Earthquake Update from Rich and Kathy

These last two weeks have been really stressful to say the least. Two Sundays ago, as we were getting ready to go to church; suddenly, the house started rocking back and forth with such force, I thought it was going to come down. The whole thing took 30 seconds, but it was so forceful, that the “experts say” that if that had gone on for any more time, Bukavu would have come falling down. I have never felt so helpless and scared in my life. It was just out of this world. Since Feb. 3, when it hit, we’ve had another big one and then, the after shock waves keep coming and coming. We’ve been kept busy, trying to get back to normal life, but always mindful, that anytime the tremors come and we have to run out the door. It’s really no fun and really sooo stressful. Yesterday and now today, the 20th, I haven’t really felt any, except once yesterday, I felt the house budge a little.

Quite a few new cracks in the walls, one that really expanded. Many houses that weren’t built properly came down, and even some of the old timer houses have big cracks and separations in the walls. After that first quake, when we went out into the street to see how the neighbors were doing, all shaken, we were surprised to see walls around the neighbors yards had fallen down, something we have never seen around here. Usually the earth quakes are just little so this all has been just devastating for so many folks.

This all reminds us of how when the rapture takes place. In a twinkle of an eye, just like this earthquake, without warning, it comes. Sure reminds us of how frail we are and how powerful God is and God’s forces are!!!

Anyway, today is much better, not so nerve wracking, still sleeping by the front door at night, just in case it comes again. A few nights, when the quakes were so bad, I slept in the car, that way when they came, the car just rocked back and forth, not the whole house. Got more sleep that way.

Thank you for your prayers, we truly have needed them these past two weeks, as always, but more so in this situation. They say the rocks in the rift shifted, and just have to get back in line again. This area is part of the great rift valley.

Better close and get some lunch ready. We’re o.k. and thanking our Lord that much more didn’t happen.

Love and praying for you each day.

Rich and Kathy

Commander of Militant Forces Requests Galcom Radios

Sammy delivers radios to Interahamwe

Galcom Radios Delivered to Militia Forces Upon Their Request!

Greetings from Bukavu, and Sammy, a brave young man in the heart of the jungle !

This is the third time Samuel Katambwe Imbundo Dadien has come to get Galcom radios to take back to his village of Kiluma, one kilometer from Kigalube, a stronghold of the Interhamwe armed forces. He has developed groups of listeners among the Interhamwe and in his community where he is the President or Coordinateur of the Kahuzi Radio Club.

Please pray for this strategic ministry, as we try to reach the hearts and minds of this warring army of refugees from 1994 Rwanda, because some of them are accused of violating thousands of the women and girls in that area and even Walungu near Bukavu. Since July 2008, our objective has been to reach these warring factions and also those of Lauren Nkunda in North Kivu -- by adding Kinyarwandan broadcasts and sending Galcom short wave receivers by various carriers to the leaders, themselves, asking to supply more for their troops if they are willing. This outreach has been a happy success, and very popular there and in the Fizi territory among the former Mai Mai.

Today Sammy brought a letter from an Interhamwe Commander, Thomas NKURUNZIZA, who listens to Radio Kahuzi and wants very much to receive the Galcom rechargable radios so he can listen regularly to our full variety of programming and information.

We hope you will be as delighted and interested as we are in this affirmation in the right direction ! They are listening to hear how they will be able to leave the Congo Jungle Basin ! Recently we broadcast an interesting VOA interview, where they indicated one group of Interhamwe are now beginning each day with prayer and gospel singing, before they disperse for their days work in the jungle.

We hope and pray that solutions will be found and that hearts will be changed -- for the sake of our women and children, too long victims of refused alternatives !

Keep Looking UP ! And Keep On Keeping ON !!

Sincerely, Richard & Kathy McDonald

Another Earthquake Strikes Bukavu on February 14, 2008

Richard and Kathy are doing fine and dealing with the aftershocks as they come. They are suffering from lack of sleep and the emotional stress of it all, but other than that, they are physically fine. Keep praying for their safety and the safety of the staff and radio station.

Click here for an article on the most recent earthquake.

Christian Today: February 8, 2008 News Article re: Radio Kahuzi

HCJB partner radio station in Congo encourages residents after earthquakes
Posted: Friday, February 8, 2008, 11:33 (GMT)

Read the full article here:

Earthquake Update: Distressed and Homeless Families in Bukavu

UPDATE ON EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE: The two hydro dams have cracks that are being evaluated now with the earthquakes and aftershocks, and power goes off occasionally for a few minutes; but we are on the air as normal thus far. Mondays (today) and Fridays we are on four hours in the evening from 6 to 10 PM in FM and short wave, getting write-ins as far as Johannesburg, South Africa, and Belgium even though our signal there is only a low 2 over 5. But we are able to cover the Eastern half of DR Congo, Rwanda, etc., with a good strong signal.

We continue to share Good News with the listeners and what we know about the state of affairs, and relay the news live concerning the day to day situation. The Governor and seismographic experts help to give good counsel to the population via Radio Kahuzi. During the broadcasts we have made and received calls to find out what is happening with the volcanoes.

And during the night, when the second earthquake hit (with a 5 on the Richter), we had calls from Radio Club Coordinators sharing how distressed families were coming to them for guidance and help.

This morning the Radio Clubs met, organized, and put their funds together to construct some shelters where the homeless could find protection for the night. We gave them sheeting for the roof and baby blankets for the cold air, and radios to follow our broadcasts.

We continue to do “Enquete and Reportage” to inform the listeners where the hospitals and NGOs are receiving lists of vulnerables and preparing to help with food, sheeting, and meds. The authorities are requesting everyone to stay outside until this passes. We will continue to work with the authorities and our Radio Clubs to inform the population of any dangers and how they can get help. We will continue to distribute Galcom fix-tuned, solar, recharging radios and baby blankets and what gospel tracts we have to different groups in different directions to also get the Word out for their Spiritual needs and dangers.

We, also, are not sleeping in our beds, but trying to be on alert if another quake hits in the next few days. Kathy slept in the van last night, but came down with malaria, and is sharing the living room with me near the door, ready to escape if the house begins to fall.

We have various daily reports from other sources such as VOA (Voice of America), RTNC National radio and TV, MONUC (United Nations Mission in DR Congo), and partner radios in the province, as well as call-ins; and we will be providing our own reports as this progresses. We have also used the cell phone to counsel expats and local friends in need. We, with our Radio Clubs, will be working with various relief efforts and counseling victims, as will our journalists, on site, day by day, and in planning and security meetings.

It is early to say, but we have seen, in conversations with people of various backgrounds, a willingness to bring the Lord into this subject as they have difficulty coping with the day to day of this. Pray for our outreach as we have the opportunity to share “the Reason of the Hope that we have within us.” Certainly everyone is tuning in to hear details of their security and the quakes. We have their attention !

The Lord graciously allowed us new contact and working with the Chinese Doctors and medics of MONUC Saturday, the day before the Quake, as a visiting missionary required emergency medical treatment. We are following up with tracts we have in their language and giving them Galcom radios. He allowed us a similar opportunity during the wars, when several Chinese MONUC soldiers befriended us.

The Lord knows, this is why we are here; He is always Faithful ! Thank you -- for being faithful to hold us up before His Throne of Grace !

Keep Looking UP ! And Keep On Keeping ON !!

In His Love, Richard & Kathy McDonald


Update on Situation in Bukavu:

6.0 Earthquake in Bukavu

Greetings from Bukavu !

Praise the LORD !
I was next to the transmitter rack at 9:30 AM when the earth Quake suddenly hit with force as no one in town has ever seen before, I would estimate closer to 7 on the Richter scale. The thousand pound rack with the two transmitters and 1000 Watt power supply began rocking back and forth violently ! I grabbed it with all my weight and force, steady it and to get to the off power switches and shut everything down. Danny our new journalist was stunned, but followed my suit and cut power to the rest of the equipment. We held on till it quit -- and after about 55 seconds it stopped and we were out the door in a flash.

Again, Praise the Lord for the hurricane that passed through last month knocking down trees ! It persuaded us to cut the top and heavy branches full of huge avocados, hanging dangerously over the studio and house on several sides. If not we would have been bombarded today and sleeping in the branches !

Which leads to a prayer request, Kathy and the Governor and every one else says "you'd better sleep outside," because they expect it to come back with a more powerful quake soon !!! I don't plan to sleep out in the mosquitoes, but Kathy and I probably will be on the couch with one eye and the doors open all night, as we have had to run for it every twenty to thirty minutes, all day long ! I stopped counting at 20 smaller tremors, some sudden and powerful.

The morning was spent picking up lamps and broken items in every part of the house, but ours was minor compared to an NGO compound a block away, where it tore down their whole brick wall. At the markets, and across city of Bukavu, and the South Kivu Province walls fell, sometimes injuring quite a few people. At this point there are at least 50 dead and many injured with churches and mosques crashing down during their 9 o'clock services.

At least one ship load of passengers were violently thrown around in the middle of Lake Kivu. The Epicenter is said to be at Mount Kahuzi that may becoming active again ! Another report indicated the fault under Lake Kivu may be slipping again, raising more fears of lava / magma seeping up through the huge methane gas reserves at the bottom of the lake ! Bukavu is right next to both, and straddling the seismically active fault that passes from the well known active volcanoes at Goma and down through the Ruzizzi Valley toward Burundi and Tanzania as part of the Great Rift Valley.

It is unfortunate that the seismographic equipment on Mt Kahuzi is in need of repair for the moment, but hopefully more specific scientific work is ongoing. Part of the city is in extreme danger of rock and mud slides if this continues, putting many of the 200,000 to one million population at risk.

We do covet your prayers and interest for a relatively unknown tropical paradise that has seemingly suffering on the edge of the abyss for so many years of war and violence against women and children by foreigners present. This they find equally terrifying and frustrating.

Keep Looking UP ! And Keep On Keeping ON !!

Love, Richard & Kathy

PS: The photo is taking too long so I'll try to follow with several photos.

Oh Kathy is at the door with her blanket and pillow. She wants to sleep in the car!

REUTERS NEWS: "African Quake Kills At Least 38, Hundreds Injured"
http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSL03663384._CH_.2400

Letter from Richard McDonald to BESI Team

To All of You and Each of You who are our Wonderful BESI Team,

Kathy and I want to express our great appreciation for your Faithfulness in 2007 and for the recent 16 years of Radio Kahuzi…and for the 35 years of our marriage and beginning of our new life together as young missionaries to the Congo, (formerly Zaire) in 1972.

This year of 2007 has been a wonderful affirmation for us of His Great Love and Sustaining Grace and a tremendous confirmation for us, as HCJB Global and the BESI Team continued to help us, working so hard to keep us in the black and on the field.

They both met with us regularly to systematically follow up, “so that nothing was lacking for us” (Titus 3:) -- especially for our working visit to the States in February and our medical tour in July.

We are so thankful to be part of a ministry that helps others preach the Word, and even reprove, rebuke, and exhort the fellow members of the Body of Christ in such an exciting, but desperate age of Salvation.

We see more and more of our beloved partners called to receive their Crown of Righteousness, because they lovingly looked forward to His Appearing! What a blessing to us who continue on with their remembrance!

Pray for us as we continue to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for the future of this work, as we seek His Grace and Wisdom and Guidance, as surely He has to be raising up the dedicated servants who will come along side, and ultimately continue on after us in this vital ministry. They will have to be able to endure hardship and do the work of an evangelist in power, love and good discipline.

We praise the Lord for doubling our radius of outreach across the heart of Africa, with listeners now calling in by cell phone from as far away as Kinshasa (1,000 miles) from Bukavu, and much further away after sunset from our short-wave listeners.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will empower the pastors and programmers to entrust His Wonderful Truths to others far and wide who can and will teach others, bringing Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel.

Though our radio staff had been reduced to three, the work of Radio Kahuzi has continued to blossom, and 2008 is bringing better and better tools to get the job done.

Lord willing, we will soon receive another thousand GALCOM solar fix-tuned short wave receivers to fortify the outreach further and further into the jungles and mountains of Central Africa and the D R Congo. Over 10,000 have been distributed.

Kim and Jared’s new BLOG is a tremendous treat for us. You can find it at www.radiokahuzi.blogspot.com.

Our team in Bukavu is beginning to receive new equipment to make the transition completely into digital recording, editing, and broadcasting. Please remember to pray for the teachers and training needed.

Remember us in prayer as we have been frustrated with technical details in placing new repeater sites with solar panels and battery storage to power FM Translators / transmitters in distant territories some 500 miles from Bukavu.

Meanwhile, the Lord has encouraged us with many FM radio stations volunteering to rebroadcast our different programs in the four provinces where they are! This has been a real shot in the arm for us, as many of these stations are in the center of present day military confrontations. This gives us the means of giving radios to the combatants and getting the gospel to them in FM as well as short-wave.

Pray for the battered and violated women and children in our provinces that fall victim by the thousands every month because of the lack of control and lack of discipline everywhere. Sadly, today the 12 year old daughter of the coordinator of the seven Kahuzi Radio Clubs and their Health Center at Kazaroho / Panzi is in the Panzi Hospital because she also became a victim two days ago. Please remember her and so many others like her.

Radio Kahuzi has had a unique ministry role in this period of years, for which we trust the Sovereign Direction of the Lord that He will complete what He has begun.

Kathy and I trust the Lord to graciously guide us in this new year as we come home for my eye surgery and hopefully the opportunity to fellowship with some of you that we have not been able to see during these last 16 years or so.

Grace, Mercy, & Peace to you and yours and to us each one in 2008.

Keep Looking UP! And Keep On Keeping ON!!

In His Love, Richard & Kathy McDonald


A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

We are beginning now to prepare for Richard’s eye surgery in June or July of this year. The medical costs are not covered by Christian Care Medi-Share, which is possibly the only organization that will cover missionaries living abroad, or with any pre-existing conditions.

Richard’s vision has been increasingly poor as the result of a car accident in 1981, which caused torn retinas -- both eyes were repaired in 1983. Last year his doctor found he has rapid forming cataracts, which are rapidly decreasing his vision.

The cost of surgery is $4,000 for both eyes. The approximate cost of airfare for Richard & Kathy is $6,000. We have started a “Medical Flight Project,” and would ask that you prayerfully consider helping as God directs your heart.

Total need: $10,000.

Thank you for your steadfast love and sharing in 2007!

“God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think.”

Keep Looking Up!


Harold Smith, President

Kahuzi Radio Club Partners with Kazaroho Health Center

The Panzi Hospital (presented on CNN and BBC several times this year for their work with Victims of War and Violence) agreed to a unique relationship with the Kahuzi Radio Club near it. The Hospital receives and treats the Very Malnourished after they are screened by the Radio Club Kahuzi for the seven communities near by. During a special series of dinners, the vulnerable adults and children are diagnosed and treated for their illnesses, and the malnourished and moderately malnourished are included in the feeding program conducted by the Kahuzi Radio Club near their Kazaroho Health Center.

For this feeding program, the Food & Agriculture Organization gave seed several years ago that is planted and grown during two or three seasons each year. This grass roots cooperative effort has functioned on its own for at least ten years with Spiritual impact to the families in the Zone.