This morning the travel agency sent us an itinerary for travel to Congo leaving Portland on July 13.Yesterday afternoon the freight company picked up the last crates for shipment to Congo.Solar panels and batteries for the agricultural center and our house at Lusekele started on their way to Congo last week.And we're beginning to schedule out the last 5 weeks before we go, realizing how little time there is to finish up the chores and see all the people we want to see.

Every transition from home assignment to ministry assignment in Congo stretches over months where we are neither here nor there.Closing out a household in the US, saying good-bye to family and friends, traveling to our home in Africa, getting supplies in Kinshasa, moving to the interior, opening up the house, setting up again, catching up on the lives of Congolese colleagues and friends, getting into the rhythm of new ministries, and waiting a few more weeks for project supplies to arrive by sea freight.Welcome to the in-between times.

This past month Miriam and I have had a wonderful time sharing with churches what we see God doing in Congo.Ronnie Lanier and ABCOM hosted Miriam for 10 days of stimulating discussion on international missions and visits to long-standing partners in Reading and Mansfield.Jim and Marge Keasling and First Baptist Champaign-Savoy, Illinois hosted me for the best missions dialogue I have had this year.The next two weekends in May took us to Prosser, WA, where we also met people from Yakima, and Eugene, OR, where our journey to prepare for cross-cultural ministry began in 1978 at Emerald Baptist Church.Thanks to all of you.

Eleazar Ziherambere and Ruthie Stevenson helped coordinate the first meeting of our Missionary Partnership Team (MPT).This is a small coordinating group of people dedicated to keeping us in touch with you and facilitating your direct involvement in our ministries in Congo as God leads you.For the moment the team will focus on making sure that every one of you who shares a burden for people in Congo is plugged into the communications network – our regular newsletter / journal entries, prayer updates, and pictures.And shortly we will begin planning the first mission trip to Lusekele, Vanga and parts close-by.We will have more information on this in the middle of July.So if you are looking for a hands-on experience in mission in Africa sometime in 2006, stay tuned for more word from the MPT.

Mark and Reba successfully negotiated their respective academic years at the University of Redlands and Claremont-McKenna College.But they won't be back to Oregon for the summer.Mark has a job with the computer support office at the UofR, with free housing and enough income for books and incidentals for the coming year.Reba is working for the student affairs office at Claremont and house-sitting for a traveling retiree at Pilgrim Place, where Miriam's parents live.We're looking forward to one last visit with them at the end of June, beginning of July.

While Miriam and I are preoccupied with the details of itineraries, shipments, replacement clothes, and last minute schedules, our Congolese colleagues are preoccupied with the effects of sluggish political change in Congo.Elections to be held in June were postponed indefinitely, raising fears that the current interim government is maneuvering to sabotage democratic elections and constitutional restructuring.Many people are apprehensive about rumors of mass (possibly violent) demonstrations in the capital, Kinshasa, to coincide with Independence Day at the end of June.Can you join us in prayer for God to raise up peacemakers who are able to keep the disparate factions talking and moving toward a permanent solution for Congo that brings justice and security to the 52 million people that live there?Pray too for us as we reassume our small part of God's action in Congo.

Thank you all for your partnership with us, however it is worked out – in intercessory prayer, encouraging notes and letters, sharing resources to pay the bills, answering questions, or putting a hand directly to the plow with us.Serving with you is a privilege.

Ed and Miriam