{"id":2867,"date":"2015-04-19T08:54:11","date_gmt":"2015-04-19T13:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/?p=2867"},"modified":"2015-04-19T08:54:11","modified_gmt":"2015-04-19T13:54:11","slug":"take-courage-and-stand-strong-in-your-faith-was-the-bumba-trip-theme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/2015\/04\/take-courage-and-stand-strong-in-your-faith-was-the-bumba-trip-theme\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Take courage and stand strong in your faith,&#8221; was the Bumba trip theme"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We were greeted in Lisala by an enthusiastic crowd.\u00a0 Some women had been waiting two days to meet the new president of women ministries, Mama Lisia Weka.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2876\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DSC02758-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2876\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2876\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DSC02758-640x480-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"worship in Lisala\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">worship in Lisala<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_2877\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DSC02759-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2877\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2877\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DSC02759-640x480-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"women in worship\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2877\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">women in worship<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Cindy traveled with Mama Weka, the department secretary Pastor Marie Toboko, the coordinator for the ministries to women and orphans Mama Charlotte Nzumba and the coordinator of the women\u2019s literacy ministry Mama Kagu Toze.\u00a0 They were joyously welcome in Lisala,Molua, Bumba, Mongala and Itimbiri church regions (conferences).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2869\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DFC-team-in-Lisala-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2869\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2869\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DFC-team-in-Lisala-640x480-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"along the Congo river in Lisala\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DFC-team-in-Lisala-640x480-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/DFC-team-in-Lisala-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">along the Congo river in Lisala<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In each region they encouraged the women to take courage and stand strong in their faith.\u00a0 There will be many more obstacles and difficulties along life\u2019s way, but God is with us each step of the journey.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2881\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/dancing-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2881\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2881\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/dancing-640x480-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"dancing in the service\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/dancing-640x480-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/dancing-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2881\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">dancing in the service<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Women were encouraged to start reading classes.\u00a0 Sadly, the majority of the women in these church regions do not know how to read.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2885\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Charlotte-singing-w-deaconesses-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2885\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2885\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Charlotte-singing-w-deaconesses-640x480-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Mama Charlotte here singing with women\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Charlotte-singing-w-deaconesses-640x480-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Charlotte-singing-w-deaconesses-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mama Charlotte here singing with women<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We also encouraged them to help the widows and orphans in their communities.\u00a0 Mama Charlotte, herself a widow, shared that many widows feel worthless, stop going to church and are not seen as valued members in the community.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2874\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/woman-faithful-to-CEUM-walked-50-kms-3-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2874\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2874\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/woman-faithful-to-CEUM-walked-50-kms-3-640x480-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"this faithful woman walked 30 miles to attend the meetings\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/woman-faithful-to-CEUM-walked-50-kms-3-640x480-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/woman-faithful-to-CEUM-walked-50-kms-3-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2874\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">this faithful woman walked 30 miles to attend the meetings<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Cindy encouraged the women to feed their children a balanced diet.\u00a0 She emphasized the importance of growing food in their gardens from the the three food groups since most don\u2019t have money to buy food each day. \u00a0She explained that they need 1) food to build their bodies (protein), 2) food to protect you (protein &amp; vitamins) and 3) food for energy (fats and starch).<\/p>\n<p>The reason for the trip was to encourage and teach, but the women in each of region the team visited were a blessing to them as they joyfully sang and danced in worship, prepared delicious fish and malemba or poto (a cold pureed manioc dish) and welcomed us in their homes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Cindy-at-table-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2873\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Cindy-at-table-640x480-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Cindy at table [640x480]\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2887\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Cindys-room-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2887\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2887\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Cindys-room-640x480-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Cindy's room in Lisala\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2887\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cindy&#8217;s room in Lisala<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Lisala-port-on-Congo-river-10-800x600.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2871\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/Lisala-port-on-Congo-river-10-800x600-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Lisala port on Congo river (10) [800x600]\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2872\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/barges-in-Bumba-2-640x480.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2872\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2872\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/04\/barges-in-Bumba-2-640x480-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"barges loaded with freight and people on the Congo river\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">barges loaded with freight and people on the Congo river<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-report-this\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand?moderation_action=report_form&object_type=post&object_id=2867&width=250&height=300\" class=\"thickbox\" title=\"Report This Post\">Report This Post<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We were greeted in Lisala by an enthusiastic crowd.\u00a0 Some women had been waiting two days to meet the new president of women ministries, Mama Lisia Weka. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cindy traveled with Mama Weka, the department secretary Pastor Marie Toboko, the coordinator for the ministries to women and orphans Mama Charlotte Nzumba [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Take courage and stand strong in your faith,&quot; was the Bumba trip theme - Ekstrands in Congo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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