Events
SOMA visit to Congo
Congo Visit
Simon Dust went with a team of four people to DR Congo to encourage the pastors o f the Diocese of Bukavu. What an amazing time!
We went at the invitation of the bishop of Bukavu to lead a five day conference for the clergy. Over eighty of the clergy made it to the conference.
Congo is what many people called Africa ‘squared’. It has suffered hugely over the last few years. The poverty and suffering of the people in Eastern Congo is far worse than my initial understanding. It seems a state of chaos lingers over the country with a feeling of oppression, disorder and anarchy. Even though the war is meant to be over, there is still violence and death. A pastor on the way to our conference was kidnapped about 30 km from Bukavu. He was held for two days, and then released.
Two children of another pastor were also kidnapped, abused and then released. They are now at home but in a place of trauma. Just as we left, the Congolese representative from MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) arrived late to meet us at the airport. He said his friend had been killed last night by militia, just two km from where we were. Fear is causing the villages to move into the city, into increasing squalor and hardship. You can see the enemy at work behind so much of what is here.
At the same time DR Congo is such a beautiful place with huge resources and potential. One person described the situation well, when they said it is ‘hell in heaven’. Despite this intense pain, suffering and loss we saw a resilience and love for God. With little or no pay, the pastors serve their people with few resources and often with little encouragement. We discovered a huge hunger amongst the pastors for the things of God. They were so grateful that we had made this visit to encourage them.
Jeremy typified the many pastors: Each Sunday he would be in tears for several minutes. When we asked him why, he said that all his relatives had died. His wife, parents, siblings. He had seven children and four adopted children to look after. He was just overwhelmed. It was a huge privilege and very humbling to pray with him.
The Anglican Church in Bukavu (and much of Africa) is quite formal and liturgical. This can seem at times as quite restrictive. The aim we had was to encourage the church leaders to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to them in their own needs and allow the spirit of God into the local church.
The Bishop of Bukavu is a courageous, visionary and strong leader. He took a huge risk in putting on this conference with little resources. He wants to see a renewed diocese that is growing in mission. In our times of ministry he led the way in prayer and hunger for God.
Many visitors and aid workers that we spoke to have very little hope that Congo can drag itself out of corruption, violence, poverty and despair. I am convinced as never before that the only hope for lasting change is through the local church. This will be through passionate, spirit-filled leaders who are committed to holistic mission. I leave DR Congo challenged, deeply moved and yet encourage by what I see God’s people doing in both word and deed. 2 Corinthians 4v8 summarizes much of what we experienced: ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.’