2 choices: (1) Listen and obey or (2) Blow it off and do nothing, which really is disobedience.
For Rachael and I, there was only one choice. So, we have said “yes” to the Lord’s call and are stepping out, in faith, to see how God wants to use us to be the conduit by which he blesses these women and children. We are trusting God’s promise that, “When God calls, God provides”.
In the coming days, Rachael and I are going to be looking for individuals, couples and/or families that also feel “called” to do something about the plight of these women and children. We aren’t looking for people to join us out of guilt or out of obligation to the relationship they have with us.
In fact, we feel strongly that we don’t want anyone to give even as much as a penny who doesn’t feel the Lord clearly “calling” them to give. We believe that just as the Lord has called us and has “put it on our hearts”, that He will do the same to others as well.
We are committed to raising the needed $10,000 to buy a building for these women and children. We now wait for the Lord to provide. Let the adventure begin!
If you sense God “calling” you to join the cause, please don’t hesitate to email me at jasonthompson@nmc1.org and we’ll get you involved!
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