A Season of Instability in the Congo

A letter from John and Gwenda Fletcher, serving in the Congo

September 2017

Dear Friends,
As our vehicle pulled up to the barrier blocking the road, we saw the militia soldiers come out of the woods, but they were unlike any soldiers we had ever seen. They were just children, probably 8-15 years old, but they handled themselves with a seriousness that belied their young ages. They had no conventional weapons; instead they each held simple sticks, which had been adorned with strings of red fabric. Their clothes were old, tired, dirty and very well-worn. Although not evident at this barrier, in later days, we would see these young militiamen wearing a red fabric string tied around their heads, with a knife secured at the side of their heads by the red fabric.

Kamuina roadblock

That was our first encounter with the militia of Kamuina Nsapu, and we did not recognize the seriousness of this new development, nor the impact that it would ultimately have in the Kasais. It is a very complex story, and some of you might have read about it. Briefly, Kamuina Nsapu was one of the greatest traditional chiefs in the Kasais. He decided to carry out a war against the Congolese government and all its agents, wanting to drive the president of Congo from his office. Chief Kamuina was widely recognized as having the most powerful witchcraft in all of Congo, and he began to “baptize” (as the act was described in Congo) children and young people into his militia army, thereby transferring to them his full power of witchcraft. Thus it was that Kamuina’s militia was sent out, armed with sticks adorned with red strings, to do battle with the Congolese army and, we are told, large numbers of Angolan, Rwandan and Sudanese mercenaries hired by the government, all of whom were equipped with automatic military weapons and heavy arms. What is surprising is that the militia was able to create panic across the Kasais and cause significant numbers of fatalities among the police and military that it encountered. What is not surprising is that the child militia members were wounded and killed in exceptionally large numbers.

Tshikapa refugees, 2017.

Good Shepherd Hospital received a great many patients — militia, military and civilian casualties — during the conflict. The problems resulting from the large influx of patients was exacerbated by the fact that movement between Kananga, where most of the hospital staff live, and Tshikaji, where the hospital is located, was not possible. Movement in Tshikaji was also dangerous, but the staff did the best they could to cover the services. When things got really bad and the village of Tshikaji emptied out, all of the patients who were able to walk also joined the exodus. Virtually no one who was treated at Good Shepherd during the conflict was able to pay anything for the care received, which has further strained the hospital’s already precarious financial position.

The instability also led to real difficulties for schools, all of which in our area had to close down. It made it too dangerous for people to work their fields or go to the river to get water, and markets couldn’t operate. There were massive evacuations of villages due to fighting — entire populations abandoned their homes to go live in the forest.

Sadly, terrible atrocities were committed by both sides in the conflict. It always seems that things can’t get any worse in the Congo … until they get worse. A population that has already suffered so much now has to endure so much more.

We praise the Lord that since mid-May the situation in most of the Kasai has returned to a slightly uneasy normality. Markets are busy, kids are playing soccer and people are once again able to go about routine daily activities. We pray that this situation will remain, and that people will enjoy the stability needed to survive.

Repercussions of the fighting continue to be manifest. One major impact is that ethnic Kasaians (mostly those known as Bena Lulua and Baluba) are now being forced out of the area of Tshikapa — some 200 miles away from Kananga. Kasaians are fleeing from Tshikapa by the thousands to find safety among family in the Kananga area. While going to work at our hydro facility recently, we passed an entire family with all their earthly possessions (and their children) piled on a simple bicycle, which they had pushed for those 200 miles in order to reach safety.

We thank you for your support of, and prayers for, the Presbyterian Church (USA) Mission Network in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for us specifically. In light of the current season of instability in the Congo, please consider increasing your support for Presbyterian World Mission in the Congo, and please continue to remember the Congo in your prayers. Special prayers are needed for a program that the Presbyterian Community of Congo evangelism department has developed to witness and minister to those child militia/child soldiers who have seen — and in certain cases been participants in — terrible atrocities. We pray that funding for this important program will be found and that these children will be touched by God’s love.

Blessings in Christ,

John and Gwenda Fletcher

Please read this important message from Jose Luis Casal, Director, Presbyterian World Mission

Dear Friend of Presbyterian Mission,

What a joy to send this letter! As Presbyterian World Mission’s new director, I thank God for your faithful support of our mission co-workers. The enclosed newsletter celebrates the work you made possible by your prayers, engagement, and generous financial gifts. We can’t thank you enough.

After I began in April, I met with mission co-workers and global partners and was blessed to see firsthand the mighty ways God is working through them! Our global partners are asking us to help them move forward with life-changing ministries. Because of your support, we can say “yes” to these creative and exciting initiatives.

I write to invite you to make an even deeper commitment to this work. First, would you make a year-end gift for the sending and support of our mission co-workers? We need your gifts to end the year strong. With your help, we filled two new mission co-worker positions and plan to recruit for others. The needs in the world are great, and World Mission is poised to answer the call to serve.

Second, would you ask your session to add our mission co-workers to your congregation’s mission budget for 2018 and beyond? Our mission co-workers serve three-year or four-year terms. Your multi-year commitment will encourage them greatly.

Our mission co-workers are funded entirely from the special gifts of individuals and congregations like yours. Now more than ever, we need your financial support.

In faith, our mission co-workers accepted a call to mission service. In faith, World Mission sent them to work with our global partners. In faith, will you also commit to support this work with your prayers and financial gifts?

With gratitude,
Jose Luis Casal
Director

P.S. Your gift will help meet critical needs of our global partners. Thank you!