Jeff and Christi Boyd - February 2021 Update

Dear siblings in Christ,

As the world went into a pandemic-induced hibernation earlier this year, one might assume that ministries, too, have slowed down or come to a halt. For the Presbyterian Ministry for Vulnerable Children in East Kasaï, Congo, nothing could be farther from the truth! Four years ago, I shared through the story of Serge, how in the current Congolese context losing a parent can put a child at risk of abandonment, and highlighted different models of ministry for vulnerable children applied in the Presbyterian Church in Congo (CPC).

At the time, the most prominent of these ministries retrieved unaccompanied minors from the markets and streets by taking care of them in halfway homes while tracing back their biological parents or extended families to mediate reunification. The transitional character of these ministries provided an appropriate alternative to the more permanent nature of traditional orphanages, but the center-based model still proved costly for an economically deprived context like Congo.

Jeff and Christi Boyd - March 2020 Update

Mamonjy, A Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign in Madagascar

Dear friends and family,

Once rescued, survivors of human trafficking are often reluctant to talk about their experiences. This is usually because they are afraid of being blamed by family and community for the exploitation and abuse they’ve suffered at the hands of bosses and employment agencies. Juliette (not her real name), however, is speaking out. She is concerned about other women who may fall victim to profiteers. When I met her several years ago, she agreed for me to record her personal story, trusting that I would share it with sensitivity.

Juliette decided to escape Madagascar’s financial crisis after a military coup in 2009. She approached a recruitment agency that offered her employment in Kuwait. Yet the hard work, lack of free time and imposed religious observances took a toll on her health and eventually landed her in a hospital. Juliette realized it would be better for her to return to her home, but she faced many obstacles: “The agency didn’t allow me to return to Madagascar. The agency wanted me to stay and work. Then the people at the agency beat me and forced me back to work.” Complicating Juliette’s situation was the fact that her passport had been confiscated upon her arrival at Kuwait’s airport, and Madagascar has no diplomatic representation in Kuwait to advocate on her behalf. Eventually, she escaped and ran to the French Embassy, where staff helped her find temporary shelter.

Juliette is one of 235 trafficked Malagasy women rescued from working against their will in Lebanon or Kuwait over the past decade with the help of the Rev. Helivao Poget.

Jeff and Christi Boyd - September 2017 Update

Dear friends,

Aisifuye mvua imemnyea.
One who praises rain has been rained upon.

In much of Africa, where a large portion of the population depends on agriculture for survival, rain is strongly felt as a blessing. Therefore, the Swahili proverb above means that those who count their blessings are able to do so because they have experienced blessings.

We have been rained upon. We are blessed, and this letter is meant to express our thanks to all who in various ways engage in God’s mission with us.

Every three or four years, we leave our area of service to spend half a year visiting congregations in the U.S. to give witness to how God has been at work through the global church. That is what we have been doing for the last couple of months, and we will continue to do so until November. While in the U.S., we are sharing about the work of the Church in Africa. We share about how ministries with vulnerable children help them heal from the trauma of armed conflict. We tell of families finding one another again after abandonment. We describe how education reaches about 220,000 children each year through the nearly 1,000 Presbyterian schools in the Congo. And we explain the instability congregations in the Greater Kasai region encounter because of intensive militia activity in their area.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 8, 2017Jeff and Christi Boyd, Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeff and Christi Boyd (PCUSA) - December 2015 Update

Dear friends,

Walking into the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church in Hanford, California it was a special treat to see a beautiful cake made to celebrate our silver anniversary – not our wedding anniversary, but 25 years of service as mission co-workers with Presbyterian World Mission. It was a thoughtful gesture as we give thanks for how God has worked through churches, presbyteries and individuals to encourage, support and sustain us in mission service in Africa over the past quarter of a century.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationDecember 3, 2015Jeff and Christi Boyd, DR Congo

Jeff and Christi Boyd - August 2013 Update

Boyd Jeff and Christi 2013 handoutJeff and Christi Boyd were commissioned as PC(USA) mission co-workers in 1990 and have since served in Tanzania, Zaire/Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationAugust 13, 2013Jeff and Christi Boyd, Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeff and Christi Boyd - April 2013 Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I (Christi) was recently in Niger at the request of the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) to follow up on water projects established the last several years through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Jeff had been asked to accompany a joint delegation from PC(USA) and the Reformed Church in America, including World Mission staff, mission workers, and Dr. Rob Weingartner, executive director of The Outreach Foundation. It was a good opportunity for me to take part as an agent from the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministry to make the team multidisciplinary.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationApril 9, 2013Jeff and Christi Boyd, Cameroon

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