Trip to Congo

We arrived after 16hrs in Entebbe, Uganda. First time with Emirates and I have to say BA have some catching up to do. We were all excited and for Lydia, Hannah and myself, this was our first time in Central Africa. James and Nic were veterans here but the infectious nature of anticipation and expectancy filled the atmosphere. Personally, the similarity of the agriculture to Ghana caught me by surprise but I was quickly reminded of the bizarre contrast of familiarity and the foreign as soon as the locals started to speak in the local dialect. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew that this was like home and I was safe, just.

The fab five

We had to drive 8hrs to a specific border point between Uganda and Congo as we could only take certain routes in Congo to Butembo. After about an hour and a half in customs and border control, we transferred our luggage to the 4x4 picking us up. As we crossed, the roads immediately changed to dirt, the language changed from swahili to french, the few buildings faded away after a few metres, and we were driving into dense rainforest. I had a suspicion that we were not in ‘Kansas’ anymore. 

History of Congo and Butembo

A brief history: Congo is a huge country, its width similar to the distance between one end of England to the other of Italy. For the last 20yrs, Congo has been devastated by war, with the conflict yielding more deaths than any since World War 2. More than 5 million people have lost their lives due to war, violence, starvation and failing health systems. Though the country had its first free elections in 2006, rebel militias have continually plagued the east. Some of these armies, such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (from Uganda), abduct children to join the ranks forcing them to commit atrocious acts of violence. Around 1.3 million people in the east alone have been displaced and rape is used as a weapon of warfare. There is little or no connectedness between different parts of the country, making the government decentralised, and functioning infrastructure is minimal. 

Butembo

Butembo is a city of around 700,000 with only dirt roads, no electricity, no running water and no sewage system. As we drove into the city, I was blown over by the magnitude and extent of poverty. Systems were so broken that the local currency was in dollars, which was ironic as many people could not afford basic commodities. Though the majority of people walked, there were many private motorcycles which served as a replacement to public transport. 

First Encounters

We stayed in a catholic convent which was very modest and neat, with functioning cold showers and toilets. Comparatively, this was luxury. For a convent, I was surprised to find that the dinners were remarkably tasty. Alas, breakfast had much to be desired and consisted of bread, butter and tea! Almost instantaneously, dinner became an eagerly awaited time of the day. I would literally wake up wondering what would be served for dinner. Hats off, the nuns did good! 

After a rudely interrupted night by mosquitos, I dressed for church. Being in Africa, flip flops in church was a no go, and I grudgingly dragged my formal shoes and ties out of my rucksack. We separated as our hosts wanted different congregations to benefit from new speakers, and in this case, James and Nic were the representatives. I went with James and Hannah and man, the congregation got their praise on. We did a bit of dancing but to be honest, paled in comparison to the women. We all decided we needed to bring a bit of movement back with us. James gave a rousing talk on the model of community used in Frontline: In, Out and Up, and did a great job of communicating the heart of community, it was great.

At the Mayors Office

Our week began with a visit to the Mayor’s office on the monday. Initially, we thought that it would be an informal introduction to the Mayor with an opportunity for Nic to speak to some of the officials in his office. As we drove in, we came to meet about 100 officials from different parts of the city all gathered waiting for us. Shock! Nic, being the seasoned pastor that he is, didn't blink; it was like watching a movie unfold. He spoke about how cities such as Geneva and Liverpool had been transformed because their leaders had followed godly principles of leadership. He challenged the people about the corruption in the city and spoke encouragingly about the possibilities that could arise with a people united under God. As he spoke, some of the officials would nod and give an audible agreement. You could tell those who could speak english as they reacted before the translator could speak. The officials were all revved up and it was amazing to watch such a responsive people react to an inspiring message. 

What we didn't anticipate was the Mayor, a stately gentleman, standing up after Nic’s talk, and repenting on behalf of the officials in the city, for the corruption and widespread dishonesty in the city. It was a jaw dropping experience and was broadcasted on radio and TV. By the wednesday, the whole city was talking about the Mayor's response. 

Leadership Conference

We believe the church is the answer, especially in the Congo as it is reported 90% of the population are Christian. It was thus crucial that the church leaders had the right mindset and were serving their communities. Though there are many churches, the leaders of these churches get very little or no input on leadership.  This was a clear tangible opportunity to change communities by investing in the leaders and Nic led a 2 day leadership conference which attracted about 80 pastors and leaders. The theme was servant leadership and based on Nehemiah. It just made me realise that if these leaders took hold of the principles taught, a revolution could arise that could change the city positively. The potential was staggering and I was inspired. 

We had many opportunities to speak to different leaders not only in Congo but also in Uganda. Hannah and Lydia did an amazing job talking about women in leadership whilst James illustrated the benefits of being effective in leadership through his experiences with Food bank in Liverpool.  The outcomes of these experiences are difficult to measure, but I know that God was working through our words to restore hope and encourage such tremendous people. 

Emotional Work

I came on mission knowing that emotions would be stirred, but I never realised how difficult it would be. On our first day, we visited many different projects including several schools, hospitals and charities. I was disturbed as I saw the extent of the need, but nothing could have prepared me for when we reached one of the centres for the refugees. About 150 people mostly women and children, were gathered in a hall singing joyously as we entered. As I looked in the weathered faces of the old and young, I saw the struggles of being internally displaced, of not knowing where their next meals were coming from, of taking care of their children in the midst of poverty, and I was consumed by a deep sadness, roaring anger and a gnawing sense of helplessness. I was introduced to a woman who had just given birth to twins and was obviously struggling, and I was asked whether I could do anything for her; I had no money and all I could do was to pray for them. I left troubled but equally challenged by their joy in such desperate conditions. 

  

God reminded me that I was not made to carry these peoples burdens. I physically could do little in the midst of such need and I was struck by my helplessness. As I humbled myself, I heard him whisper that he was sovereign even in the midst of such pain and injustice, and that He had these people in the palm of his hands. He was working in ways I could not fathom, giving these people hope and joy, and showering them with his love. I was challenged by this. It was in the gentle reminder of these peoples graciousness that I realised something as seemingly insignificant as my presence there made a difference. They saw that they were not forgotten. In a country where very little foreigners dared tread, by our presence, they were reminded that there were people that cared for them, in a far off city called Liverpool, and they were touched. God used our presence to give them hope, something that was priceless and so necessary in their struggles.

Ex-child soldiers in apprenticeships as mechanics

Learning this lesson was crucial as the days became more challenging with every new experience. Meeting women who had been raped by sometimes 9 or 10 soldiers, and who were barely existing was difficult. Seeing the distrust in their eyes as I approached was hard, and all I could do was look on as we handed clothing and presents, and whisper a prayer. Meeting ex-child soldiers, hardened by their violent experiences, but at their very core, still helpless little boys, was difficult. Glimpses of their vulnerability were displayed through eyes brimmed with tears as they relayed their stories. All I could do was to demonstrate God’s love by listening, respecting them, encouraging and praying for them. I had to trust that in all these circumstances, God was still working in their lives to heal and restore them. 

Opportunities for change

It’s not all sad though. We found opportunities that could potentially bring a positive, sustainable change to the lives of the people we met. One of the core aims of the trip was to liase with Ps. Alexandre, an amazing man of faith and our contact in Butembo, to develop a 5 year plan of action. This came out better than we could have hoped, with plans for child sponsorship for children from the poorest areas. By simply paying their school fees and ensuring that they had all the provisions they needed to attend school, this provided the school with the resources to pay their teachers and would resort in new infrastructure such as classrooms and a computer lab, enabling the school to generate more income when the computers were not being used. There were opportunities for school links with schools in Butembo and Liverpool; resourcing church leaders to be effective and purposeful leaders through the provision of books and training, leading their congregations in serving their communities; opportunities for local projects to benefit from investment from businesses through micro financing, amongst others. 

Medical supplies in medical centre for rape victims

Hannah, an Obstetrics and Gynaecology registrar working with the Rape crisis centre in Liverpool, and myself saw opportunities to liase with PSM, the charity involved in the rehabilitation of rape victims and ex-child soldiers, by resourcing the counsellors with current guidelines and techniques in counselling as this was highlighted a major need. This is an intervention that could potentially result in real effective outcomes as the charity works with approximately 1000 rape victims and 550 ex-child soldiers a year. Apart from this, there were also possibilities of developing hospital links and fundraising for one of the hospitals we visited. Basic necessities such as running water were not available in this major district general hospital and as medical practitioners, we saw significant benefits from simple interventions and left inspired to explore these options. 

Conclusion

I want to end with this: We can go into the darkest places with different practical tools (medical aid, money, well meaning physical actions) and these are like candles that shine light momentarily until it eventually fades away ( i.e. when we return back to our homes, when the money and supplies finish). However, the ability to change a persons life for an eternity, with words of life, is like sparking an eternal flame in those people stuck in darkness, and it is that light that drives the dark away. 

I went into the Congo thinking that I was going in to make a difference, I didn’t know how and by which means. I found out that it wasn’t in my well meaning plans but rather in the simple demonstration of love I was privileged to bring, the smiles, the hugs, the words of hope and love, the prayers of faith and standing by these amazing people as they lived life. I left the Congo knowing that truly, God is sovereign in the midst of strife. He has the people of Butembo in his hands and he has a plan and a future for each person in that place, and I look forward to playing a part in it.