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Reading Rooms in the Congo
The Reading Room ministry is an effective tool in The Republic of Congo. Congo has a literacy rate of 83%--one of the highest in Africa. But poverty and unemployment, exacerbated by repeated war, have made it very difficult to find good reading material. Demand for places that provide good literature of any kind—and particularly Christian books--is high.
At present, the C&MA mission in Congo operates eight reading rooms. Five of them are in the capital city of Brazzaville, one in the interior at Nkayi,
and two are in Pointe Noire.
Local visitors can find good Christian literature on many topics of interest, but they also come to ask questions of the counselor, who is a pastor or a leader in the church. The Reading Room is very often used as a meeting place for small groups. In six of the locations, these groups have resulted in new churches. Some of the locations now have churches of nearly 100 people meeting because of the initial church-planting efforts of the reading room ministries.
The Reading Room in the interior at Nkayi has become a resource for many local pastors and leaders in the area churches. On a given Monday morning, pastors from several evangelical churches meet in our C&MA reading room to do sermon preparation, sharing the only set of commentaries and biblical reference books to be found in the region. The purchase price of one of these commentaries is equivalent to 2 months of the average pastor’s salary. It is easy to see the importance of providing reading rooms with quality reference books.
It is encouraging to read the monthly reports of the Reading Rooms. In their most recent report, the Reading Room in Nkayi recorded 78 visits from new readers; 211 visits from those that have previously used the reading rooms, and 4 new converts!
God has used this ministry to bring many, from children to the elderly, to Himself. One child, who learned to trust Jesus as his savior, insisted that his parents call the pastor at the local reading room when he became very ill. He refused to go to the hospital until the pastor prayed for him. Later, the family came to church to thank the Lord for healing their son so that he never even had to go to the hospital
We would love to increase the number of Reading Rooms, establishing them in other locations within the larger cities, and also in the interior. However, we are at a point now where we have to consider closing most of them because our one source of support for this ministry is no longer available.
It takes an average of $140 a month to keep a Reading Room running. Besides the cost of supplying books, it is necessary to pay rent on the rooms, and to staff them. Operational costs vary depending on the location. Some operate for as low as $75 per month because the location is at the church, and rent is not paid.
As a mission family we would love to see this ministry continue as it
has in the past, but realize unless we have monthly support we will have to
close most of these centers. Would you prayerfully consider supporting one or more of these reading rooms, so that God’s Word can continue to be read and explained by our counselors at these centers?
To be a part of this ministry, you can give through the Christian & Missionary Alliance in either the United States or Canada.
In the US:
Designate your gift: 36406 Christian Reading/Counseling Ctr
You can donate through a local C&MA church, or send a check to
The Christian & Missionary Alliance
PO Box 35000
Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3500
or you can follow this LINK and give online through a secure server:
In Canada:
Designate your gift: Christian Reading Rooms
and donate it through a local Alliance Church or directly to:
The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada
30 Carrier Dr Suite 100
Toronto ON M9W 5T7
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