The McDonald's Cherith Brook Experience

Kathy and Richard prepare to return to Bukavu, DRCongo in 1983
after Richard's emergency eye surgery in Washington, DC
to repair torn retinas. Kathy was his "eyes" during the 
long year of recovery...another Cherith Brook Experience.

Richard and Kathy McDonald stepped out in faith in 1973 as missionaries to the people of Zaire, formerly the Belgian Congo, and, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They began their ministry without a fully funded base of support. Richard provided funding by accepting a secular position and using those funds to begin missionary service as "Tentmakers" following the expample of the Apostle Paul.

Years later, in 1986 Believer's Express Service, inc. was established to create a donor base of friends and family to underwrite the ministry with prayer and financial support. The McDonalds stepped out in faith, once again, to launch a new ministry in Christian radio. A license for RADIO KAHUZI, the first free, non-government radio station was granted to the McDonalds in 1991 by President Mobutu. By December 24, 1992 RADIO KAHUZI was on the air broadcasting the Gospel.

Sadly, in 1994 trouble across the border in Rwanda spilled into Bukau, DRC with the Rwandan Genocide. In 1996 Richard and Kathy were, literally, pinned to the floor while rockets flew over their heads, financial support dried up and there were days with little to eat. There would be two more invasions in 1998 and 2000 with more hardships.

During these troubling times in 1996 the Lord sent a most unlikely business couple living in Bukavu to minister to their physical needs, providing food and protection during at the invasion of the city. This husband and wife practiced two different world religions unlike a simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that Richard and Kathy wanted to share with their heaven-sent friends.

Richard and Kathy were led by the Lord to begin a personal study of the life of Elijah and his Cherith Brook experience as it seemed so similar to what they were going through. It has remained one of their most precious Scriptures throughout their life-changing experiences in missionary service.

I Kings 17: 3 - 6

Get thee hence, and turn eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Richard's first life-changing experience happened on July 23, 1963 when he came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ during a personal conversation with Pastor Henry F. Kulp. (Richard was raised in Christian Science and this was a very big step of faith.)

Richard's spiritual growth began while sitting under the ministry of this great man of God and Bible teacher. Sharing these wonderful teachings has been a life-long pursuit.

These messages from Pastor Kulp date back to the 1960s and have been translated from English into French and Swahili. This is a work in progress and additional messages are added as they are translated, edited and added to their blogs.


May your life be blessed as you read and absorb these wonderful Words of Life that will prepare you for your own Cherith Brook Experience. May the Lord bless you as you "...grow in Grace and in the knowledge of Christ."

(The links to these precious messages are to your right of this article.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATHY!

Today, July 26, is Sweet Kathleen's birthday. In this photo you were 15, we believe. While you were having your photo taken in Africa (1963), your future husband, Richard was coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ in July 1963 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was also sharing his newly found faith in a note to his mother, Faith. Having been raised in Christian Science this was a big step, but the first step in his journey to find you, Kathy, the love of his life and partner in ministry for 47 years. Your life has been a blessing and testimony to us all. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATHY.

Our birthday wish for you would be many more years to serve Him.

FIRST CASE OF EBOLA IN GOMA

Radio Kahuzi reports first case of Ebola in Goma about 100 miles north of Bukavu home of Radio Kahuzi Station, Staff and families. Believed to have been spread via person traveling by bus from a city north of Goma.



To read more...https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48985689

Happy Birthday, Radio Kahuzi as the First Licensed Station in DRC 28 Years Ago Today!

On July 4, 1991 our license was signed into law by 

President Mobutu! 

As we revisit July 4,1991 each year, Kathy and I are very thankful to have lived several zenith events where we have experienced the Holy Spirit's intervention. Despite our frequent incapacity and simplicity as we live through this Age of Grace, we realize we are nearing the end times and the end of the Holy Spirit's working alongside believers in the Body of Christ. 

(Amazingly, the granting of free radio / TV for D. R. Congo was 200 years after America added the Amendment to the Constitution establishing and guaranteeing Freedom of Press and Speech in America.)

In our legal application to the government, we named our station "Cherith Radio" memorializing our difficult experience, which seemed to parallel the Prophet Elijah's tutoring by the Holy Spirit at Cherith Brook near the Jordan River. Later, Fred Bahler, Kathy's father named it Radio Kahuzi after Mount Kahuzi--Parc National de Kahuzi-Biega, the highest peak and home of the silverback gorilla near Bukavu. 

Kathy and I, along with Fred, had begun our "Tent Making Ministry" (self support) with the Lord's direction which took us through the Cherith Brook experience bringing into our lives a professional couple, Wim and Lita, of Coka Cola Company, with facilities in Bukavu. We were personally invited to minister to them. They were of two different world religions, and considered us as "Holy People." However, the Lord used them to minister to us physically with food and fellowship as we shared the Gospel and Christ's presence and testimony. They also listened and were ministered to by our radio broadcasts, which had just begun. 
  

We chose our logo for BESI, representing the "Widow of Zarephath" and her son written about in I Kings 17: 1- 12. She is represented in our logo carrying a bundle of sticks and the embers of fire on her head with which to prepare their last meal. Having only enough flour for one cake and a little oil she shared and ministered to Elijah the Tishbite during his time of discouragement and famine. The story teaches us is to keep our eyes, our heart, and, our mind on Jesus Christ, so that the Holy Spirit can walk and work effectively beside us!

Though we had requested and developed the dossier for a broadcast license over five years of working through each layer of the government's administration, Kathy and I had no earthly reason to hope and no real idea what the Holy Spirit was preparing for the DRC, (formerly, Zaire) until the 4th of July, 1991, when we saw the American Ambassador and the Cultural Affairs Officer on National Television, presenting a golden American Eagle to President Mobutu as they said good-bye and left the country. 

Our Permit, signed that day, ended the state monopoly on television and radio! We believe the Lord led President Mobutu to end the Party State and change the Constitution, opening the Nation to the first multi-party elections and to Freedom of the Press, with BESI's permission as a private national broadcaster in Shortwave and FM. Over the twenty-eight years since we received the first license, more than a thousand radios and TV stations have flourished in the DRC, and the Lord has created wonderful stories of conversion and reconciliation of warring groups through our broadcasts and listener responses. Many times militant, and warring factions took the time to listen to the News and programming of Radio Kahuzi. 

 Mai-Mai Commanders who came 
to faith in Christ while resting in the 
hills above Bukavu preparing to 
overrun the City and Radio Kahuzi.

One such testimony is of the conversion of two commandos on Christmas Day in 2000, after a third of Bukavu had fallen into their control. After hearing the Word of God (in their own heart language) over Radio Kahuzi they repented, laid down their weapons of war, and returned home to Fizi Territory five hundred miles to the South. There they constructed a church to the Praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10: 17. 

Through these years of war and conflict, it has always been a moment-by-moment test between the flesh and the spirit-–to be absorbed by the problems weighing heavily all around us in this carnal world, or, by walking in, or by, the Spirit. Pray with us to Keep Looking Up to the Lord, living above it, so to speak, as the Holy Spirit continues doing what He will always do, if we let Him and have confidence in Him--and not to be distracted in ourselves, or our circumstances.   

This labor of love is possible only because of you, our Partners and Prayer Warriors and BESI Representatives of Radio Kahuzi helping to keep our feeble hands raised in prayer for Him to accomplish His directive will in our lives and ministry.

Keep Walking by the Spirit! And, 
Keep Looking Up!

In His Love and Care,
Richard and Kathy McDonald

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Today is Father’s Day and I’m sure that every daughter and son never has the words to deeply express their love and appreciation for our FATHERS as we should!!

One way of doing that is to say THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for all they’ve done for us!

Rich and I loved my Dad soooo much and he was such a mentor to us all!  Everytime we look at his Vauxhall car parked in our yard, we think of my wonderful Dad and how he worked so hard to rejuvenate that car so that he could have wheels, and, yes, it worked and with all four exhaust pipes working at once, everyone in town knew that Freddy Bahler was going somewhere !!

Just this week we had a team of mechanics, two came from Kigali – thanks to Mark Neil! They worked so hard to pull down the transmission (what a monster) and heavy !I always think of my Dad and how he too helped sooo many people when they had car problems, or “piki” problems: or just anything that needed fixing, he could do it.

We also say THANK YOU for all the Spiritual insight my Dad had for me during my growing up years. Always, the Word of God had first place in his life and in our family life. Even to this day, he and my Mom influence my thinking and my Spiritual outlook on life; and I’m sooo thankful that I have that wonderful gift from them!

You see, they, Fred and Milly Bahler, came to the Belgium Congo mission field when they were young people, and since they dedicated their lives to the Lord, and the Lord’s work, they never looked back; and in spite of all the hardships, spiritual and physical, they never doubted that that’s what the Lord wanted them to do! They kept on keeping on!

Another special thank you to our Dads from all us daughters, who always feel so special, because our Dads surely treated us always with that extra special bond that only a Dad gives to his girl and we all know it! Thank You, Daddy, from the bottom of my heart, and for all the special memories that never go away. We know we’ll be in Heaven – together once again, and what a rejoicing that will be !!!!!

With loads of Love. 
Rich and Kathy  XXXX00000

HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY, RICHARD

HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY, RICHARD

ALL THE WAY FROM THE LITTLE TOWN OF 

GRAMPAIN, PA TO THE HEART OF AFRICA SINCE 1974. 

MAY HE BLESS YOU WITH MANY MORE FRUITFUL YEARS!

"...Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead..." Matthew 28: 5 - 7.

Greetings from Bukavu and Radio Kahuzi!

This past week we had the privilege of helping one of our Radio Kahuzi friend's father who was really in a bad situation. This father has been one of our Radio Kahuzi listeners from the beginning, when we started the radio ministry, and loves the Lord so very much. He loves listening to Radio Kahuzi where he lives far out in the hills and his son who works with us grew up listening along with his dad and now with his own kids!

AMBULANCE RIDE IN CONGO
Just a few weeks ago Pastor became very ill, so his two friends took him to a hospital by motor-bike, which was pretty scary, because they had to strap him to the driver and the other friend sat behind to make sure he didn't fall off! The ride took about an hour on very rough trails.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, Pastor said he couldn't remember a thing, because he was so out of it! And, wouldn't you know, as the Lord works beyond our imagination, a European doctor who just happened to be there on one of his every-three-months visits to that hospital, just happened to know what was wrong with Pastor, and began treatments right away. Other doctors had been treating him for the wrong illness--for three or more years, and that's why he became so ill.

PAY OR STAY
As our Lord was at work, Pastor recovered, but then had a $380 bill. Where would the find that? And, besides that, the hospital has a policy that when one gets better, one has to pay up and give up the bed and go outside. The patient cannot go home until making the total payment. That means, sleeping on the cement outside in the severe cold night mountain air. And these past few weeks have been so much colder. While waiting to get help from SOMEWHERE, his church came up with $100 and one of his family members gave another $100. With your help, we were able to give $100! Praise the Lord! But, we found out that he still had to pay the final $80 before being released! PAY OR STAY!

HOW YOUR GIFTS HELP OTHERS
A few days later, the patients noticed a stranger was visiting the hospital, and as our Pastor was leading a Bible and prayer time with the other patients who weren't able to pay their bills either, this stranger started visiting each patient, asking how much they still owed! He gave each one a gift, and guess who much he gave Pastor...$50. So he had to wait several more days until we were able to find the last amount he needed, $30; plus, $20 to get home. We are so finite compared to our Lord! Our Pastor and his wife finally got home and were able to Praise the Lord together for all that the Lord has done for them.

Sadly, this past year, while they were at church, their house burned down destroying all their belongings including their clothes. He said he would never complain about the little two-room house his son built for them out of sticks and mud. He is just thankful to be alive and back home with his family.

You may wonder what happens to your donations to our ministry. Please be assured that every penny is put to good purposes. Thank you for all you do for us, and for allowing us to do for others. You are such an encouragement when our hearts are pulled in many directions wanting to help those who come to us daily seeking relief from their sufferings.

Keep Looking Up...
for His Soon Appearing in the Heavenlies,
Rich and Kathy McDonald

Radio Kahuzi Broadcasting Schedule for our Shortwave Listeners

          CHERITH RADIO (Kahuzi) (1 ere Antenne)

8:00    Ouverture 1ère Antenne - Annonce de la Station: CHERITH Radio (Kahuzi)

8:05    Maombi na nimbi      Swahili

8:10    SPOTS     Francais / Swahili / Autres=Other

8:15    Children's Bible Hour - Uncle Charlie     English

8:30    Wazo la Asubui / Somo ya Siku     Swahili

8:45    Objectif Famille - La Famille Aujourd’hui - Focus on the Family -Dr. Dobson Fr.

9:00    Morning Light - Dr. Kenn Gangel    English

9:15    Kipindi cha watoto     Swahili

9:30    Storytime - Uncle Charlie - Children’s Bible Hour     English

9:45    KinyaRwandan Bible Reading: Romans, Saint John, etc.    KinyaRwandan

9:55    Mini Bible College - Dick Woodward (ICM)   Swahili

10:15  NEWS - INFO en Swahili RTNC / Varietes musicales     Swahili

10:30  NEWS - INFO en français RTNC / Varietes musicales    Francis

11:05  Adventures in Odyssey - Focus on the Family     English

11:20  Mahubiri / Predication / Selections sur Compacts    Francais / Swahili / English

11:50  Nyimbo na Salamu / Correspondance / Musique / Religieuse     Swahili

12:15  NEWS - Journal Parle en Swahili RTNC / Varietes musicales     Swahili

12:30  NEWS - Journal Parale en Francais RTNC    Swahili

12:50  Nyimbo na Salamu / Varietes musicales     Swahili

         B.E.S.T. RADIO (Kahuzi) / Bukavu Extension Service - Technical Radio

1:00  Ouverture 2eme Antenne - Annonce de la Station: B.E.S.T. Radio (Kahuzi)

1:05  SPOTS / Business English USA    Francais / Swahili / English   

1:20   La Voix du Congo Profond / Agriculture     Francais / Swahili / Lingala

1:45   Objectif Famille - La Famille Aujourd'hui - Focus on the Family     Francais

2:00   NEWS Direct RTNC, Kinshasa or Kazi ni Kazi / Afya Yetu / Reportage     Francais / Sw

2:45   Enquête et Reportage, Des Radio Clubs Kahuzi - Kinyarwandan

3:00   Enquête Sur Terrains / Kazi Ni Kazi / Election Info / Sur Terrain    Sw / Francais / Etc

          CHERITH RADIO (Kahuzi) (2ere Rubrique)

3:30   Annonce de la Staton: Cherith Radio (Kahuzi)

3:35   Running to Win - Dr. Lutzer / Love Worth Finding - Dr. Rogers / In Touch / English    

4:00   Predication / Pastor Mutangi / or other     Swahili / Francais

4:20   La Famille Aujourd’hui / Objectif Famille - Focus on the Family - Dr. Dobson Fr.

4:35   Correspondence / Nyimbo na Salamu    Swahili / Francais

5:00   Announce de la fin de l’emissions

5 - 7:45   If the current was cut from 10 AM to 5 PM will present our choice of programs

Partnership with SonSet Solutions

Equipment list compiled by Robert Springer at SonSet Solutions

Studio Equipment Upgrade Needed

Cost: $10,622 

If you would like to help purchase one or more of these items click on "Donate Today"

(Some models and pricing may change)

                    14-Channel Audio Mixer $1,200

                      Announcer Microphone/Boom Arm/Cable $ 500  - PAID

                        Powered Monitor Speakers (2)   $ 110   $ 220

                                   Headphones (3) $ 85  $  225

                                                        

   

                                                  

                           CB / USB Player (3)  $ 235     $ 705

                                 Network Hub / Router  $ 55 - PAID

                           

  8TB Network Attached Storage w/2 spare drives $ 1,500

           8TB Backup Hard Drive w/ 1 spare drive $ 786

                              Misc Connecting Cables $ 200

                    RadioBOSS Automation Software $ 100

                32GB 3.0 minimum Flash Drives (6) $ 10  $ 60

       

    Business Class Laptop (Refurbished) (6)  $ 600 $3,600

External USB Keyboard / Mouse (6)  $20   $120

                             External CD Player (6) $ 25.83    $155

                                         4-Input Audio Switch $210 - PAID

                                                    

                                      USB 3.0 Switch $40 - PAID

Zoom H6 Six-track Portable Recorder (4) $ 148   $ 592

                          Audio Interface (2)   $ 177     $ 354