Jean-Claude

Dear brothers and sisters,

Just want to update you on my short mission that I have done in Goma during volcano crisis.

On Thursday 27th, May, I was in Baraka, where I am doing discipleship. I heard on the national radio that volcano Nyiragongo erupted and people have to evacuate and go to Sake district (30kms from Goma town). When I saw the pictures of people leaving the town, my heart was stirred, I felt to go and share the Gospel with the hopeless in the camps.  On Saturday 31st, I left Baraka and came to Bukavu.   Spending all night in the ship on lake Kivu,  early morning I arrived in Goma town.  Though tired and sleepy, I didn’t want to rest.   I took a bus and went to Sake refugee camp, where many people were.  I saw many people in the schools and churches busy at different sites waiting for food distribution and others items.  I didn’t know what to do as I had no food to give, having only my Bible in the hands!  After going up and down, I saw a young man sitting alone on a bench, – he looked very sorrowful!  I went by him and sat by his side. He had obviously been drinking and smelled of alcohol.

I asked him: “Where are you coming from?’, he answered: “Goma.”

“Are you married?” “Yes.”, he said. Then he told me that his wife went at Ruchuru (another district).  After some small talk I began to speak with him about the condition of mankind and the things we suffer because of our choices.  Then I read Genesis 1:26-28 and explained to him how God made man and gave him authority to have dominion over creation, but because of sin, we all now suffer.

Suddenly, I saw tears coming from his eyes! He was trying to speak but he couldn’t because of sorrow! Then he asked me : “Where are you coming from?” I answered, “ Uvira.” He said, “God brought you here just for me.”

“I just want to tell you my true story.” he said.  He told me that he didn’t come from Goma, but he lives in Sake and he sleeps on the street.  His name is Jean-claude, he used work as a taxi-motorcyclist, but then he started drinking alcohol.  As the time went on he became so addicted to alcohol that he couldn’t work and the owner of the house where he was living kicked him out.  To support his drinking he would steal firewood from others in the bush and exchange it for alcohol.   Then after sharing his story he repented and gave his life to Jesus.

I had to return to my room that night, but the next day I went there again to look for Jean-claude.  He had been waiting for me at the bus station.  I asked him if I could rent a room for him and he told me that his friend has one.  I went directly to see it and gave money for two months rent.  I bought for him a bedsheet as all he had to sleep on were pieces of plastic bags collected from trash.  Now Jean-claude and I had a place for Bible study and prayer.  

That next day Jean-claude told me that he tried to commit suicide one day, without success.  The same day we met he was planning to go and kill himself at a dangerous place where natural methane gas comes out of the ground and kills people and animals.   He was planning that night, before we met, to go and sleep in that natural gas so that people could find him dead in the morning.   He told me that after I left he had no food so he went at the trash to collect boxes to sleep on and found some money. Thanking God, he washed it and went to restaurant to buy some food. He is telling me how much his friends keep coming to invite him to go and drink but he can’t go with them again.  

I did one week going every morning to study scripture with him, and whenever I went, he was in his room reading the Bible  I gave him.  As for the volcano, the life is coming to normal, many people returned after two days.  Then after two weeks the government sent cars to help the people return whose homes were destroyed.

As you know, I have a young ministry in Baraka, to which I must go back.  But my concern about Jean- claude, was that he is like a baby who still needs my assistance.  He doesn’t have relatives in that village and he is alone with only addicted friends whom he is abandoning.  He is becoming lonely!  I was thinking to take him home, but unfortunately he has no identification card. It is not easy to travel from one province to another province without it!  But God brought to me a young brother named David who is now discipling Jean-claude.  And that’s the beginning of whole other story!

Thanks for your prayers! Mbirima Ketekete