Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
Two of our church members - Sam and Sarah Snyder, spent August and September of 2009 in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C) working in a ministry that is reaching out to widows and orphans and learning the local language. After months of preparation and support raising, they were able to return on July 25th for 2 more years! The church there in Gemena, D.R.C. is responding to the needs of these neglected people through a community called "Elikya" ("Elikya" means hope). Through this community, widows learn a variety of trades and become empowered to support their families. Likewise, the orphans have their physical, educational and spiritual needs met. Lord willing, Sam and Sarah plan to spend two years there - teaching English, computer literacy classes, and agricultural advances to the Congolese church leadership. Through this training, the Church can be better equipped to teach the widows and orphans.
For more information on how you can pray for and support them, you can view their personal blog or you can contact Sam at sam.snyder@efca.org.
