New World Outlook

SUMMER 2017

Letters from Missionaries
A Prokin Orphanage resident in Limete, DRC,
who received one of the mattresses from the
Reno United Methodist Women in Nevada.
PHOTO: AARON VANDERSOMMERS

in the same way that chicken exports have done in the past, turning
the subregion into a "bargain-bin" for
EU products. I conducted research
in February 2017 on a dairy farming
community at Adetikopé, near Lomé
in Togo, to assess local dairy farming. I discovered that the dairy farmers lack human and animal health
services, have no market for locally produced products, lack machinery and technology, and suffer from
the effects of climate change on
their pastures and overall growth in
their cattle. Dairy farming, if supported, would contribute substantially to
their food security, strengthen local
economies, reduce poverty, and create employment for youth. This research contributed to the lobby and
advocacy work of the West African
Churches' program against hunger
and poverty.
Yves Kinangwa, a Global Mission
Fellow International from the DR
Congo (Advance #3022102), served
with the Fellowship of Christian
Councils and Churches in West Africa
(FECCIWA) based in Lomé, Togo. He
was an advocacy officer for Food and
Climate Change from September
2015 through April 2017.

The Connection
by Aaron Vandersommers

his is a story about connections
in mission. Recently, we received enough funding from the Reno

United Methodist Women, in Reno, Nevada, to purchase 15 mattresses for the Prokin
Orphanage in Limete.
The one thing that stands out about Prokin is the number of older children and
teenagers who live there. This is the age that many children drop out of school to
work-but here they are attending school, both boys and girls. This makes Prokin a
very special place.
I first heard about the Prokin Orphanage
through an inquiry from Gail Quigg, the Global
Missionary Liaison living in Columbus, Ohio.
She had heard about Prokin from a couple in
England. I asked Innocent Afful, our United
Methodist orphanage expert in Kinshasa, to
check it out.
Innocent visited the site and found a well-es- Older teens from the Prokin Orphanage in
tablished program that is supported by the local Limete, DRC, help unload-and test out-new
neighborhood with several sustainable pro- mattresses for their residences.
grams. Prokin manufacturers soap and filters, PHOTO: AARON VANDERSOMMERS
and they bag and sell drinking water to help pay
expenses and school fees. We were impressed by how well they use what they have.
Innocent, Mary (Vandersommers), and I work alongside everyone at Prokin to help
create a healthier place for them to live. Innocent is working with UN Peacekeepers
from Ghana to correct the rain drainage problems and remodel a new dining hall. The
children will not only be able to sleep on mattresses, they will have bed nets to further protect everyone from contracting Malaria.
So how far are we connected? The neighborhood of Limete, DR Congo, England,
Ohio, a UMW in Reno, Nevada, and all the way back to Ghana and Kinshasa. Now
that is a connection!
Aaron Vandersommers is a Global Ministries missionary from Ohio (Advance
#3022154) serving as the chief operating officer of the Church of Christ in Congo. He is
based in Kinshasa in the DR Congo and began his work there in January 2016. His wife,
Mary Vandersommers, is also a missionary assigned to the Church of Christ in Congo.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open