LET THERE BE LIGHT!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

• And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:2-3

Also, in John 8:12 we read, “I am the light of the world.”

In most of the US, we take electricity for granted. Right? However, with all the recent horrific hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires we may think about the loss of electricity in a different way. Yes, it’s inconvenient to have food defrost and even be determined as uneatable when the refrigerator and the stove cannot function. Even more importantly, the impact on medical care has opened our eyes to the importance of electricity for the health and safety. When respirators cannot function and kidney dialysis become unavailable, lives are greatly jeopardized.

Several people in the US have told us that now they more fully understand the absence of power in Congo. Every day people die because they do not have access to medical equipment that requires electricity. When electricity is provided in Congo we have learned that it brings HOPE for the people there.

We’ll never forget the shock we experienced during our very first visit to Congo in 2004. In the maternity ward, a premature delivery had recently occurred. The newborn laid within a tiny metal crib with an oil lamp, actively burning within inches of the infant’s body. As a nurse, Donna’s immediately reacted with fear and angst for the safety of this precious baby! The staff were compassionate and creative in how they tried to care for the baby but they just didn’t have the resources.