OUT OF FOCUS?
As Jeremy says in his opening letter the DRC is often out of focus. This picture was taken by a friend of Louise- she is in the picture but out of focus. There were times when living in Kindu in the DRC it seemed that her life there was out of focus for folk here in the UK.
She could have taken the photo (and we have other photos that she did take) and then she could make sure the picture was in focus . She has to choose between giving you her picture - in focus or giving the picture as seen by local folk - which may seem out of focus to you. Here she tries to give us a sense of what it is like in Kindu in a DRC "at war".
WHO IS THE ENEMY?
Congo is at war. That is clear from outside, but what does it look like from inside; from a town on the River Congo, nowhere near a frontier or any of the "front lines" observed by those who understand this war? We hear no gun fire. We haven't been bombed. There are no local or national radio broadcasts. How do we know who the enemy is and whether we really are at war?
This is a true story about an incident which gave me a few insights into what is going on.
It was Palm Sunday 2000. I had been
trying to get from Kindu to Kalima (about 60 miles) for
several days. My own car was out of action. We had been
warned to disable it to avoid it being taken by soldiers.
Vehicles in Kalima tend to be "borrowed" to carry
tin ore out to the airstrip from where it is taken to Rwanda.
That is why I was waiting while a trader tried to get enough passengers and merchandise to pay for the trip. The money only just covered the cost of diesel so the brakes remained unrepaired, let alone such luxuries as windows. Just as we thought we were going the driver got into a canoe to cross the river. We settled down for another hour at least. He had gone to look for fuel. These days it is hard to find. Since the present regime took over there are no trains or river boats to bring fuel. Everything has to come at great expense in the ancient Russian Antonov planes which take the tin and other minerals out.
By four o'clock we were ready again. Two armed Rwandan soldiers joined us. Unlike some of the soldiers I have met in Congo they did not turn me out of my privileged position in the cab. I expected people to be frightened of these soldiers but the general reaction seemed to be, "That's good. Now we won't get any trouble on the way."
At last we were off: 22 miles of tarmac, then over a magnificent river before facing the mud and rocks which make up the road for most of the rest of the journey through the forest. It was getting dark when we approached a hill which often causes problems. To our surprise we found that the villagers had cut back the trees and filled in the holes. Sadly they lack any technical help and have no tools. The road looked very smooth but when we tried to pass we found that it had been waterlogged by the recent rain. We plunged into the mud and, within minutes, we had reduced the road to an impassable bog. Everyone got out to push, churning up the mud and making deeper and deeper holes. The women and children walked on to the village, sending back more able-bodied recruits to help.
By the time the vehicle, the driver and the exhausted "pushengers" arrived, it was clear we would be spending the night in the village. This happens so often that everyone knew what to do. The uncle of one of my oldest Congolese friends lived at the end of this village so I set off to visit. The children who had gathered round, amazed at my torch (everyone else seems to be able to see in the dark) agreed to accompany me to the house. As we set off I was aware that one of the Rwandan soldiers was with us. In broken Swahili he asked me where I was going.
"I am going to stay with the old man at the end of the village, opposite the school," I replied.
"I will accompany you for security. You are a stranger."
"Please don't," I insisted. "I know the people here. You are the stranger. Please go back. You will frighten the old man and his children if you come with a gun."
He went without protest and I went on to a great welcome from "uncle" and his family. I told him about the soldier. He thanked me for not letting him in. "Do they think we're Mayi Mayi or what? They are strangers here. We've known you for more than ten years. We can look after your security without help from foreigners."
He made me at home. The children were sent off to catch a chicken for my supper in spite of the fact that that there was an appetizing smell coming from a cooking pot and there was a pile of plantain ready to eat.
"Don't waste your chicken
on me," I said. "I'll just eat a little plantain
and go to bed."
"We have nothing else suitable for you." He smiled. "You won't like what we're eating. It's boa constrictorl"
"Am I allowed to taste it?" I asked, "Or is it forbidden for women?"
"No, no. We're all Christians now. Of course you can try it." The whole family was delighted that I could share their "free food" from the forest. It had already fed twenty people and there was more for tomorrow. (It was delicious by the way.)
In the morning we reached Kalima safely. Our soldiers went off to "the front". Mysteriously we heard that they had smashed up a "borrowed" car on a track which only led to the depot of tin ore. We also heard that many wounded people were being brought to the hospital. We met displaced people who had been attacked in their homes both by Mayi Mayi and by Rwandan backed troops.
But here I set out to tell about my own experiences, not all the rumours I heard during my Easter holidays. What kind of war is this? Who wants it to continue? Who is the enemy? Will next Palm Sunday have brought peace?
Louise Wright, October 2000
Louise is currently in the UK . She came home for a family wedding. She has also been ill which affected her creativity and ability to write. She is now back to health and bursting with ideas. She was hoping to return to the DRC in October, but Bp Masimango has written to say that they cannot guarantee her safety. Please remember her and the folk of Kindu and Kalima as she stays here. Pray for her as she brings into focus some of what is happening in the DRC.
As we mentioned last time Nigel Pearson and Peter and Emma Wild-Wood have returned to the UK so the number of mission partners attached to DRCongo is reducing. But the needs of the church are still great. At CMS other ways of supporting the church, such as the seminars, are being explored. We and CMS encourage you to keep upholding the church in prayer. Their work is hard and there is no end in sight to this war, but God is good and we have heard several testimonies of his protection.