Happy 30th Anniversary, BESI!

Barbara and Harold Smith

Thirty years ago today on March 11, 1986 (BESI) Believer's Express Service, Inc. was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA. We were in our early 40s preparing to join HCJB World Radio to serve in Quito, Ecuador. The Lord had another plan. We received a letter from Rich and Kathy in Bukavu, (Zaire) D. R. Congo asking if we would help them begin an independent ministry...how could we say no to our brother. Thirty years later, we are still standing by our dear brother and sister-in-law as they reach out in love to precious souls in Congo and now to a new people in Rwanda! To God be the Glory!

BESI's early Board of Directors: 

Lawrence Trumbower; 

Kathy and Richard McDonald; 

Barbara and Harold Smith

and Sharon and Gary Bowers

Barbara and Harold Smith while students at
Toccoa Falls College
preparing for the mission field in Quito, Ecuador
with our dear friend, Morton Dibble, head of the TFC print shop.
Morton printed all BESI's booklets, newsletter, prayer letters, etc.

Sorry for the quality, but just had to include those
early happy days in Bukavu...a tribute to
Fred and Millie Bahler, Kathy's parents, who pioneered
ministry in Bujumbura, Burundi where Kathy was born and
grew up in a grass hut with dirt floors.

A Day in the Life of a Missionary

IMPORTANT DATE FOR BESI - JAN 2, 2016
Praise the Lord, I made it over the Congo / Rwanda border and back OK on Jan 2, 2016, and made the FINAL payment on the house in Rwanda! Kathy, as always, begins to pray me through the traffic cops and their dragnets and barricades, as she sees my big cloud of diesel smoke pulling out the gate, until she gets an answer to her cell call that I have made it back OK through Immigration to the Bukavu side.

I parked the Toyota at the Nguba Grace Church and caught a very smoky, trembling old taxi cab that normally I would rather not have ridden or, suffered in, but he was available when I needed him and I was in a hurry to get there! The taxi returned, and was back in place there at the top of the hill above and before the borders and no man’s land to pick me up when I came back across. I rolled the window down as far as I could, but that wasn’t far enough!!! Oh well, I don’t seem to have an allergic reaction. I sprayed my legs with bug spray before leaving, but I do seem to have that creeping feeling — it’s tick and flea season after the rains.

Editor’s Note: The same trip was made five or six times hand-carrying the payments to the bank in Rwanda to complete the purchase. We praise the Lord for guarding against robbery but, there was one close call when the owner of the property made the crossing with our very large partial payment and was attacked by a group of men from the Congo side attempting to rob him in “no man’s land”. However, the Lord intervened as we prayed! The Border Police from the Rwanda side saw what was happening and came out to the middle of the bridge between Rwanda and the DRC to the rescue, only after clothes were torn and blows were felt. The owner refused to come back for the rest of the payments so Richard had to brave the crossing each time and catch a taxi to a bank 5 kilometers away on top of the Kamembe Mountain to transfer each payment to the owner. Life is a little different on the frontline of Eastern Congo...still volatile. We pray for the Holy Spirit to breath peace on this war-torn region of the world so that the Congolese people may live a “quiet and peaceable life.” I Tim. 2: 1 - 2. Radio Kahuzi is the voice crying out in the wilderness with the real and only solution...to come to Christ.

VICTORY IS AT HAND! FEB 5, 2016
Good, good news we can tell you, if you haven't heard, we have the deed to the house! So much work and doubts and sometimes fears. We finally have all the papers and the deed for the house and property in Rwanda, for which our good lawyer from Kigali worked soooo hard--to make it all official and finish it up! Such a huge answer to prayer when Rich came back from Cyangugu with all the legal papers in hand! It's been a loooong haul! We received the papers on Feb 5, 2016! We won't soon forget that date!
 
ANOTHER IMPORTANT DATE - FEB 22, 2016
OUR FIRST NIGHT IN THE NEW HOUSE IN RWANDA!
I went across to Rwanda Monday with a van rented from Mr. Kabila our mechanic who is fixing the brakes and tightening bolts on our Toyota and getting the yearly inspection for us.

Kathy: We have some curtains up and one load has been taken to the house, but until now, we couldn't put too much over there as we had to be sure of the deed first, to make sure we weren't being tricked! Praising our Lord for all He's done to make this all happen, we do our part, but in the end, it's His Program, and He has to do it right, in order for anything to be accomplished for His Honor and Glory!

Richard: There are many details, but not much time here in Bukavu to use our Internet system to write, as I will be going back before the border closes to spend another night there to prove we are residents! The officer did not want to let me come back yesterday without a passport. So I went up to the District Immigration Office and he gave me a photocopy of it and wrote a note on it in Kinyarwandan saying we are moving different loads of personal affects and he has the paperwork for our visa application.

I brought the van back today and the mechanic has not yet brought our Toyota. I will probably take a taxi back across as we have to pay to pass each side of the border, on the DRC side it will be $25 for multiple entries for a month. In Rwanda it will be $25 for one month but one entry only! So, I need to have a load in the van to make it worth using.

We hope they decide we have been there and slept enough days to be considered residents. They may find fault with our definition of being “residents” and Kathy may need to be there a week with me, or several days to satisfy their formula. They drive by your house to see if you are “in residence.”

I visited the Mayor’s office and “Division of Private Investment” to start the process to receive authorization to begin radio and other ministries. The new Mayor will be elected this week, so there was no one to see in that office. I started at an office called “One Stop Center,” that is to help find solutions, contacts, etc. They want me to write a project proposal; however, after I told them we are an “association,” they understood the steps I anticipate taking to move forward to begin a new ministry in a new country.

We love you all and THANK YOU EACH ONE for all your prayers and for all the help to keep Radio Kahuzi in DRCongo humming and keeping us going as we pursue Rwanda! We, truly, are blessed over, and over, again!

With Love and Thanksgiving in our hearts to you all,
Richard and Kathy McDonald

Boat full of people doomed on Lake Kivu

Dear Friends of Radio Kahuzi,

We have so much to be thankful for as we enter into 2016! Thank you and the Holy Spirit for coming along side our radio ministry throughout 2015. What a wonderful working together in the Body of Christ! The reality check of what It's all about!

SURVIVAL STORY # 1,001!
We had a real surprise of the same order on Dec. 28, 2015 for that afternoon's broadcast relay as Pastor Gregoire came back from his trip to IDJWI Island with ten pastors and leaders during four days of Pastors' Conference and decision making. Truly, the prayers of the Saints and the power of the Holy Spirit came to the rescue of our staff member, Pastor Gregoire, and a boat load of 80 people doomed in a terrible storm on Lake Kivu!

It almost paralleled the story of the Apostle Paul and his shipwreck in Acts 27: "...But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. ...and we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship...all hope that we should be saved was then taken away."

Gregoire asked the pilot of the ship with 80 passengers to pull in and stop to let the storm pass, but the pilot refused and kept on sailing into an impossible stormy gale with a tornado and clouds dropping right down to the water. The waves became like mountains, and the boat was thrown in every direction, so it was impossible to steer, or know where they were going, and the water hit their bodies with such force and freezing cold that it was very painful!

After forty-five terrible minutes of terror when the clouds dropped onto the water and the tornado hit, several pastors came up from their cabin below deck stating the boat was filling with water. The Captain ordered everyone to remove as much clothing as possible and prepare to swim for their lives! This was an impossible situation in frigid water and no one knowing which way it was to the land; plus, the Captain and the Pilot were the only ones who had life preservers to wear, and no one knew which way to swim in the direction of IDJWI Island!

Just as Pastor Gregoire prepared to jump over board to swim for his life, a woman grabbed him by the leg and screamed for him to pray for Jesus "to Save us from the storm." So he obeyed the Holy Spirit and gave a salvation message and prayed for each soul aboard to submit to the power of the Gospel and be Reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Soon after that, the storm subsided and they arrived safely in IDJWI Harbour.

Scripture indicates that God intervenes, personally, when someone is saved from certain death. We are to be used of Him to Glorify His Name, not our own. We are to tell others what He has and is doing around us.

We Praise the LORD for returning Pastor Gregoire to us to continue with the Radio Kahuzi Broadcasting and his church leadership role, along with the other ten pastors and lay leaders aboard that boat!

Likewise, with your prayer and provision throughout 2015, our little (BESI) Believer’s Express Service boat has also been saved to continue afloat in this turbulent region, daily broadcasting the Good News of Jesus Christ's Birth, Sinless Life, Death and Resurrection for our Justification and Adoption into His Family!

Praise the Lord for those who tossed us another inner-tube to buoy us up to make it to our next destination...our “appointed times.”

In His Love and Care,
Richard and Kathy McDonald

Creator Has Come

 

The smell of hay,

a baby's breath on mother's cheek.

She wraps her child in swaddling clothes,

for strangers come to meet Him,

She smiles . . .

And gazing into Creator's eyes,

she cares for Him and gives a sigh.

Her task so great.

What did the angel say?

"He shall be called the Son of the most High,

the Holy one of God."

What can she do but love Him.

She serves Him with her mother's milk,

He sighs . . .

What wonder! This Creator's child . . .

So small, and yet so high!

And angels come and gather round,

To look on Him who wore a crown,

How tiny!

Oh, Christmas Morn has come at last!

The tiny child in mother's grasp,

The mystery of the ages has begun!

For God reached down to touch the ground,

and wrapped Himself in a baby's gown . . .

And a Savior's love makes baby sounds.

A star shows the way to wise men,

He's found, He's found!

The child lays still as all do kneel

around His manger throne.

He lives, He lives!

Messiah's come to save His people,

to make them all His own.

Mother and father marvel thus

on Creator's scene made just for us,

His own!

Author, William C. Smith

used by permission

Goal Accomplished! - Christmas 2015

Dear Friends of BESI / Radio Kahuzi,

A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Phase I construction of the new radio studio is complete! 

This Christmas Eve we will celebrate our 23rd year of broadcasting from D. R. Congo in our new studio! All praise goes to our Lord Jesus Christ and you who have made this possible.

The Christmas message that the Christ-child was born at the appointed time to save us all from Satan’s power...this message is the only reason for establishing Radio Kahuzi in 1992.

This life-changing message is the only reason the McDonalds have risk their lives living in and through all the horrendous events of the past twenty years. Most of us would have given up and fled in fear, but God has given them a vision of the millions of lost souls who need to hear God’s words of love and grace until it penetrates their hearts. They have committed their lives to finish their course until their appointed time.
 
We are trusting the Lord they will be “ON AIR” by December 25 in their new studio.

MCDONALD UPDATE - PHASE II: FUNDING GOAL COMPLETE!

 
As Kathy and I celebrate our 43rd Wedding Anniversary on Dec 16, we are praising the Lord

for your “Coming Along Side” our efforts to move into the Country of Rwanda while we still can, Lord willing, to open a new and expanded ministry into the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

We are nothing in ourselves, yet the Lord has given us this open door and credibility with the Rwandan authorities. You would not believe how things are going downhill in many of these countries, and how almost impossible it is to even move around freely. But, Kathy and I are trying to use the insight and wisdom the Lord has given us over these past 40 years to establish a Grace church outreach in Rwanda that will truly minister to future generations, as the Lord continues to extend His Day of Salvation.

Today, people shun some of these places as the “pits,” but the Lord has allowed us to continue with enough success to not give up, and the Holy Spirit, coming along side, keeps us going, despite our emotions and occasional depression. Your prayer support is so very much needed as we complete the purchase contract for the house in Rwanda. 

Last night, we received a call from Wamaza where Kathy grew up, on the other side of the Congo jungle basin. Wamaza is in the plains beyond the jungle and they finally have cell phone service. However, I could not understand which one of our Kahuzi Radio listeners was calling, or understand his Swahili. So I woke Kathy and, although she wanted to say call back tomorrow, she understood the distant voice and responded despite the lateness of the hour.

As it turned out, it was one of several sons of a Muslim Chief who used to carry Kathy on his shoulders in the late 1950's when she was a small child, just before the War of Independence. In the 40's, their father was the Mwami / Chief, or King at Kayembe; and he never failed to come to stand outside the church and listen when Kathy's parents, Fred and Millie Bahler, and other missionaries like Delmar Anderson (recently home with the Lord) and local pastors had church service, or teaching seminars. When the Bahlers and others had to flee the Congo during the War of Independence, this Muslim Mwami shared with Fred Bahler that he had received Jesus Christ as his Savior and he would see them in Heaven later, if not here below!

Kathy and I had the honor of working with one of his sons, Chief Kayembe and the one who called, the more recent Chief Kayembe Constantine. We exchanged info of the recent Home Going of their friends Wayne and Phyllis Schoonover, and Delmar Anderson.

The main reason he called was to share the news of Chief Kayembe's passing, as he knew  we loved him, and were uninformed of the details during these last twenty years of wars. He shared that he had looked forward with Joy in the Lord to being released from this world, as he had suffered for years with elephantiasis, which gradually destroyed his legs and body, and led to several amputations before he died in Lubumbashi. In recent years he has been working with us to establish a radio relay outreach from his home in Wamaza where Kathy

grew up. He wanted to reestablish contact with us by providing us with his new cell phone number so that we can follow-up with him and the Radio Kahuzi listeners, some 500 kilometers (approx. 311 miles) from Bukavu. The photo was taken in the 1990‘s with Chief Kayembe, Fred Bahler and missionary evangelist, Ernie Green, known as “Sakatumbi or Blacksmith.” They were planning work on, and use of the upgraded air strip at Wamaza for Fred Bahler, pilot, and Rich and Kathy. 

(Kathy's father, Fred Bahler, had polio as a child and used crutches yet he flew the jungle for over 30 years as a bush pilot.)  

Another contact among our listeners is a Mai-Mai rebel leader, who trusts Radio Kahuzi alone, to the point that local authorities contacted us before Thanksgiving to follow through via Radio Kahuzi and cell phone to encourage him in his desire to be reconciled with the National Government, and to join the all inclusive National Dialogue the President has opened to begin in ten days.

Earlier in 2000, during the siege of Bukavu the Mai Mai Commander above, heard the message of God's great love to all men through the Lord Jesus Christ. He, along with another commander were listening to Radio Kahuzi on a Galcom pre-tuned, solar powered radio stolen from our radio club members during the fighting. They both heard the Word, believed on Christ as their Savior, laid down their weapons ceasing to plunder the rest of the city and returned home to Fizi where the Commander in the photo established a church, which is still sharing the Gospel today!

Over the years the Lord has given Radio Kahuzi this unique outreach to the Mai-Mai, Interhamwe, and other waring factions to bring political reconciliation, and sometimes it results in personal salvation and spiritual reconciliation.

In Heaven we will have the joy of meeting and rejoicing with the many precious souls our joint efforts have rescued from an eternity without the Savior. We will then see the “Rest of the Story” as He alone sees it now. In reality, He is accomplishing it all, and we are merely His Coworkers, thus, we have the assurance that what He has begun in us will be completed. Even the best and worst in human kind are being touched by the Gospel by your partnering with us.

Keep Looking Up!  
Rich and Kathy   

 

Dear Friends of Radio Kahuzi,

FIRST, we want to THANK YOU SOOOO VERY, VERY, VERY much for your continued encouragement and the gifts you have sent to help us and Radio Kahuzi to keep on keeping on!!!!

Today, we woke up to a cold, dark and rainy day, but the lights are still on, which is wonderful, since we had about five days without SNEL electric. So, today it's a “blessing day,” with the rain, and lights on, too. (Out here in Africa, rain means the Lord is blessing us!)

Then, comes the sunshine, when unexpectedly, one of our helpers told me of a young man that just came here from down-country and the story that this young man told him was just so encouraging to our broadcast team. He said that when he was in the forest walking from village to village, he couldn't find any churches for many, many kilometers, but he had his little blue Shortwave Galcom fixed-tuned radio, and he listened to Radio Kahuzi, which became his little church all along the way! Because of the many troubles that continue down-country some villages and churches are being abandoned; and whole villages are being burned out. The Word of God can't be silenced even though Satan would like to have that happen.

We're still in the thick of packing boxes and moving things out to the new studio and the little

apartment there. It's a hard job, as when the lights are out, then it's flashlight time; or when it rains like today, then there's no transporting boxes, except getting them ready to load again when the sun comes out. And then, there are the times the electricity is off for five days and the doubts that come! But, thankfully, the electricity is on today!

Long awaited Move to Rwanda
This week we took our first load of household goods over to Rwanda, thanks to our neighbor who lent us their special driver and vehicle, with all the
permission papers, to carry the load across the two borders. The man who drove us is a business man here in town, and everyone seems to know him at the borders, so there were no problems. Well, actually, he and Richard were stopped at a barricade just before the border by soldiers and police who were refusing to let them pass. They were going to block the shipment of household effects because Richard was in the vehicle. They mistook him for a Canadian working for the gold mines. Then the traffic policeman’s phone rang and it was the head of traffic patrol! The head of the traffic patrol somehow knew the driver, and his instructions got the soldiers to release Richard and his baggage, so they could be on their way! God is so good! Thank you again, LORD for Your rapid intervention!!!

Richard adds, We Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His Intervention and Sustaining Grace! It's always amazing how, out of the blue, the Lord brings to us folks to help us! We had never met this man, (special driver) but our neighbor works with him in several businesses, and sent him to help us as they knew we certainly would need help, and they love the radio work and Kathy for her nurture and the messages that have helped their kids for over 23 years now, as they have listened and responded positively since they were little kids. The Lord is Truly Working in their hearts!

Radio Kahuzi's New Home
The new studio is coming together very nicely! We will be able to purchase four large 200 AH batteries soon with a “special” gift and another four batteries later, as the Lord provides, to bring our electrical backup “on line” and begin broadcasting in our new studio! The second set of four will cost $1,500. Pray with us for that need.

Please pray also for the other backup system promised locally, a large enough generator to support the Studio and the Shortwave transmitter. The electrical outages are sometimes many days as the government is trying to revamp their ancient hydroelectric turbines to serve several million more homes than before.

Pray for wisdom as we try to configure our new Shortwave antenna to fit into a very small yard without developing interference to others as it is against the law!

Until we make the transition, we are thankful our present Studio and SW antenna continue to communicate the Gospel throughout Central Africa as it has for these many years. We cannot predict the exact date all conditions will come together to shut down the present studio and move the transmitters to the new studio, but we are praying this will occur before the end of the year and the beginning of our 24th year of broadcasting from D. R. Congo!

Thank you for your prayers and help with our radio ministry through all these years! We never could have imagined that we would be so privileged to reach souls through radio along with so many others that have come alongside, like you, to make such a difference in people's lives through the hearing of the Word of God!

With love and thanksgiving in our hearts to you,

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10: 17.

A Message from the Smiths
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us....." Ephesians 3: 20.

This promise from the Lord has certainly been proven true as we have watched the Lord increase Rich and Kathy's faith over these past thirty years since Believer's Express Service was incorporated on March 11, 1986.

Barbara and I have been along for the amazing ride and have witnessed all that God is able to do in the lives of those willing to give Him free reign over the good and the bad, the joys and the sorrows. It all works to His Glory!

Once all the dust is settled on Phase I and Phase II, we are trusting the Lord to allow us to bring Rich and Kathy home to celebrate our 30th Anniversary with the Board of Directors and as many friends and churches as the Lord provides opportunity.

With Thanksgiving in our hearts to all who have participated in prayer and in financial assistance to complete Phase I: The New Studio in Bukavu, D. R. Congo and Phase II: The Purchase of a new home and property in Rwanda, we say a great big "Thank You"! This is all amazing since Radio Kahuzi is a commercial free station and fully funded by friends in the States. We broadcast in D. R. Congo simply to share the love of Christ and have never ask for funding from our listening audience.   

So, your prayers, along with any gifts, large or small, are appreciated to help Rich and Kathy continue their life and ministry in D. R. Congo and a new ministry in Rwanda.

May the Lord bless you and your family as you celebrate another year of Thanksgiving in Christ's unconditional Love and

Forgiveness.

Harold and Barbara Smith

Beginning the Big Move!

We praise our Lord for friends like you who help us keep keeping on!! The radio ministry isn't easy; and we're soooo thankful when we have the encouragement from folks like you!

We're in the thick of dry season; it rained a little yesterday, but not enough to do anything, just makes the leaves dry up more. The roads are being graded as usual during dry season, so the dust is just horrendous and all the walkers just suffer so much! Everyone will be happy when the rains start again; although, then everyone will be crying about all the mud!! They added piles of top soil / not clay or argyle soil / to spread on top of the graded road. That means we will have clouds of dust if they don't put black top over it!!!!

We're in the thick of moving the radio station and the household goods from 40 years living out here; can you imagine what that's like. We just have to take it little by little, otherwise one gets overwhelmed when looking at the whole picture!

Rich is putting up the antenna for the FM at the new two room / two story radio studio. We've been moving heavy, heavy furniture from the radio room that stores all the cassettes and CD's and Mini-discs with a flat bed truck that our neighbor lent to us for a few days. So much work ahead! But, it'll be worth it -- when we finally move into the house that our board has worked sooooo hard to buy. If the Lord wills, no more renting and landlords, raising rent every time one turns around.

Across the Border
We were wondering how in the world we would ever get enough funds to buy the little house on the hill in Rwanda, and because of you all investing so much to make this happen, we just marvel how the Lord has worked this all out little by little. It's a big lesson in going by faith, and we still can't quite believe it yet. I guess when we give our friend (the owner) the last payment and we finally get all our belongings across the border, into the house, then, it'll all seem more real!!!

If the Lord wills, as soon as we get moved over, and we get the furniture placed in their places, I'll put the little Christmas dolly and the glass ornaments in the glass door cupboard that Rich had made for me one year. That will sit in the kitchen so we can put our good dishes and little special gifts that remind us to pray for you all! And, then we can put the electric candle in one of the windows at Christmas time (over there they say that the electricity hardly ever goes out) can you imagine that!!!

The water is supposed to be on most of the time, too!!  And, it's really clean! We already buy bottled water for drinking from over there (Rwanda), we boil the lake water from here in Bukavu for coffee and brushing teeth and sometimes drinking too, when the other water runs out.

Thank you to each one who helped to make our dream of property and a home in Rwanda come true!  We pray that the Lord will use it for His Honor and Glory!

Thank you soooo very much for your gifts and for your prayers, so much needed!

Keep Looking Up!
Rich and Kathy McDonald

Face to Face With Jesus

 

Harold Smith, BESI / Radio Kahuzi President, Barbara Smith, Secretary, Phyllis and Wayne Schoonover

Three Members of the Schoonover Family are Enjoying their Face to Face with Jesus!

A man full of wisdom, encouragement and discretion are among the attributes of Wayne Keith Schoonover, Sr. 

Wayne joined our BESI Board of Directors in May of 2006 serving until his home going to Glory on October 14, 2015.
 
Wayne will be greatly missed by our BESI / Radio Kahuzi Board of Directors and many Pastors and Christian Families in the D R Congo.
 
Harold D. Smith, President
 

A Little Family History from Kathy

We remember this precious family with our shared experiences and memories of missionary life in D R Congo (formerly Zaire) and the War of Independence, during Mobutu's seizure of power in a military coup in 1965, followed by five years of political upheaval following independence known as the Congo Crisis. We all fled across the border into Rwanda to wait out the war with the Lindquists, the Schoonovers, and the Bahlers (Kathy’s family). 

When we all came back to the States from the Congo in 1960, because of the troubles, we had the privilege of having Uncle Wayne as our pastor in Derbe, Colorado. Wonderful times of growing in the Word and making lots of American friends.

Jill's Face to Face with Jesus

Jill (Schoonover) Hodgson, Home to Glory November 7, 2014 

/ Kathy on left, and Kim Hodgson on right

 

In November of 2014 we made an emergency trip home for Richard’s eye surgeries, followed by a visit with the Schoonover families to say our goodbyes to Jill, daughter of Wayne and Phyllis Schoonover. Jill was ready and looking forward to making her entrance into Heaven after years of battling cancer, knowing II Corinthians 5:6 ”We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Jill entered Heaven’s Gate on November 7, 2014. Jill’s mother, Phyllis, had already taken her journey on May 28, 2014.
 

Mike Axman, Richard and Kathy McDonald, Bill and Mary Bunch, and Wayne Schoonover

During our visit in November 2014, we went on down to Elkhart with board members, Bill and Mary Bunch and Wayne Schoonover to connect with our partners for technical assistance in Elkhart, IN at the HCJB Engineering Center now known as “Son Set Solutions.”

We enjoyed dinner with senior technician, Mike Axman, our good friend, and tech support since 1992. We are so thankful that we had this time with Wayne as it became our last visit and fellowship together until we meet again in Glory.
 

Wayne and Phyllis Schoonover reunited in Heaven with daughter, Jill

 Richard shares, I met Wayne before I met Phyllis in 1970, when he spoke at GBC of how it was when he was a college student and some of the pranks they played; then he challenged me that teaching in Kenya in English would be great, but had I considered being a teacher of Grace pastors in the Congo where he and Phyllis were missionaries.

Wayne Schoonover, Jr. was used of the Lord to help bring Kathy and me together as a serious couple in Blessed Courtship. Later, Uncle Wayne was the Pastor who married Kathy and me, and helped us join them as Grace Missionaries in the Congo in 1975.

Again, in 1985 Wayne’s wisdom was needed as Kathy and I were seeking the Lord’s direction–regarding whether to begin an independent missionary organization. Knowing us so personally, Wayne encouraged us to step out by faith and organize a new mission, which became Believer’s Express Service, Inc. on March 11, 1986. We will celebrate 30 years of ministry in Congo next year, 2016. BESI developed into missionary radio in 1992. This opened the Congo to it's present-day Freedom of Broadcasting; celebrating 23 years of broadcasting the Gospel on December 24, 2015.
 
Our journey with Wayne and the Schoonover family has been a long and fruitful one.
 
Uncle Wayne, Auntie Phyllis and Jill are all greatly missed, but our Reunion is not far behind. So, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Earthquake Kills at Least Five People in Bukavu

Richard and Kathy McDonald report:

We had two earth quakes last night about 3:30 AM — about 6 on the Richter scale or more.

The SW & FM tower / rack moved about a foot, against the heavy desk and UPS batteries!

The walls cracked in the bedroom and radio room, and the cement walk began to buckled up outside the studio room door. All those places are along a line, probably a fault line under the house. The hot water heater broke loose on one side — its bolt pulled out of the wall. It  swung on the chain and holder on the other side and burst free from the input water line. It is dangling by one finger hold of the support brace and the chain I attached, just in case… We will have no hot water tonight. Hopefully, I’ll be able to fix it tomorrow / Saturday.  I took pictures for use later with the LL, as she may be able to get help fixing the problems related to the quake; especially if it was the mines blasting to see where the gold is. They take radar type x-rays from planes and satellite to see what is under the ground. Most of our neighbors have re-built their houses after the last huge quake.

We are praying that after shocks will not damage our new, two story studio.

Lake Kivu is a volcanic lake sitting on a fault line connected to several volcanoes about 100 miles north in Goma which feed methane gas into Lake Kivu.  The gas escapes from the lake causing skin and eye problems.

There is much new construction due to finding gold and now uranium. The explosion of the population has put a huge drain on the very old water and electricity system causing extreme service outages.

                                          Center of the city of Bukavu

Media Trailblazer: Adversity birthing new freedom for broadcasting

The first broadcast license for D R Congo (formerly Zaire) was signed on July 4, 1991 to allow FM, medium wave, and shortwave broadcasting of Christian programming, as well as agricultural and rural development broadcasting, including health, hygiene, and nutrition.

A new era of communicating directly to the people of Congo was ushered in. This has been followed by the creation and opening of many radio and TV stations across the country.

(Photo: In 2014, our journalist, Gregoir, on right in red shirt, attended a radio training workshop at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa with journalists from stations all over D. R. Congo.)

Prior to 1992 it was against the law to even do ham radio out of the country. What a milestone for democracy! 

Trailblazing does not come without adversity. Even as Job was tested in his day, God allowed Richard and Kathleen in 1983 to face the sudden shock of major eye surgery for torn retinas. (Many times our disappointments are God's way of placing us in a position of opportunity...of pointing us in a new direction for our lives and/or ministries.) 

During this time they were able to use funds received as a result of a work related vehicle accident, causing torn retinas, to allow the McDonalds to launch Believer's Express Service, Inc., as a Christian, non-profit organization in 1986.
 

God allowed Richard and Kathleen to remain in Congo in 1979 and continue as volunteers, directing the American Cultural Center / Reading Room from 1981 until its closing in 1986. They also taught English to eager students and government officials. 
  
Why is that important? Because it provided the opportunity to introduce Christian concepts of democracy to Governor, Mwando N'Simba, Kilolo, Kimbwa wa Mulona, and other leaders in Kivu Province over a period of years. After a year as the first test case for decentralization, Kivu Province's governor was moved up to the President's cabinet to become Zaire's first Minister of State for Administration of the Territory and Decentralization providing a friend in high places. The Lord provided Richard the unique experience of greatly helping Governor Mwando N'Simba in this period of transition.

Several years later, when Richard was in desperate straits and could not get from home to town to promote the communication project with authorities, the Minister of State arrived next door. The Minister was used of the Lord to hand carry the project proposal to the General Secretary of the Party (the number two person of the government) and to get a favorable written response from this man, the main political adviser to the President.

The new conviction to pursue a broadcast permit also came at a time of deep dependence on the Lord--when Richard had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital for evaluation of renewed problems with his repaired retinas.

By faith, in 1987, even before we had the first license, we presented our vision for broadcasting to officials of HCJB World Radio (now Reach Beyond). The McDonalds were operating completely by faith.

Richard signs proposal to HCJB

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11: 1.)

Richard and Kathy McDonald had no experience in operating radio equipment, they also had no equipment, and they had no money to buy equipment. A few years earlier in 1986 Richard ask his sister, Barbara, to incorporate a non-profit, and establish a home office. There was no donor base, no grants, no wealthy backers, only a coffee table and an old manual typewriter. But, they knew God was in this for the long haul, and so were they.

HCJB's Vice President, Ben Cummings said it was interesting since they had already been requesting a similar permit in East Africa. He pointed out that Bukavu is perfectly placed to broadcast into many unreached areas such as India and Eastern Europe by shortwave radio signals, because of the north-south direction and distance. Cummings requested that they be kept informed. They did more than that, they would not take "NO", or silence for an answer!" as Ron Cline, former President of HCJB stated when they met for the presentation to the McDonalds of NRB's (National Religious Broadcasters) "The 2010 International Impact Award" in Nashville.

Ron & Barb Cline, Kathy & Rich, Barbara & Harold Smith

So, what is faith? 

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Heb. 11: 3.)

God takes nothing and turns it into something. What a mystery! God will make it all plain to us when we get home to Glory.

Praise Him...the Alpha and the Omega!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! BESI / RADIO KAHUZI
 
On July 4, 1991, BESI's application for a free, private radio license was used of the Lord to end the governmental monopoly on broadcasting; establishing the first private Christian development radio network, including the present ministry of Radio Kahuzi, broadcasting the Gospel in twelve languages in FM and Shortwave and distributing MegaVoice Bibles in Mandarin and Russian to UN troops.

Richard receives Prime Minister Kendo wa Dondo

On April 24, 1991, President Mubutu announced that he was stepping down as President of the MPR party, ending the governmental monopolies, and turning the government over to the Prime Minister who would work with the different branches of the government to change the constitution and to provide for multi-party elections. Interestingly, Believer's Express Service, Inc. was made a Zairian (Congolese) association by Presidential Decree two days later on April 26, 1991. (Zairian Law number 91-1234).

Later, the permit for our radio ministry was signed on July 4, 1991, by both the Minister of State for Information and Press and the Minister of State for Agriculture; thus, helping to open the country to a free media by receiving the very first license for a private, Christian, non-governmental radio station.

To God be the Glory!