Hello friends. Suzannah and I are taking our trip to the Congo in August.
What is the purpose of the trip?
We are holding our Leadership Conference alongside several workshops to fortify and unify our vision and work that the Lord has tasked us with, both today and in the future:
Learning the intricacies of what developing Congolese leadership and new church plants looks like, how to better equip this vision, and hear the heart and feedback from those on the front lines. Where will we stay?
Last year we finished our two-bedroom Guesthouse. This year we furnished it anticipating our stay.
What will we eat?
We will be eating regular American comfort foods like sandwiches and chips. But, each day we will join our pastors for the afternoon meals. These meals consist of: fufu (made of cassava root and corn flour, it looks like a lump of tan play-dough), pondu (pounded green leaves from the cassava plant), chopped and fried meats made into a meat soup, pork or chicken or a type of mackerel fish called Thompson. Rice and beans are also side foods. This meal is very filling.
Suzannah Dawson
Hey friends, Suzannah here! The goal in this trip is for me to re-connect with my Congolese Family. My heart has leaned towards missions as I’ve grown through the years. This desire has led me through several medical missions trips throughout the world, both long and short term. I’ve travelled four times to Guatemala, once to Rwanda, and once I served on a Mercy Ship in Papua New Guinea.
My heart has always been for the Congolese people, however. This has brought me to consider the continuation of Rise Congo and what that would look like long term. This trip will be the beginning of me re-connecting with my spiritual family there to help support the mission, projects, and community that are already thriving in that country. I am excited to sit next to the Mamas and listen to their stories, hear the goals of the Pastors for their churches, and encourage the dreams of the Children. This community is rich in their Christian walks, and I look forward to seeing that first hand again.
