The Full Gospel Church, Rushden, has had close links with missionaries in Asia and Africa for many years. Since retired missionaries, David and Bronwen Womersley came to live in Rushden 15 years ago, emphasis has also been put on Central African Missions and particularly their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here the church that the Mission founded is called 'La Communaute Pentecotiste au Congo CPCo'. David, who is a trustee of the Mission, recently wrote the Foreword to a joint revision and reprint of two books called 'Into Africa' for the 90 year anniversairy. The first book is a biography of one of the founders, William Burton, a remarkable man of many gifts, including Bible Teacher, artist, writer (26 books), engineer, anthropologist...
Over the past century, the Balamba tribe, scattered over parts of southern Congo and northern Zambia, has been known for their poverty and drunkenness. On his return visits to the Congo, David had learned that little was still being done to try and evangelise them. Even the mega churches in Lubumbashi had mainly given up on them as impossible to evangelise.
A national pastor and prison chaplain, Emile Mukaya, was disturbed about this and after much prayer felt God leading him into a new strategy for evangelism. He shared his vision with two of the missionaries. The plan was simple. Train evangelists from some of the many Lubumbashi churches and send them out two by two on bicycles to target the Balamba villages.
Emile Mukaya wrote to David about his vision. An undesignated gift had just been donated for the Congo work. it was enough for five bicycles. This vision was God's timing. Today, after only three years, there are 85 bicycles! The teams have seen hundreds of converts and people changed, healed, blessed. Some of the new converts are already in training so as to evangelise and care for their own people. The hard Balamba are at last being won for Christ.
*Into Africa can be obtained from CAM office.
Written by David Womersley, formerly of Central African Missions. Supplied by Mark Lees, Minister, Rushden Full Gospel Church
