FightingMalnutrition
The second rainy season is really the best time for producing cowpea seed in the central Kwilu River region.But maximizing the seed stock means that ACDI Lusekele(Lusekele Agriculture Development Center) works the year round, even when conditions are less than optimal.

This picture shows cowpea fields at the beginning of December, while the rains are still falling in earnest.

We hope that at least a couple of hundred kgs (about 450 lbs) can be harvested from the ¼ hectarefield at Lusekele.Theoretically this would be enough seed for about 6-10 hectares. (One hectare equals about 2.5 acres)

If ACDI succeeds in this program, seed stocks can be increased 10-20 fold this year, beginning next year with enough seed to serve more than 100 farmers with samples of the 9 new varieties obtained from IITA last year.This is a giant step forward in the fight against malnutrition in this region.

Scripture Union Meeting in Kisia
On December 8th, Miriam and I attended the Bible Study League meeting at Kisia, a rather isolated village about 50 kms from Lusekele.The Scripture Union serves some of the same purpose as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship or Campus Crusade.Its focus is on daily Bible reading, prayer, and regular meetings for members to study Bible themes together.The Vanga area Scripture Union movement includes 55 village Bible study groups attended by students and other young people.These Bible study groups are gathered into 13 pools that meet regularly for "Reflection Days."The groups are scattered over about 1200 square kilometers.

Because local transportation is difficult and expensive, League coordinators make contact with local group leaders only occasionally.But the Vanga leadership for the League has a vision for training local leaders to be more effective spiritual mentors and trainers themselves, a program based on regular contact for teaching and planning with local leaders.

Miriam and I want to encourage this effort, but with an eye to how League leaders can organize their members and their activities in a way that is both effective and financially sustainable despite the economic limitations so evident in rural Congo.

The Vanga coordinators have embarked on a vigorous stewardship campaign that will allow the groups to support area retreats, mini-retreats for reflection and prayer, and evangelistic outreach.During this year we will provide transportation for the leadership team to reach the pool meetings (typically 40 – 50 kms from Vanga) and conduct a weekend retreat on stewardship and mission.

The meeting at Kisia was the first in a series.About 150 League members attended, finishing with a worship service combined with the local Baptist congregation.

Miriam was invited to give a talk on the place of literacy in the life of the Church and the role that literate Christians can plan in unlocking the riches of the Bible to their non-literate neighbors.

The offering of manioc, corn and money was very encouraging, a step forward by members of the church realizing that the church's ministries depend on Christians supporting people set aside to work exclusively on preaching, caring for and teaching Christians and non-Christians alike.

Vanga Manioc Mill in Service
In Vanga, women and children spend a lot of time and effort pounding dried manioc into flour in a rough wood mortar.That burden might be a little lighter now.On December 31 the Vanga church women's group put the church center's only working flour mill into service.Eager Vanga residents queued up with their baskets of manioc and corn in front of a rough wood building next to the central village market.During the first day, over 40 people paid15¢ per small basket to have their corn and manioc milled into flour.In minutes a woman can have a week's worth of manioc flour, saving hours of work.

This is the culmination of a six-month long cooperation between the local church women's group, Christian partners in the US, the Lusekele Agricultural Development Center (ACDI), and Associates in Rural Development.It marks the start of a four-year experiment in providing credit to local small enterprises that furnish services to the local agricultural community.

The group of Vanga church women are purchasing the mill with credit provided by International Ministries ABCUSA and Associates in Rural Development through a loan program administered by ACDI Lusekele.They will pay back the loan along with 4% annual interest over a four-year period.The funds recovered will finance other small businesses that serve farmers or add value to farm products.

The Vanga women's group is headed by Mrs. Diadia, Mrs. Madinga, and Mrs. Kabongo.They will manage the mill's day-to-day operations.Mrs. Kabongo already has experience managing a small flour mill in Kinshasa.All the women have worked with ACDI Lusekele to develop a comprehensive plan for managing the mill.Philo Bidimbu, a rural extension specialist working with women's groups, will monitor the program for ACDI Lusekele, giving advice to the Vanga group when difficulties arise.

The mill provides a very useful service to its community.The Vanga church women will earn a modest income to support their ministries.The credit program aims to support an expanding range of agricultural support services that increase farm income in the central Kwilu region.This is the fruit of local Christians working together to create a climate of trust, enterprising effort, and responsible organization that are the foundations for people-serving development.

Ed Noyes
Democratic Republic of Congo