The invasions of the DRC from the "east" were "officially ended" several years ago, but it is taking years to end the fighting. The UN presence is invaluable, and hopefully in the coming year, more of the population will be allowed to begin to consider re-establishing those aspects of their "former lives" they can salvage.
Invaders rarely knock. When one is invited to enter, one feels received, valued, welcomed, embraced.
"Entering" a new school, a new program, a new work-place, a new family, a new church, or a new culture: one feels both the anticipation of "new beginnings and possibilities" and unknowns, perhaps coupled with fears of failure, or of not belonging.
When one "enters" into any activity: one participates and invests oneself.
Here in Kikongo, we celebrate:
- the "entrance" of over 400 patients a month into the hospital seeking healing.
- the "entrance" of 38 pastoral students and their wives into the classrooms daily: most eager to learn and grow.
- the "entrance" of 7000 germinated palm seeds into nurseries bringing nutritional and economic hope for farmer families, villages and churches.
- the "entrance" of over 200 teen and adult readers a month into the 5 small libraries, in search of wisdom, and a vision for their lives and country.
- the "entrance" of over 100 elementary school students into their nearly completed three new classrooms.
- the "entrance" of the UN supported multi-tribal team who "enrolled" over 3,000 of our area residents to vote in the upcoming local and national elections.
Christmas celebrates the understated entrance of divine servant love into ordinary affairs. Jesus invested his life in intimate relationships with 12 men and a large group of women who supported them. Their invitation of His radical love into their lives, changed their world and ours forever.
What kind of ENTRANCE do we offer Christ today and every day? May each of us see increasing numbers of possible entrances into holiness as we invest in our complex interpersonal world and the universe beyond.
Shalom,
Lynn and Virgil Nelson