Imani, Espoir, & Love Ministries
LUBUMBASHI
Beginnings
The Lubumbashi site began as a church; with a dedicate pastor that was and is intent on reaching his people with God's message of love through his son Jesus.
The church struggled to maintain a single location, and often met in makeshift shelters until a more permanent location was found. Construction began, walls were raised, but the roof remained a tarp.
Finally rooted, the congregation, seeing a need for a school in the community, pulled together to build a two room school house that services grades K-8th, with the hopes of adding high school in the future.
With an accessible school established, the small structure has been filled with children excited for this first ever opportunity at education.
They fill all available space, crowding the benches, shoulder to shoulder, standing along the walls, sitting on the dirt floors - just happy to be in a classroom.
Though the spirit of joy and gratitude was great, so much more was needed in the school - flooring, notebooks, desks, pencils, more and better classrooms...
Hope springs eternal, and as the enthusiasm for learning grew and more children came, we were, by the grace of God, able to afford real desks for the students.
And the seats were filled to and beyond capacity, but what a happy problem to have!
As the numbers grew, God continued to provide, and several new classrooms we added to our school, along with concrete floors, and paint.
And then, after years of being uncertain, a permanent location for the Lubumbashi church was procured and walls erected.
Through the work of countless people in DRCongo, volunteering their time and talent, the building began, and continues.
Once a roof was added, though the construction was not complete, the congregation, at last, had a place to meet regardless of the weather.
Next came permanent window, doors, and floors, once again provided by the very people this church serves.
If there's one thing we've learned as we near the end of construction and a completed church, it's God will provide.
