I got back home to Kinshasa August 30 from nearly a full month of "going global" with an evangelism team to several of our rural church centers in Bas Congo and Bandundu provinces, west and east of Kinshasa, respectively. We traveled by air, then by land cruiser over some pretty rough roads, and by ferry across the Kwilu River. My Girl Scout camping days held me in good stead, as some of the accommodations were less than four-star! We were warmly welcomed everywhere we went.

Several young people, mostly seminary students, were on the two teams to lead sessions for children and youth. There is a great need for mature youth leadership, both in Kinshasa and in the villages. I led a session in each center on hygiene and responsible sexuality in this age of AIDS, always with a local medical person present to answer questions that I could not answer. Pray that the young people received the message, and that they will make the decision to reflect before acting, and then take responsibility for their actions!