The people of Lusekele are making history today ... or at least they hope they are making history.The independent electoral commission set up shop in Bilili a few days ago.Their generator, computer, printer, plastification machine, and neat orange smocks.Maybe for the first time since independence the government is making a good faith effort to get citizens to register to vote and participate in the selection of leaders and representatives.It is a giant leap and won't be taken without a lot of stumbles.But it is a tremendous opportunity for Congo to take a new direction.

So even though it's Sunday and Christians take worship seriously, the people here at Lusekele reorganized the church schedule in order to give everyone over 18 the time to walk the five miles over to Bilili to register to vote.We started worship at 7 am, finished at 9am.Now everyone is off to register to vote.

Thursday I received an optimistic e-mail from colleague Wayne Niles saying the palm seeds might be on the plane Friday.They weren't.But there is some good news.They now have all the exoneration papers and a strike of government employees that shut down the customs offices for a while is over.So maybe we will see the seeds this week.Please continue to pray for the people in the customs service and other bureaucrats -- for a change in heart that truly contributes to the well-being of the Congolese people.

Miriam is worshipping with the people at Lute, about 4 miles south of Vanga.

The church leaders want to revitalize a languishing literacy program.Miriam wants to encourage them along.She will preach, then meet with the church leaders to discuss what might need to be done.

Rose wrote this week to say that the Bolobo literacy workshop is still on hold.

Pasteur Dweme has not been able to nail down reasonable transportation to the isolated town on the Congo River between Kinshasa and Mbandaka.And communication is so difficult: no telephone, certainly no e-mail, only occasional radio contact when they're lucky.

In the meantime, Miriam is working on a synthesis of Michael Green's book, I Believe in the Holy Spirit, for Pastor Umber Ngalubenge.With the rise of revivalist sects, it is often difficult for Christians to distinguish true movement of God's Spirit from the manifestations of other spiritual forces. "Prophecy" can easily become simply the expression of traditional accusations of witchcraft and a description of its fallout.Every sickness becomes a sign of malevolent forces, unconfessed sin, and social disintegration -- creating suspicion, divisions, anger and sometimes violence where it didn't exist. Miriam and Pastor Ngalubenge hope that a deeper reflection on the character and action of the Holy Spirit will help people to learn to discern what is truly of the Lord and what is distraction or even satanic mayhem.

Timothée Kabila is still travelling in West Africa for the Swiss evangelical consultancy for rural development, SECAAR.We're praying that he will be able to share the best of Lusekele's experience with other Christians and also bring back to Lusekele the best of what he learns from other Christians.

As always we thank you for interceding before the Lord for us (Ed and Miriam and our Congolese colleagues.)May His grace abide with you, His wisdom guide you, and His power carry you in all you do.

Ed