Big day. The laying of the first stone for the new Bolenge hospital. Bolenge. The first Disciples missionary post in Congo, established over one hundred years ago. Located right on the Equator. "Where north meets south," Rick Lowery observes, and we know that will preach. Bolenge: the location of a school - Kindergarten through seminary - hundreds of the best Disciples leaders in Congo have received their education here. The location of a regional medical center. A regional medical center devastated two years ago by an electrical fire that burned the hospital to the ground. Quick thinking doctors and nurses evacuated all patients, moved them into their private homes - no injuries due to fire that night. Old buildings now serve, but the dream is to rebuild the hospital better than ever.

Our presence provides the opportunity to gather representatives from all relevant communities to commit to the project. It's not until we're all there that I realize the magnitude of the commitment we make with our presence. The gathering includes representatives of international non-governmental organizations, the Roman Catholic archbishop, the governor's office, the mayors of Mbandaka and Bolenge, security officials, the Disciples of Christ Community of Congo, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada - and the children.

We make our speeches. I think the governor's representative is moved nearly to tears. This is huge. I think of regional medical centers I have known - in Enid and Bartlesville, Okla. This IS huge. These are our partners. Here originally because of our initiative. We have to continue to walk beside them now. I'm glad my congregation at home is tithing its capital campaign to help rebuild this hospital.

We walk to the row of missionary houses, now the homes of indigenous staff of the school and medical center. Sandra Gourdet, along with us on this trip, and husband Daniel used to live here. And so many others. Beautiful along the river. Calm. A community of caring neighbors.

We continue our day with a drive to Ikengo Farm - a model agricultural project for the community raising pigs, chickens, ducks, cassava, fruit and more. They feed us royally.

The director pulls the men aside to tell them of the importance of our visit. Especially for the little girls, he says. A delegation where the majority are ordained women, where the president is a woman, sends a message to the little girls about their options in life. When we hear about it, we are moved by how our presence speaks beyond anything we mean to say. We give thanks for the leadership of women now emerging among our Disciples partners in the Congo - for the two women at the helm of Mbandaka III, for the recent ordination of five pastors, four of them women. We give thanks for the men who support them.

That night we have dinner at the high school where so many Disciples have been educated. There the women pastors of Mbandaka have gifts for the women pastors of our delegation. Wooden sculptures of a man and woman standing side by side. The woman holds a Bible in her hand...

Saturday, May 24, 2008 »

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