We had a very special, even historical, weekend in Kikongo last week. Jill, along with the youth of Kikongo, organized a series of activities with the nearby catholic parish. We had over 1000 visitors in Kikongo participating in soccer matches for boys and girls, a concert and play presented by the catholic parish and a choir competition with over 20 choirs from villages near by.

It was the first time in the history of Kikongo that a catholic priest preached in our local Sunday worship service. He preached a great sermon that went in line with the theme of the weekend: Unity in the Body of Christ.

Needless to say, this event was taxing on the resources of our little community. But, in the spirit of unity, many people took part in feeding and housing the guests and helping with the costs involved. Everyone was blessed to be able to worship, play, sing and eat together without the traditional barriers that normally separate our communities.

We feel that this event has helped to build bridges and promote unity in a way that has never happened before in our area. There were several "old timers" who were praising God for what they experienced during the weekend. We are also praising God for making such an event possible. It was something that will long be remembered here in Kikongo.