General Background and Information about Mulungwishi and the Work
We work in the
southern province of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, our mailing address is in Zambia because the mail service in Congo
is non-
functioning. Mail is brought up to us by people who are traveling our direction.
Our e-
mail is: persons
muliingwishi.qjhotmail.com
We would like to have your help keeping us up to date with your e-mail address changes. Two other persons you can contact for further information are Rev. Lynn DeMoss, coordinator of Friends of Mulungwishi, and Jeanette Michelin. Their e-mails are puzisha@verizon.net and JJMCMH@aol.com
Our Congo Address: P.O. Box 22037, Kitwe, Zambia
Africa Cell Phone; 720-254-8231
Our US Address:
1707 S. Deframe St, Lakewood, CO 80228
In the Seminary, we continue
to run between 40-45 students. They are for the most part
married and have children. Many have been teachers or working with the local
churches.
About 10 of the student body are women. The training is at two levels. The
first is a
three-year degree (equivalent of a Bachelor of Divinity Degree). The Congolese
University system follows that of Belgian's where your first degree is for
three years and
you start in your chosen field. The students graduate, are ordained and are
placed into the ministry in the two Episcopal Areas that we serve. After a
minimum of two years
(usually 6-8) certain ones are chosen by the Annual-Conferences to return
for a further
two years for a masters degree. When you count all the families and their
children, we
have between 250 and 300 people in the Seminary community. The Semanary students
are all on a full scholarship. It costs about $2500 a year. The scholarship
includes
tuition at the Seminary, education of the wife at the Women's School, housing,
medical,
food, monthly stipend and children's education. All of this comes from the
outside,
either from the US or Europe. The government is not helping. The students
need the
scholarships because the per capita income for the country is $90 a year.
There is no way that most of them could afford to come. We therefore have
a very rigorous selection
process through the Conferences and entrance exams to choose those who come.
Because of the scholarship, the graduating students are under the Bishops
for their
appointments. The wives attend the Women's School and are trained to be in
the
ministry with their husbands. This is a three-year curriculum and includes
Bible,
language, health, nutrition, child-care courses, church history, and hands
on courses like
sewing and knitting. We also train pastors for other denominations. We have
also started a Masters Degree in Christian Leadership by extension with a
University in the States.
While completing
this degree, students remain in their jobs while doing the course
through seminars, reading, papers and practical exercises. We are very fortunate
to have very qualified and excellent staff for the programs at Mulungwishi.
We have five Congolese PhD's. who are past graduates of the Seminary. They
completed further education in Europe, Canada, and South Africa. Their experiences
in other learning environments and commitment really help the level of the
Seminary. We also have 6 Professors with Masters degrees. Then we have many
visiting Professors. From visits made by the Board of Higher Education and
others from Europe we have been told that our program is one of the highest
and strongest in Africa, even comparing with Africa University. It has been
important to keep the University at Mulungwishi going because very few of
the Congolese can go to Africa University in Zimbabwe and the cost is much
less and it is in their own country. It is important for the training of leadership
for the future of the country. 50% of the population of Congo is under the
age of 18!
The largest
denomination in the Congo is the Roman Catholic Church. This is because of
the colonization by the Belgians, During the beginning of the missionary movement,
the
Protestants divided the country up because it is so large (third the size
of continental US). Church groups operate as individual denominations under
the umbrella of the Church of Christ in Congo. There is very good cooperation
between the Protestant churches. Usually there is one dominant denomination
in a region because they are the ones who started the protestant work in the
area. In our part of Congo, the Methodists are the biggest presence. In the
early days, the Catholics were antagonistic to the Protestants. However, now
there is very good cooperation. The Muslims are very small (2-3%). They are
growing slowly but most are from countries outside of Congo.
Graduates from
the Seminary have been recruited by GBGM to work as missionaries in other
parts of Africa where there is a strong Muslim presence and can work in the
French language. Currently we have Mulungwishi graduates serving as missionaries
in Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia. Which is very exciting to see the work come
full circle!!
Our big concern is for the Advance Special giving for the Seminary and University.
It
used to be that all the professors were missionaries so their salaries were
paid by GBGM.
Also, there was always someone in the States on furlough who was beating the
bushes
raising money for the Advance for the Seminary. Today, with almost all the
professors
being Congolese, their salaries now come out of the budget and they do not
have the
opportunity to come to the States to raise support. This means we have to
raise more
money with less people to do it. These past three years we have been able
to work with
three American Conference areas who have a relationship with Congo through
the Hope
For the Children of Africa Program. This will help to have a conference wide
interest and
commitment. We have many churches, across the US, who give to the Advance
for the
Seminary and now the University, but it is a constant battle, as pastors or
mission
priorities change, to keep the interest going. The Board of Global Ministries
will pay our
way to speak to our Covenant Churches but not for projects like the Advance
so we
usually zigzag across the country trying to connect both our covenant churches
and
Advance givers. It is also up to us to produce any pictures, brochures or
publicity that we need for this purpose. We cannot accept as many students
as before and the cost of the training has gone up so we are constantly on
the edge for finances. This year we had
over 400 who took the entrance exam and we only had places for 12!!!
The UMC in our
part of the Congo is growing in numbers and in outreach to their
community. Under the leadership of the UMC, there are social programs, hospitals,
clinics and schools. In 1960, at independence, there were 20,000 UM in our
region.
Today we are at about half a million! Four years ago, both Bishops and representatives
from the Katanga Province Annual Conferences asked the Seminary to create
a
University. Since the Seminary was already accredited by the national university
system,
we could add other schools so as to branch out and minister in other areas.
Three years
ago, we created the Katanga Methodist University by adding the School of Information
Technology and the School of Education. We wanted to get the computer school
going
because the country needs to catch up with the rest of the world. We graduated
our first
class this past year. Interestingly enough, the government has asked our graduates
to help with the computer registration of voters for the first vote in the
country since
independence. This registration is going on as we write and we pray for the
country as it
prepares for it's first real elections in 40 years!!!
Mobuto Sese
Seko, a military dictator, ruled the Congo for over 30 years. He was
overthrown in 1997 and replaced by the military opposition with Kabila. A
year latter
rebels in opposition to Kabila, with Rwanda and Uganda attacked the Eastern
areas of
Congo and we have been in a civil war since that time. Kabila(father) was
assassinated in
January 2001 and his son, Kabila stepped in. This war, which has included
6 countries
from the outside, has destroyed more than half the country (cities, towns,
hospitals etc.
and mission stations) and resulted in over 4 million deaths, mainly women
and
children. The horror has yet to be really fully revealed. It is estimated
by the U.N. that
over a thousand people are still dying daily because of lack of medical and
food. Many
are living and hiding in the bush, their gardens, lands ravaged by soldiers.
In the past
three years there has been a shaky peace brokered and with the help of western
agencies
and we are hoping to have the elections this next year.
Our station, Mulungwishi, is in the very South and our area as not had the damage and destruction as in other parts of the country. Life is very difficult for the average person and the economy is in chaos but schools, etc. function and small commerce continues much to our amazement! Most people have been living hand to mouth. The government is not paying salaries regularly or sometimes not at all to teachers, soldiers and other governmental agencies. Families have to pay a certain amount each month for their children to go to school or university.
Most institutions
or programs, that are running, are under various Church management or NGO's.
The reason for so much of the war and power struggle is Congo's vast mineral
wealth, which is at this time not very controlled and therefore everyone has
their hand in
the black-market and in taking minerals out. There is an article in the newest
BBC News
that shows young men digging gold out by hand and shovels. There are no safety
regulations and many are killed by cave-ins and incorrect methods. The author
of-the
article was let down into a pitch and told to walk a kilometer in the black
tunnel and then
he would find the shaft off to the left!!! Two men had died the week before
because of
lack of oxygen! The report states that in the year 2004, the nation of Uganda
exported
over $61 million worth of gold when they do not have functioning gold mines???
Rwanda and Uganda
have said they have pulled their troops out but they are still there
and living off the Congo riches. The HRW quotes that "the Congolese citizens
deserve
to benefit from the country's rich resources not be cursed by them."
The major
problem is that the western mega businesses are raking in incredible benefits
while the
Congolese themselves are dying!!! It is the same story for the important cell
phone metal
coltan, which chiefly comes from the Congo. Think of how much our cell phones
cost
and the service??? The question is how we as Christians can speak to these
issues???
UPDATE: 2006 - January, 2007
2006 - Congo
had its first national elections on July 30th. YEA!! There was a great deal
of preparation and education for the populace to know how to vote. The whole
election
process was supported by the EU and the UN. There were 32 candidates for president
and5000 for the Parliament!!...only 1 month of campaigning allowed.!! There
were 65,000
polling places - some of which were only reachable by canoe or helicopter!!
After
runoffs in October, Joseph Kabila was declared the winner and inaugurated
in December.
Be in prayer for him as he and his new government face the challenge of rebuilding
the
country after this terrible war and the blunder that is occurring of the Country's
riches.
In Mulungwishi, things continue on with classes at the Seminary and University.
We are
struggling with the loss in November of Dr. Samuel Munene, Professor of New
Testament and Academic Dean. We were able to accept 16 new students at the
Seminary
after having 400 apply!!! We are constantly humbled by the work and lives
of our
colleagues and the faith of the Church as it moves forward.
The real crunch
we are facing as an institution is two fold. The first is in terms of faculty.
The Seminary is in good shape with our staff. However, we need more faculty
for the
Schools of Computer and Education. The second is in terms of finances. We
are running
the University on what we use to get for the Seminary. We are looking into
ways to
make the University more self-supporting. We have tried various agriculture
programs
but because of the chaotic situation in the country, it has not been profitable.
We really
need your prayers and help in raising awareness of what great things are happening
in
Congo through the UMC and invite others to partner with us.