A New Milestone

Bercky, our Radio Kahuzi journalist during the wars (1996 to 2007 ) rejoices to receive and prepares to deliver the "FM transmitter in a suitcase" to Walungu, where he now directs his own FM station for the Mwami and will maintain and operate our relay station high in the mountains overlooking Bukavu and Lake Kivu. Re-establishing this Translator Site is the beginning of our goal to form an FM relay network throughout the region.

Bercky and the Mwami operated this same translator for us for about a year -- until the war in 1996, when that village and the FM translator were pillaged by the invading military. Today Bercky is installing a longer coax cable to place the antenna even higer for better outreach. He is also changing our relay from FM-to-FM to SW-to-FM to avoid interferance from other FM stations in Rwanda crowding our FM frequency.

Because there is electricity only part of the time, we are preparing a 4-battery bank with charger to run the system on 48 volts DC. Lord willing, in other sites in the different provinces, we will use solar panels to recharge the batteries.

Radio Kahuzi Journalist Traveling with Senators and Ministers

(Gregoire - left - preparing for journey with Senators and Ministers)

Gregoire, our journalist, will go with Senators and Ministers today and distribute 52 Shortwave to cover all the localities of the Fizi Territory and blankets for the vulnerable ones / retournees from Refugee camps. Gregoire will be recording the meetings for our archives and for broadcast to the population upon his return. One aspect of these meetings is to announce and plan the installation of our network, as well as to obtain commitments from representatives of each of the tribes / language groups to work with us to establish listener groups / radio clubs to record and send feedback to our broadcasts, to maintain and guard our equipment and to develop a site that is secure for each of our transmitters.

These government officials are willing to work with us to install 4 or 5 Relay Sites in that part of South Kivu. We will have pictures and video of this meeting and of all the leaders from Fizi Territory at Fizi Center, 11 -12 April.

Our plan is to purchase the first of five 250 Watt FM translators, which will pick up and reach further into the valleys of the Fizi Territory.

Please pray for the LORD's Wisdom and Direction.
Keep Looking UP! And Keep On Keeping ON!!

Love, Richard & Kathy

Another Request for Radios from Militia Forces!

Hi again !

What fast follow-up ! Praise the Lord for Samuel Katambwe, Coordinateur of the Kahuzi Radio Clubs developing at Kigalube and Kiluma.

He is back with the Pastor President of the radio club and another letter, this time from the Interhamwe Commander over Thomas. And another Activity Report from the club. They are opening radio clubs in several more villages with one requested by the Hutu refugees.

The Comandant Oscar at Kigulube thanks us for having the courage to greet them each time and to have sent radios to them. They have need of our programming and information and are committed to make it a must to follow our transmissions. He encouraged me to send another five Galcom short wave radios and he will give them to civilians and military under his supervision.

It is very positive to see that the civilians have the ok to form a listeners' club. With that there is the responsibility to have at least one community activity to help others near them that are in need. Now we will be more sure they are listening to a chapter a day from the Bible in their Kinya-Rwandan language. We are going through Romans again this week.

Lord willing, we will send radios, blankets, tracts, Gospels of John, a soccer ball, a ram of paper, some bics, etc. to help them organize the community radio clubs..

It's late. Shaking continues this morning, so Kathy is sleeping in the car...
I'm headed for the couch til morning.

Keep Looking UP !

In His Love, Richard & Kathy

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: