What have we been doing? When will we be able to return to Congo?

Just what have we been doing since so abruptly having to return to the States last March? Like most people we were stuck in our homes, unable to see most of our family for 3+ months, but continued to have contact with our Congolese co-workers, who have become our “other” family.  Trying to survive all the ins and outs, fears and hopes, and *makelele during these long months of Covid has produced many conflicting emotions.

*A Swahili word that fits the pandemic crisis perfectly in a way English words don’t. Let’s just say it means crazy, mixed up and troublesome in many different ways. 

The first was sorrow and grief. We couldn’t see our family! In Congo we are around people 24/7. Then suddenly there was no one. Things were going well for me at Tracy’s Heart and I looked forward with joy to what the remainder of this term would bring. I was connecting with the new group of women at Tracy’s Heart and they me. My ability to speak and teach in Swahili had jumped forward bringing me personal satisfaction. To be told we had 24 hours to prepare to leave the country before the borders would close was, to me, catastrophic. Then upon arrival home, learning we could not see those most important to us for what turned out to be months was another blow. 

Add to that I am not a technically talented person so all the changes and things I had to do to navigate my connection and continued work with Congo was frustrating at best. Plus, it was shortly after we returned that I learned about the tragic shut down at the prison. That meant there would be NO food whatsoever for the prisoners. and they would slowly die of starvation. The price of food in Congo skyrocketed because borders were closed and supplies were limited. To be honest, I struggled with the slippery slope of depression. 

Ray, however, is always a Godsend because he has a steady personality, no ups, no downs. He takes changes with equanimity and faith that God will “turn things for our good,” no matter what the situation. (Romans 8:28) That was of tremendous help. 

In my natural mind, I could not see how on earth we could possibly feed all the starving people connected to Tracy’s Heart let alone the nearly 2000 men, women, and boys in the prison!  What about the devastatingly poor and elderly in the churches we are connected with? Nevertheless, I couldn’t get it off my mind or out of my prayers. The wonder of wonders, God was working behind the scenes touching people’s hearts to respond to the need! In a short time, we were able to transfer funds to our Tracy’s Heart co-workers to begin buying and delivering large quantities of rice or beans or cornflour or whatever they could buy to the prison where the inmates would cook it. Not one person has died of starvation since! Also, Tracy’s Heart co-workers passed out smaller bags of staples many times to other people in need. 

To date we have continued to feed those in the prison as well as other TH mamas, the elderly, and those in dire need. School has begun again and we’ve been able to help many parents by providing uniforms, notebooks, and shoes for their school aged children. No one here can imagine how grateful or encouraged the people were! Nor how they saw that a loving God was behind the gifts from American people! Consequently, many are renewing their faith in God or realizing for the first time there is One Who cares deeply for them!

What looked like a hopeless situation became something quite different. In the process, the name of Tracy’s Heart has become rather well known now. Check out our FaceBook page or Brenda Buell’s posts or watch Tracy’s Heart Foundation YouTube videos. You can see what actually takes place there. THF is now able to expand into other areas so more marginalized women have the opportunity to learn a trade or craft and can begin a micro business. However things may look when we find ourselves in a storm, God has the power and the love to “make a way where there is no way!” and “can do more than we can think or even imagine!” Eph 3:20

None of us have knowledge of what the coming months will bring where the virus is concerned, we can only make our plans all while realizing they might have to change. Consequently, we are planning to leave for Congo around January 4 and have begun the required processes. More than ever we desire to continue our work there. 

Under His wings, Jayn for the Harkemas 

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Snail Mail: HFCA The Harkemas, PO Box 355, Middleville, MI 49333