Homepage

We are Glen and Rita Chapman, missionaries with International Ministries. We live in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In Congo, we work in partnership with the Baptist Community of Congo (Communaute
Baptiste du Congo). We live at a place named Kikongo about 100 miles east of Kinshasa.

Our mission is to work alongside the Congolese at the Kikongo pastoral training school to
help develop rural pastoral leadership. Glen teaches in the men's school, while Rita is the
director of the women's school for the pastors' wives.

By virtue of living in a rural setting, we are also involved in a number of other projects. We
helped establish a portable lumber mill for local use. We use a riverboat and bicycles for
local transportation. We do lots of audio-visual for evangelism, health education,
conservation, sports, and recreation. We are also working to set aside a protected area
for eventual eco-tourism.

Audio Visual – There is no television or movie theaters in the area around Kikongo. The Chapmans have portable audio visual equipment that they can transport to the villages. The equipment consists of a generator, projector, VCR, DVD player, speaker, and a large white sheet for a screen. They regularly project religious films, nature films, health issues, sports, and comedy. The programming serves for education as well as recreation.

Lumber Mill –There is no industry of any sort in the area. A natural resource is the forests. The Chapmans were able to get a small portable "Wood Mizer" lumber mill to Kikongo. The mill provides lumber for local needs, as well as employment for the pastoral students. Part of the focus of the lumber mill is the conservation of the forests and planting of trees for lumber and for fruit.

River boat- Transportation in and around the area is very limited. The Wamba river is navigable, but little used. Since, 1993, the Chapmans have been using the Wamba for transportation. A small river boat with a 25 hp outboard motor allows for transporting choirs, pastoral school families, Audio-visual equipment, hospital patients, and supplies.

Pastoral school- Kikongo has a three year pastoral training program. This program is to provide pastoral leadership for rural churches. Both husbands and wives are trained for rural ministry. Glen and Rita are involved in the pastoral training program under Congolese leadership.

Conservation – The Chapman family has raised many variety of orphaned animals. The Chapmans are working with the village of Kimbuma to set aside a protected area. The objective is to demonstrate that managed land where hunting and chopping is regulated can be more productive. The Village of Kimbuma is working on creating a setting that will contribute to "eco-tourism".

Aviation - Since ground transportation is so difficult, Glen has learned how to fly a PPC (Powered Parachute). This enables Glen to be able to fly into villages that are difficult to get to over land. The hope is to use this method of transportation for medical purposes. This would include transporting of vaccine, and transport of medical personnel, or sick people to the hospital.