notes from the field

Dear friends,

I am traveling with the Maniema team for one week. I am so very grateful to you for praying, because today was an object lesson on howimportant prayer is for the safety of our teams. We landed in Punia with an AirServ plane. Two young pilots were flying the Grand Caravan. There were no passengers to go back to Goma from Punia so they took off with minimal weight. Five minutes intothe flight, the control system failed. The plane was losing height over the forest. With just engine power and the rudder they managed toget it within sight of the river Loa, and they brought the plane down into the water. The plane somersaulted and landed upside down witho ne wing torn off. The pilots got the doors open as they went intothe water, and by the grace of God they were able to swim out. Thent hey stood on the upside down plane in the middle of the river andwaited for help. A passing fisherman picked them up and paddled themto the end of a forest path; so they are now sleeping in our househere at Punia, waiting to go out tomorrow. We are so grateful to Godfor saving thier lives.It has been remarkable this evening to hear telephone calls from allover the world, saying how people were compelled to pray for us today. It is so very important. Mama Muliri, Julienne Chakupewa, Francesca Feruzi, Fred Kahunde, Mama Kahindo, Paulin Bukundika and I, as well as Dr Neihbuhr, the evaluator from KfW, we all say thank you.

Please keep on praying.

Best wishes.Lyn Lusi