Tim Brown sees hope in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Aim International is playing a key supporting role.

There’s no question that Africa’s second-largest country has endured terrible suffering.

King Leopold II of Belgium, who claimed the central African ‘Free State’ in 1885, ensnared the population into slavery. By 1909 the Belgians had killed millions in their pursuit of rubber and ivory. Independence, when it came, didn’t bring freedom. Instead, President Joseph Mobutu (who ruled 1965-1997) spun a web of corruption and kleptocracy that Leopold himself would have admired—harnessing the country’s vast mineral wealth to become one of the richest men on earth.

There is misery in many parts of Democratic Republic of Congo. But Steve Wolcott, director of Aim Central Region, says Westerners only hear half the story: “There is hope in the midst of confusion. There’s a sense, particularly in the [Congolese] church… that we can make a difference.”

In the 1950s, Aim had 160 full-time missionaries stationed in DR Congo. More than half fled the country through the 1960s when independence from Belgium produced a power vacuum. Only 75 missionaries remained before civil war broke out in 1996. Only ten returned.

Today schools, hospitals and other strategic ministries have been nationalised. The Mission has ceded its legacy to a well-established church.

Kokole Idring’i is head of Communauté Evangélique au Centre de l’Afrique (CECA-20), DR Congo’s largest evangelical denomination. He explains that the movement is alive and well nearly 100 years after its inception. “We have a good base,” he says. “We share the good news of Jesus Christ with everyone.”

Eighty per cent of the Congolese call themselves Christian. But a little digging puts these numbers in perspective. Evangelicals are a relative minority—and even these have been heavily influenced by traditional religions. In contrast, the CECA-20 has been a source of truth, and not just in the pulpit. Rev. Kokole says the church is active in 800 primary, secondary and vocational schools. It operates 120 health centers. And despite almost total missionary evacuation in the wake of the First Congo War, most of its institutions remain intact.

“Christian workers are persevering with few or no resources,” says Glenn Wilton, an Aim missionary who, with his wife Sandy, travelled to DR Congo in 1975. “Young people are dedicating themselves to the Lord...The Congolese Christians want to grow spiritually.” The Church has also been a bulwark against a tidal wave of prosperity teaching that has overwhelmed many African Christians.

Tough call

Down to five full-time missionaries, Africa Inland Mission seeks disciple-makers to partner with the CECA-20 in DR Congo.

Even apart from the country’s relative instability, it’s not an easy assignment. Short-term missionary Rachel Backstrom candidly portrays life in a north-eastern village: “I am learning to eat chicken stomach and other unidentifiable animal parts without looking disgusted. I find it hard to know my place in society as a white woman and to stay awake in a five-hour church service when it is hot and I don’t understand what is being said. Many here are surprised I don’t know how to kill and clean a chicken; don’t know more languages (here they speak at least five); can live in -40 degree weather; don’t want 10 children.” Nevertheless, she says she enjoys the village life.

Today the CECA-20 counts roughly 500,000 members. As the Church has grown, Aim’s long-term vision for the Democratic Republic of Congo has stretched beyond the country’s massive borders.

Alongside discipleship, promoting and encouraging a home-grown missionary force is perhaps Aim’s greatest and final challenge in DR Congo.

“I think there is huge potential for that workforce to be harnessed,” says Ian Campbell, Associate International Director.

As African countries implement rigid policies excluding Western missionaries, it is increasingly clear that Africans must be mobilized to reach other Africans.

Alongside discipleship, promoting and encouraging a home-grown missionary force is perhaps Aim’s greatest and final challenge in DR Congo.

MinistryFocus - Annemarie Boks

During the Second Congo War (1998-2003), missionary nurse Annemarie Boks earned her Master’s in Community Health. Afterwards she returned to develop an AIDS Awareness Program—teaching youth and encouraging CECA-20 outreach.

“There are lots of young people, even from primary school age, who visit the so called ‘night markets [outdoor dance parties],” says Boks. “I am working with three young people to produce a video...we want to point out the dangers of these markets and other areas where risky behavior can lead to AIDS.”