Congo Blog XI

Thursday August 2

Last night we got to experience another African event. A wake of sorts. Someone had died and when he did the wailing began and the drums started playing. It did not matter that it was 11:00 p.m. when it began, it needed to happen. I understand that, but as the family lives about 100 yards from my room it made it difficult to sleep. The wailing (and music) went all night and throughout the day as people arrived for the burial. Think of the before school party at Campus Commons North, have go 24/7 for several days, and you will get an idea of the noise level. In the Congo the law requires the body to be buried within twenty four hours, so they get right after it and they keep at it.

To add to the lack of sleep one of the roosters began crowing nearby. In fact I thought it was just outside the window and got up to chase it away. The only problem was that it was in the guard’s room at the end of the building. Because of the way the guest house is built, this meant that it was like having the rooster in an echo chamber. Ugh!! As someone said this morning, “only one more night.”

A couple of us sat in on a women’s ministry meeting and learned some of what they are doing. Which happens to be a great deal. One of the things they do is to make and sell fabrics and/or clothing made from those fabrics. The money that comes in helps to provide income but they also use it to train more women. They have undertaken some serious projects but one of the things that stood out to me is that these women (mostly widows and one young unwed mother) also minister to others. They visit prisoners and those in the hospital to help any that have no family. In the prison, if you don’t have food brought in (and clothing) you don’t get any at all. The hospital is similar. So these very poor women (who take Matthew 25 about the Sheep and the Goats seriously) are ministering to those in worse condition than they (which is difficult to grasp in its own right). They truly are a group of Wassei Mattasei (woman of strength).

In the afternoon we met with Rachel Martin and Diolo to learn about the AIDS/HIV ministry. It was informative. They are working hard to educate the people regarding this scourge and are looking for ways to help treat those who are infected. They would like to be able to get Anti-retroviral medicines into the clinics, but many of those depend upon refrigeration which is not readily available. The cost is roughly $60/month for the meds, which is about 1/100^th the cost in the U.S., but that is the equivalent of two months pay (maybe more) and unless the government program helps the people they simply cannot afford it. In the meantime they are working through the church and the clinics to educate people about HIV and to encourage testing. Unfortunately, most people don’t want to be tested because it’s highly unlikely that they will get treatment. So they prefer to remain ignorant. On one hand, this is understandable, but on the other hand it would be nice if they knew and would adjust their sexual behavior. It is a huge challenge.

The engine that drives this project is the Global Fingerprints ministry that is just up and running. It is a sponsorship of orphans that provides for education fees, medical care, nutritional help and clothing. Part of the $20/month is used to help with the ongoing AIDS education program and outreach. It is a good idea that is working with over 300 orphans to date.

At the end of the meeting with Rachel and Diolo we went to the large church to meet some of the sponsored orphans. It was a neat time to be with the children and to hear them sing a song for us. I’m hopeful that people at Cornerstone will sponsor children in the upcoming months. $20 will go a long ways in helping a child have a shot at life.

We have talked frequently about the Congo being full of paradoxes and that came home to me again this morning. We met together as a team for some prayer and worship. It was quite a contrast as we are surrounded by great need, yet there was worship and praise and a very real sense of God’s presence. As the people continued wailing not far from where we met, there is peace here and a sense that life goes on.

During the prayer time an image came to my mind of two hands. One African, one American (or western). One was full of stuff while the other appeared empty. Yet I knew that it wasn’t empty. Although I could not see it, I could sense something of great substance and power in the hand (faith?). Jesus’ words to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:17-19 came to mind

¹⁷ You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

The Congolese brothers often expressed gratitude to the team and would say they had “nothing to give us” but gratitude. Yet in my mind that wasn’t entirely true. They have much to give in terms of faith and understanding God, and we have much to learn.