October 2004
Dear Friends and Partners,
This is a report from our last tour in Africa.
1) The Crusade in Mbuji-mayi Congo:
From the very beginning, it was a war. Our team left for Congo on July 25th and arrived in good time to get our truck, trailer and crusade equipment moved by train to Mbuji-mayi. After the train was loaded, without explanation the truck sat on the train car for many days without moving. Finally, under pressure, the authorities moved the train with our truck on it. It arrived with all of our advertising materials in it, only 3-4 days before the crusade was to begin. This delay in advertising really was a set back. But we persevered with diligence.The day before the crusade started, the head bishop of the entire region, 118 years old and still active in the ministry, died. All the senior pastors of the majority of the churches sponsoring us left the city to where his body was, and all these churches associated went into mourning, in the African tradition, which usually lasts a month. On the day the crusade was to start, another bishop, the bishop of Mbuji-mayi died, which covered nearly the rest of the churches. It was an impossible situation.
We started the crusade with only 3,500-5,000 and because of the mourning that was going on
over these big men who had just died, and the attendance even went down. We were so disappointed, but never gave up. God reminded me that at Jericho with Joshua, the wall didn't fall until the last day. We did not get what we wanted, but supernaturally the last day we had 100,000. It really was a miracle.
Many came to Christ. The pastors are pleading for us to come back, but of course, with what happened, we are not making a quick decision.
It has taken a month for our truck and five men to get out of Congo after the crusade. The truck that was returning by train was delayed because there was a bad train wreck just in front of it. After the track was cleared, another train derailed in front of it. After it finally arrived in Lubumbashi, there was a strike at the border control, which delayed them again. When they got 54 kilometers across the border into Zambia, the headgasket on the truck blew. Recently the engine had been overhauled. Thankfully, we have our mechanic with the truck. Please pray for the safe return of the truck, equipment, and our five team members along with their families back home.
Mbuji-mayi Crusade
2) We have just completed dedicating 13 of our 14 new churches in unreached or seldom reached villages deep in the bush.
So many people are rejoicing in these villages for what God has done for them and send their appreciation to our partners. The 14th church will be completed in January. The tour in the bush was gruelling, because it was raining and the roads were so muddy or rocky. We saw many lions and elephants.We had to use 4 wheel drive most of the time. We are tired but rejoicing in victory. On this trip we have used 3 trucks; 2 Suzuki 4 wheel drive troopers; and around 25 workers. Without you this would have never happened. It is a big team effort. We now have built 86 village churches.
We saw God do a great miracle in a village. The pastors daughter had been badly burned shortly before we came. Her back, bottom and the back of our legs were in horrible condition, and she was crying laying on a mat. It looked as if this could kill her. We laid hands on her and prayed in the name of Jesus. Immediately, the pain left. Two days later she was sitting up; and on the third day, she was running. The whole village is saying, “What kind of God is this” to heal one burned so badly.
We are planning on returning to Africa the first part of February to continue building churches and evangelizing unreached villages. We have now reached from northern Tanzania all the way to Southern Sudan. So many villages are still without the Gospel.
The Lord reminds us to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross. Thanks for continually standing with us to get this job done.
Yours for souls,
Celeste & Loren Davis
Your missionaries to East and Central Africa
P.S. Click here if you want to plant a special gift for the work here in Africa.
NOTE: If you want field reports via email, be sure to give us your email address at combineharvesting@hotmail.com.
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