We have just completed a dental training mission to Dungu, Mboligihe's home town in northeastern DRC. I left Chicago on November 28 and returned on December 12. The objective was to train people to perform basic tooth extraction. It was a phenomenally successful trip! God worked in amazing ways! Our partners at ITEC (itec.org) provided fantastic training and I couldn't imagine better people to partner with. It was totally a God ordained partnership. Working with ITEC trainers Jaime Saint and Craig Hunter, we were able to train eight lay people from different areas in and around Dungu to examine patients and extract teeth. While we were there the trainees examined 169 patients and extracted 618 teeth! I just got a report from Mboligihe that since our returning about a week ago they have seen an additional 277 patients and extracted an additional 1086 teeth. We are sorry that so many extractions were needed but so grateful that we were able to eliminate so much pain. Praise the Lord! As you can see, there is great demand for these type of services.

These trainees will now be able to return to their home area where they plan to practice their new dentistry skills 2-3 days a week on an ongoing basis. Assuming that they do this and file some basic reports indicating their activity, ITEC will likely return in late 2016 to conduct further training regarding restorative (fillings) dentistry and dental hygiene. Please pray that this will happen.

While there I was able to speak four times - three times to the students at the new school founded by Mboligihe and once during their Sunday service on December 6. I was also able to investigate the infrastructure needs for the school, visit and pray with the women of LIBAMA (the women's ministry founded by Yoana), as well as visit the radio station and health center. It was also fun to visit with Mboligihe and Yoana's children, Nathan, Amini and Annie. All three are playing major roles in the school with Nathan being the head of the secondary school, Amini serving as chaplain for both the primary and secondary students, and Annie serving as the school accountant and financial secretary.

Praise God for all He is doing through Mboligihe and his family in Dungu.

Here are some pictures...