Our Dear Friend Victor

Hi everyone, Thanks soo much for your comments and posts on our blog, its really great to see who is "watching". If you haven't posted a comment please do. As the violence and political upheaval in Kenya slows down and, we hope and pray fades away, our attention turns again to preparing for school. Term was delayed by our administration a week, so that people might have a chance to travel safely and perhaps recollect their lives a bit before we are hit with work.
Below is a letter from a very dear friend of ours, he is a pastor from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (another country that has been torn apart in the past by war and political violence). He is a student here with us at NEGST. We got to know him while doing a project with him last term (which we got an A on by the way). He is trying to find avenues of sponsorship for his studies at NEGST. We asked him to write a short testimony, and we told him we'd give him a bit of "publicity" on our blog. If this is a direction the LORD might move you, please contact us, We have more financial specifics. If you don't know our email adress give us yours via a comment to this post, and we'll contact you. Think of it this way, in supporting people like Victor and others, you are building and strengthening the church in Africa. One of the worst problems the church faces in Africa, is not necessarily hunger and lack of provision (though this is a deadly African reality), but lack of a substantial Biblical and Orthodox theology (perhaps a even more "deadly" reality). There is a severe famine in sound Biblical teaching on this continent, and NEGST is one of only a handful of institutions the LORD has blessed Africa with that seek to remedy this need.

I am Victor Lonu Budha, from the North-East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). I am married to Carine Dheve Lonu and God had blessed us with six children: 4 daughters and 2 boys. They are between 12 years and 9 months. With them, I have one orphan, a boy who is 13 old, in my charge. My home church is Communauté Evangélique au Centre de l’Afrique (CECA-20) and especially Eglise Locale CECA-20 Sukisa/Bunia.

I accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord when I was very young, during an evangelization campaign. But it was in 1988 that I committed to serve God. I began as singer in a choir and a Sunday school teacher. After my secondary school, I taught in a primary school for 3 years. Then I worked as secretary in my church denomination for 5 years and I went to theological studies for 3 years. After this period I served as headmaster in a bible school from 1996 to 1998 and I went again back for 2 other years for theological studies. When I finished in 2000, I went, as a teacher, in another bible school from 2001 to February 2005. From April 2005 to August 2007 I was pastoring in a local church.

My journey to attend NEGST began in 2001 but I only got my admission in June, last year , 2006. But I could not come to begin the academic year 2006-2007 in September, because I did not have money to pay school fees and my church was unable and still the same to help me in this matter. As the admission was valid only for 2 years, I finally decided, even without sponsorship or any promise, but by faith, to come at NEGST, because I was convinced that God’s time has come for me to be at NEGST and I did not want to lose my admission that I got after many years.

According to the financial difficulty, which has not changed even now, my wife and children remain in my country and I have come alone. I had just enough money for my travel from Bunia (which is my home town) to Nairobi. My wife is dealing with many issues to help the children (school fees, daily life) while she is jobless. To be without scholarship, separated with my family and the fact that my country has not a stable peace, especially my area (Ituri District), gives me great sadness much of the time and sometimes I am unable to concentrate for my academic tasks.

According to the deterioration of the country with the effects of wars, the church there has became very weak. It is true that the church is economically poor, but also it needs help in teaching of biblical principles and appropriate strategies for its growing. That is the main aim for why I am at NEGST and I will go back, when I finish, to my country to serve God in the church of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, considering all these facts, I am looking for the financial support. Any assistance of this kind will be your great contribution for the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

May God bless you.

Victor Lonu Budha.