Tim and Kathy are associate missionaries jointly appointed by both International Ministries and New City Fellowship in St. Louis to serve as medical missionaries at the Vanga Evangelical Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Rices are from Saint Louis, Missouri, where Tim is a doctor on the faculty of the School of Medicine at Saint Louis University. Kathy is a registered nurse. They got involved in the DRC through the ministry of their church, New City Fellowship and also through their acquaintance with the late Dr. Dan Fountain and many other International Ministries missionaries in the DRC. Both Kathy and Tim had previously served short-term at Vanga Evangelical Hospital. They are now serving long-term contributing to the training of nursing and medical students for Christ-centered, whole person care. The Rice’s vision is to train the next generation of Congolese doctors and nurses in Christ-centered, whole-person care, empowering them to use the limited resources available to restore life and health across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Their desire is to facilitate worldwide partnerships, enabling health professionals to participate in mutual exchange of expertise at the Vanga Evangelical Hospital and elsewhere in the world.

Tim writes: We are in the states Friend Raising, #alwaysRecruitingForVanga, attending a November medical missions meeting in Louisville, working two weeks at Cardinal Glennon Children’s and then traveling back to Vanga.   Pray that we will connect well with folks here in the States. Pray that the nursing school and hospital will continue to function well with the Congolese partners.   Pray for a time of refreshing while in the states. Pray for a strengthening and sharpening of our vision for the work God wants us to do there in Vanga.

Kathy writes: Pray for the leadership at the Miriam Fountain School of Nursing.  The cultural differences in handling funds between the chief mentality of Congo to a Western sustainablity focus are at odds with each other.  This is causing stress between me and the Congolese leader.  Pray for discernment, humility, clear communication, etc. Pray that God would bring us a head of hospital maintenance and support services.  Our current missionary partner, Heiner, retires in a year and a half, and we need time for language learning and role transfer.

Please join me in prayer as I am taking this year to pray about my ongoing role in the work at Vanga.  Should I continue at the nursing school or should I transition to nursing continuing education and improvement at the hospital?   Pray for Tim and me as we continue to search for a good balance between work, couple time, and relationship-building in the community.