Martinse makes it!

I invite you to celebrate with me friends once more as I have tears in my eyes yet again (what a sook).Martinse Kanda member of Vox Congo (the little shy guy who plays Rhythm and drums) is now a permanent resident in Australia as of today when he received his letter in the mail. This news comes 6 months after Papy received his full residency. This is a huge celebration for Vox Congo and testimony to their faith. I have developed a very close relationship with these 4 guys since they arrived in Melbourne in 2002 and have seen the many heart breaks and disappointments time after time as they we’re told they couldn’t stay, they were told they were non-persons and even their closest advisors told them there was no hope.

Not once did their spirit or faith falter under the pressure. Depression lured many times but their faith and hope lifted them. Martinse and Carmen as well as the rest of the guys have asked me to thankyou all for your tireless support and for never giving up on them. Thankyou for you letters, petitions, friendship, showing up at concerts, your meals, clothing, financial support and a roof over their heads. Often we don’t get to see the impact we can have in lives or hear the good news stories, well here they are, a testimony to your efforts in standing by the neglected and the cast aside in their time of need. Well done.

We ask for your continued prayer and support for Etienne (band leader) and Adolphe (the unforgettable Bass player). I had a series of meetings with them in November last year and they were not traveling well. They miss family, they are feeling lost and confused, yet they still have great hope. I am concerned for my friends and I ask that you please stay with them in prayer and support. After their visit to Adelaide in November I was at a wedding with them in Melbourne and Etienne asked if I could launch an appeal for him and Adolphe to the new immigration minister. Asylum seekers and refugees have a new found hope in our new government who seems to know the meaning of compassion based on recent actions like the release of the prisoners (unlawfully detained refugees) from Naru.

I will be in touch with you when I have something put together which will include information and format on how to write to the minister for immigration. If anyone would like to help me with this I would be grateful. I am still a learner. I will be relentless and will not give up until each member of Vox Congo are heard and have received residency in Australia.Until then please share this message through your networks as I don’t have contact with everyone who wants to be kept up to date on Vox Congo.

Blessings
Mark Riessen

P.S. Please do not take it upon yourselves to write to the minister for immigration, this could make life harder the guys. I had an encouraging conversation with a friend who said Amnesty International are interested in their case. If this is so, we won't need to rally support for them, Amnesty will appeal the minister internally. However I will keep you posted through this blog on any changes

Vox Congo on myspace

Hi Vox Congo fans,

It's been a while since I posted on this blog and that's because I've been working on Vox Congo's myspace. www.myspace.com/voxcongo check it out. You can listen to their music online, add it to your myspace music, add them as a friend, post a comment to rncourage them, it's great!

There is also some exciting news posted on the myspace. Papy just received his permanent redidency in Australia!!! How exciting is that not only for Papy but for the other 3 guys. Go and read the story and post your comments of engcouragement.

Keep in touch with Vox Congo through their myspace.

Cheers
Mark

Back online with more good news and request for help

Hi Vox Congo fans, Mark here again. It's been quite a while now since my last post. Back in December I finished as manager of Vox Congo and moved from ministry in Victoria to a new ministry position in South Australia. However, with my change of location, it doesn't mean I have lost touch with the members of Vox Congo.
So here it is, some more good news. In December I posted that Papy was given the green flag by immigration to apply for temporary residency. Now on March 5th 2007, band member Martinse Kanda has also been given the same opportunity.
It's amazing what this news does to me, I just can't get excited enough for them. MARTINSE IS NO LONGER AN ASYLUM SEEKER!!! Can I say it loud enough?
In talking with Martinse and Carmen I have learnt more information about the process to applying for temporary residency. There are conditions which in my mind, continue to oppress asylum seekers who are trying to get a break. The window of opportunity for applying for a temporary residency visa is 6 months. I'm not sure what happens at the end of that 6 months if you don't submit an application, but quite frankly, I don't think we want to find out, Australian immigration isn't well known for its sympathy and grace. There is another condition. the cost of application is around $2500. This is a lot of money for anyone let alone an asylum seekers with a family to support, no medicare or government financial assistance of any kind.

Here's where I get on my knees of behalf of these guys and plead for some kind of miracle. As I understand it to date, Papy has had nearly 4 months to apply for temporary residency but hasn't yet because, quite plainly, he can't physically financially afford the cost. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WITH ANY BRIGHT IDEAS? We've begun brain storming and we're thinking some kind of fundraiser of some sort but we need ideas and some genorous people maybe with some kind of skill or talent to offer. So I'm putting it out there. I said before I'd be willing to do anything to help these guys, I'm looking for some like minded people to brain storm with me.

Email me at mark@blackwoodcc.org.au

Shalom
Mark Riessen