DEVELOPING TIMES: Congo Bound

Welcome

Mission Statement
Rural Empowerment Initiatives (REI) mission is to collaborate in the reduction of poverty through investment in rural areas and training of local people.

Vision Statement
REI's vision is to treat every created being with dignity, respect and love. We strive to work with those most in need by empowering people to recognize their God given talents, enabling them to make the world a better place and providing them hope for the future.

Our Principles
REI believes that all people are created equal.
REI will develop small to medium businesses (SMEs) as one approach to reach those most in need by creating jobs that build the economy in rural areas.
REI's partner businesses will be led, managed and majority owned by local people.
REI will always seek a triple bottom line of economic, spiritual and social transformation.
REI seeks to build sustainable community-oriented business models.
REI's focus of support is to the economically disadvantaged.
REI will seek attractive market and growth opportunities.
REI will incubate pilot projects with capable management.
REI believes in collaboration. We seek partners whose strengths complement our own in an effort to build well-rounded projects of lasting economic value for the communities in which we work.
REI is inspired by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and is therefore rooted in the Christian faith.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Congo Bound

In a few short days I will be leaving for my first trip to the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
I am excited and humbled by this opportunity to go and see first hand the work that God is doing in that region. For the first time, the people in that area have hope.
I will be flying into Entebbe , Uganda and be staying with an Ugandan for one night. My friend stayed at my house years ago when he was visiting the states. It will be good to see him again. Then I will fly via a small plane into DRC.
Arriving on a unpaved airstrip in Beni, DRC, I will begin my nine day visit.
Many of you might have heard of the fighting that is still going on in the North Kivu region of the DRC. While I'll be close to this, I will still be far enough away because of the infrastructure of the country. I've been told that this country, while it is the size of the US east of the Mississippi, has only 50 miles of paved road in the whole country. But the fighting has increase lately, and I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers as I travel.

The work in the Congo has really began.
From a vision three to four years ago, now is a reality. Here's an excerpt from the co-founder of the Congo Initiative.
The past few weeks we have spent in Congo have been an experience of Nehemiah as people from all walks of life joined in work so that the building would be ready, at least in part, to hold the consultation and start the academic year. We had a successful consultation, attended by over 120 people, leaders in churches, business, politics and community. We have opened the doors of the Christian Bilingual University of Congo. We had hoped to have 30 students; today we have 80, which by itself is another challenge, e.g., being ready with chairs, rooms, etc.

Young men and woman, the future of the DRC, have begun the journey to bring hope to a land that desperately needs it after years and years of oppression.
I hope to blog on my trip, when electricity and access allows it.
So check back often from 11-26 to 12-8 for updates :)

Congo Bound!