Everything Looks a Bit Different Now
Happily, Tracy’s Heart is back in business, though in a much limited way! Now, more than ever we are committed to helping women become skilled enough in various trades to be self-sufficient, making enough money to feed, clothe, and house themselves and any children they may have. They, like us in Michigan, must keep distances between themselves and others, wear masks, and stay away if ill. Byabeca, director of Tracy’s Heart Foundation, has restarted the program previously shut down by the pandemic, by splitting them into 2 smaller groups that come on different days.
For those women who are learning to sew, can you guess what their first project is? Face masks for the pandemic! For those who are further along in their sewing skills, they are making dresses with a pattern Byabeca designed that will fit many differently sized women. Why? To send down to Uvira, the town destroyed by the ongoing flood created by the nearby broken dam. So many people have lost their homes along with all their belongings, leaving them with only the clothes on their backs. I never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity, creativity and caring of Byabeca to care for her countrymen, in this case the women!!
If you have followed my blog or Face Book log at all you will know that Tracy’s Heart is also the heart of food distribution for those who are in critical danger of starving. Because of the pandemic, food costs have escalated so alarmingly so that many can no longer afford much, particularly single mothers and the elderly. Any donations we get are quickly transferred to Congo where our co-workers at Tracy’s Heart are able to buy huge sacks of rice, dried beans, flours like corn, soya or mahogo, and gerry cans of oil for continuing to feed the people. Never was this need for funds so critical or so unforeseen!
That brings me to the prison scene. There, because of continuing funds being donated, we are still able to provide food to the prisoners housed there. Nearly 2000 men, boys and women, some with babies, are getting a meal a day! Those that are very ill get a bit of breakfast as well. No, that’s not eggs and bacon but is the average mainstay of rice or a grain cooked with oil and water. As you may have seen in a previous posting, another prison outside of Bukavu has not had any food at all since the pandemic shutdown. That means all are in some stage of starvation and many have already died. Some too weak to walk have been transferred to the local hospital but hospitals do not provide food either. However, if a prisoner has family or someone able to share food with him, they can bring it to the hospital. We are avidly praying about this prison though at the moment we are not heavily funded enough to include it in our feeding program. Please feel free to share this blog with anyone!
In Congo today there is a mandatory shut down of everything for 3 days in the area called Ibanda where we live. Then the shut down will move to a different area, Kadutu, for three days. That means some roads are being shut down and everyone is ordered to wear a mask and stay home. In fact, if a policeman sees you without one you will be fined. Caught a second time without one, the fine doubles and they have the power to put someone in prison if they choose. I cannot imagine that this is going to go well. (Just checked the news there and it is indeed not going well.) Nor can I understand what exactly it will accomplish. But the word is someone, don’t know who or what, will be spraying “something” to “sanitize” the town. Is that even possible? Hmmmmm.
In the meantime, Ray and I eagerly look forward to things opening up in Michigan again! We are well and just celebrated our 52nd anniversary. However, this week a former colleague and friend from our former mission has succumbed to the virus. Ed Nichols, a man larger than life, with go-power and the ability to get things done with the love of the lord ever leading him on. We are saddened, and many people in many parts of the world are mourning him, too. I know many in Congo are also mourning his passing. But to us it is a home-going. We know it is not the end of a life so well lived but the beginning of one that is new and better, now being in the presence of His Lord and Savior. For that reason we can celebrate!
Under His Wings, Jayn
“Whoever brings blessing shall be enriched, and one who waters shall himself also be watered.”
Prov. 11:25 ESV
Heart for Central Africa Mission, headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana
- Tracy’s Heart Foundation and Building Bukavu
Jayn’s Blog: buildingbukavu.org
Facebook: buildingbukavu (Ray and Jayn Harkema)
For Donations
Paypal ℅ buidingbukavu4him
Snail mail: HFCA The Harkemas, PO Box 355, Middleville, MI 49333