Dear Friends,

I'm writing to let you know that after much prayer and seeking counsel, I have accepted the call to become the pastor of the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa. Both Jill and I are very excited about this new ministry opportunity to reach out to the growing group of English speakers here in Kinshasa, from businessmen to diplomats, who have left their home countries to work in Congo. Our church is uniquely positioned to minister to these people and with God's help we will.

I think that no matter how long I stay here, I will never get used to the kind of unashamed enthusiasm that Congolese people show when they greet and welcome you. Michael and I were making the rounds a couple of days ago over at the headquarters of the Congolese Baptist Community (CBCO), which is the organization we work with in Congo. We were there just to greet people and let them know we're here. It was the women in the Women's Office who brought tears to my eyes.