A common village sight around dusk in Kikongo is that of a child carefully carrying home a smoking stick with fiery embers at one end, or one transporting a tiny battered pan with a few live coals. When one doesn't have 10 cents for a box of matches, one has to rely on your friendship network to find someone with a "LIVE FIRE" to borrow the coals to get yours going.

YOU have been both fire starters AND fire stokers, providing prayer and the resources needed for helping us keep the "fires of ministry" burning in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the past nine years.

In 1998, when you were invited to receive these occasional updates, we promised you that we would not be hustling our readers for money. In August of 2003, International Ministries began the transition into a new relational model of fundraising in which missionaries recruit and work closely with a Missionary Partnership Team (MPT) to build a Missionary Partner Network (MPN) of partner churches and individuals. Financial contributions received at International Ministries (IM) from our network partners help to cover our annual ongoing support needs. At that time we asked your forgiveness for a "once a year" report on our financial needs, and the exciting details of God's provision for our work.

THANKS TO YOU, the response in 2003 was exemplary, and we have NOT mentioned money since. As we approach our official retirement from full time missionary service in the DRC, starting in July, IM and our MPT are looking at a remaining need of about $22,000 for our core support in 2008. We APPRECIATE your continued support in prayer, encouragement, and giving.

But more importantly we want to INVITE YOU TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THE FIRE of your passion for mission, and to TRANSFER THE FIRE of your prayers and support FROM US TO any one of our creative committed colleagues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Please continue by giving ** "Targeted" funds for missionary support, and/or "Specifics" to support particular projects for:

1. PASTORAL EDUCATION with Wendy BERNHARD, Glen and Rita CHAPMAN, or Mike and Jill LOWERY;

2. LITERACY and Women's programs with Miriam NOYES;

3. AGRICULTURAL and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, including the OIL PALM project with Ed NOYES;

4. HEALTH CARE with Katherine and Wayne NILES, and Dr. Bill and Ann CLEMMER.

We anticipate continuing to share the exciting stories of God's work in the DRC in as many ways as possible, and trust that there will be opportunities for us to be used especially where our experience and French speaking abilities would be helpful.

Please keep us in your prayers these coming months as we continue to speak here in California and our travels in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey in March; New York and Pennsylvania in April; Ohio in May; and Pennsylvania in June.

Peace,

Lynn and Virgil

**Checks continue to be made out to "International Ministries" and sent to: IM, Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851. On the MEMO line write the NAME of the missionary, FOLLOWED by either "targeted" for support, OR, "specifics" and the name of the project or focus of your concern.