AFRICA PARTNERS - The Graingers

“ We are seeking to win the Congo and other neighboring countries for Christ. We are seeking to disciple the nation of Congo. We are seeking to raise up laborers for the harvest fields who will go where Christ has not yet been preached, both within this nation’s boundaries and beyond. We are seeking to train the growing ministries into the future.”

This is the heart cry of our African leadership in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire and now referred to as Congo-Kinshasa). Despite incredible obstacles, they are believing God to bring spiritual restoration to this war-torn nation. God is raising up men and women who will be the foundation of future spiritual generations. This former Belgian colony, ripped by civil war, is a country ripe for discipleship and the equipping of spiritual leaders. This is the focus of The Navigators, and our African leader-ship have asked me to lend a hand. But I need your help to get there!

The Navigator work in Kinshasa began in 1983. Today, led by Congolese Claude Kalinga and his wife Vicky, The Navigators in Africa ministers to university students, churches where staff are effectively training pastors and key laypersons, business and professional people, and the community. But today’s ministry has not come without great cost. Since 1997, Congo-Kinshasa has been torn apart by ethnic strife and civil war. In 1999, the team’s ministry center was broken into and ransacked by soldiers. An American Navigator missionary and Congolese staff member Jacques Bula Bula were arrested and accused of spying for the U.S. government. They were imprisoned for two weeks, and Jacques was severely beaten. For the next two years, The Navigators had no place to meet, leaving the team without a secure and viable base for operations…so important in a city where transport is difficult and where a physical identity lends important credibility to the organization. Since that time, Africa Partners was able to assist the team in acquiring a new location. In need of much repair at the time, it has been vastly improved through the tireless efforts of the team. But more remains to be done.


Despite their suffering and hardship, our African leadership remain committed to reaching the nations. The Navigators in Congo-Kinshasa now have a ministry in the neighboring Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) which is led by Jacques Bula Bula. Unfortunately, the civil conflict in Congo-Kinshasa spilled over into Congo-Brazzaville. War, corruption and mismanage-ment have left both these countries in ruin.

This situation seems hopeless but, God is in the business of rebuilding and restoration. The book of Nehemiah recounts a time when the nation of Israel was in a similar situation. Jerusalem was in ruins. A band of men and women who had survived the exile returned to Jerusalem seeking spiritual restoration, only to find themselves facing a city in ruins, famine and an enemy who would rather see them dead than restored and the city rebuilt. They were in the midst of a spiritual battle; their circumstances were jeopardizing the spiritual future of the nation. The situation seemed hopeless. But the story does not end there! God provided the people and resources they needed to rebuild the city and in turn brought about the reforms needed for spiritual restoration.

Claude and Jacque face similar obstacles. They too are in the midst of a spiritual battle. The effects of years of war, corruption, and mismanagement jeopardize the spiritual future of these nations. It looks like a hope-less situation, but the story is not over. God is still in the business of spiritual restoration, and he is using men and women like Claude and Vicki and Jacques and Emérance to lay the spiritual foundations. But they need help.

As Claude and Jacques look to the future, they have asked me to help them set up an infrastructure for the ministry to position themselves for future expansion. Having mentored the Ivory Coast ministry through this process, I know how debilitating and demoralizing the lack of effective support systems are to leaders and staff. For example, how do you function when electricity is unreliable, malaria takes the place of the common cold, it takes four hours to cash a check at the bank, and you have to walk two miles to an internet cafe to check e-mail?

In addition to helping them wade through legal, administrative and technical issues, I will evaluate the renovations needed on the ministry center in Kinshasa. The center currently serves as a meeting place for conferences, retreats, and Bible studies and provides secure housing for staff in transition and guests. We will also look at the income generating potential of the facility.

Tammy and I are committed to helping our African leadership across the continent become better equipped to reach their countries for Christ in the midst of poverty, corruption, HIV/AIDS, and political and social instability. That means addressing the reality of life in Africa alongside the deep spiritual needs, but we cannot do this without your help.

I leave for Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Brazzaville on Oct. 8 for 3 weeks. The countries are ripe for disciple-ship and the equipping of spiritual leaders. An effective infrastructure will enable these ministries to provide the spiritual training that is so desperately needed. I will help our leadership begin building support structures and teams to address that need. The trip will cost $3,554. Here is the breakdown:

Airfare $2,644
Visas 350
Food & lodging 500
Passport Photos & docs 60
$3,554

In addition, we have been running behind in our support and need $3,000 to cover our ministry expenses for the year. This brings the total we need to raise to $6,554.

Will you prayerfully consider a special gift of the Lord’s leading to help me get to Congos and to help our ongoing ministry in Africa?

Tammy and I want to thank you for considering this and for your partnership with us. Thanks too for your friendship. We couldn’t be involved in this challenging ministry without your support and friendship.

Yours for building His kingdom in Africa,

Michael and Tammy

P.S. To give, make your check payable to The Navigators with the following note on the memo line: “Grainger’s #115543”. You can mail the check to the address below. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Michael and Tammy Grainger
8162 Cooper River Dr
Colorado Spring, CO 80920