DEVELOPING TIMES: Internet in the Congo

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.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Internet in the Congo

Satellite Dish

The Lord has much better timing than us - the satellite equipment was found last
We started praying of course! Then we took action - Osee (sounds like José), our chief engineer, immediately rushed to a near town, Butembo, in hopes of finding the pipe. Justin Hubbard immediately called our contacts at the UN and OXFAM (a large NGO in the area). The pipes that the UN and OXFAM had would not work...our only hope is Osee...unfortunately, due to the plane crash in Goma, all of North Kivu shutdown...nothing can be bought in Butembo or our town, Beni! We have to wait but Souleyman has to leave in 4 days...he cannot wait long - our basketball pipes may have to be sacrificed! Since we need to pour concrete for the pipe soon, he gives us tomorrow at 6pm as a deadline - if we do not find a pipe by then, he cuts it...!

Day 3 - Waiting for a pipe & prep time

As we wait we also prepare parts for a tower we will use to share the connection with other ministries in Beni. We also lay the conduit, grounding wire and dig a deep hole for the dish's mounting pipe. And we wait...and wait..and wait...Souleyman is getting antsy and sick...we take him home and give him some cold medicine. Our BBall pipes are saved for one more day :)

Laying the conduit and grounding wire

Day 4 - Pipe!
We continue prepping pieces for the tower, prepping the cement and waiting for the pipe - by now we heard from Osee that he has a pipe but we need it by the end of the day or we have to cut the Basketball pipe. As the day is coming to a close, Osee arrives just in time! Praise God!

Justin was VERY happy to see the pipe!

We quickly put the pipe in the hole and Honore, our humble, beloved academic dean, lays the first stone for the pipe's foundation. We heap stone layers upon cement layers until the pipe is in place and level.

Day 5 - Is the pipe OK?
It stormed that night - Souleymane and I rushed to the school first thing to check on the pipe - it was OK - Praise God!

Day 6 - mounting & pointing the satellite
Now that the concrete had dried enough, we were ready to mount the dish.

UCBC students helping Souleymane and Avuta mount the dish

Souleymane and Avuta quickly called the Internet Service Provider and started pointing the dish towards the satellite. The process can take an entire day...

After one day spent pointing the dish, we still had no internet connection...everything looked good on our end but the Internet Service Provider could not see us...we left that project and continued making the tower for sharing the internet signal.

To be continued!!!

Blessings: Eric

Eric is a short termer for the Congo initiative serving the university with his computer skills.
Eric has skills.