Is Congo safe NOW?              Dec.29, 2008

Here is Congo (DR)!

Friends suggested I should wait a while to go to Congo. And I am not a brave person but I had a lot of His work to do.  So I went.

Dec.10, Nairobi to Kampala by “Akamba” bus, 15 hours, 2 days of visit and rest at Bugema University, then Kampala to “Mpondwe” border (Congo calls “Kasindi”), by “Poko Poko” bus, another 8 hours, 350km south-west. At the north of this border, in the Rwenzori mountain, there is 3^rd (or 2^nd) highest mountain called “Peak Marguerite”, 5,100 m, and NALU rebels, National Army for the Liberation of Uganda, operate around the hills of this region.

Crossing border usually takes 2 hours, Uganda and Congo side together. Please do not ask me why. In addition to this, we were held at Kasindi immigration for almost 3 hours for no reason.

From Kasindi to Butembo, my original mission home, 110km about, took 6 hours of rough road but we were mighty happy because we are coming home, and we were somewhat used to this road. This confirms we are surely in Congo. We thanked God! He kept 3 Congolese missionaries and 1 ordained pastor of “Maha Mission” safe.

My safe arrival could mean the North Kivu is selectively safe. More road blocks on the way, from 2-3 to NOW 5-6. To defend rebels coming in? I did not answer. They were collecting.

Internet barely started working intermittently from Dec. 24th. What a wonderful Christmas gift! Now I am happy to report the present approximate situation. Who knows exact?

CNN, BBC broadcasted Uganda and Congo border is closed. Yes, but it is “Ishasha” border, almost south-western end of Uganda, and 100 km north-east of Goma, Congo.

When I first came to “Butembo” in Dec. 2006, I was told as the first “Mujungu” (Non-Black) since “civil war” of 11 years ago. (Not so certain about this). The main streets of Butembo were deserted; it was like Hollywood stage for Western movie after all gunmen have left. When I see two cars during my passing through town, it was a rare day. I seldom saw any container with goods.

Today, many foreigners came (mostly NGO staff), good houses rent went up sky high, rich Butembo businessmen have returned from their self-exile, plenty of containers are moving around midst of dust(told you in my prior mission report, the whole town is full of dust when no rain for 3 days).

All these do NOT mean finally “peace” has COME.  Far from it!

Early December, Pastor Malembe Tatasi of  “Maha”, braved with his motor-bike to visit “Kasugho” church to take photos in preparation report for “Washsington-Spencerville SDA Korean Church” in Baltimore for their “1 Cell to 1 Congo Church” program.(They have 20 Cell groups.)  He was arrested for one hour before finally released by “Mai Mai” rebels (or patriots) on the way. Maha previously reported Kasugho was “the end of the earth”, simply because there is no more roads after this town. It is located 50km due south, then 60km due west from Lubero.

“Mai Mai” is a sort of extreme rightists to defend their country from Rwanda.

Their reputation of defeating all and any formidable enemies makes people to be very fearful of them. People would like to believe this story: When Kabila’s rebel army (that time. He eventually expelled dictator President Mobutu and became President) was advancing, Mobutu invited foreign mercenaries to stop them. But mercenaries ran away because their bullets can not kill Mai Mais. Bullets go around them.

Mai Mai’s radius of operation is about 25km to 130km north-west (from Butembo), then 140 km south-west. These are mostly mountainous region.

In addition to Mai Mai, this region is known to have another rebel group called “Nterahamwe”, Rwandan “Hutu”, opposing the strongest rebel group called “C.N.D.P.”, also Rwandan “Tutsi”. Since “Hutu” are opposing “Tutsi”, Mai Mai and “Nterahamwe” seem to co-exist against common enemy.

Mai Mai’s visible presence and progress recently on roads leading to most of Maha’s “Pigmy” camps, such as Teule(since early Sept.), Aloya and Malondo (only from one week ago) prevent us from visiting, instead camp pastors can barely pass-by. Military, police and Mai Mai, or any combination of them SOMEHOW operates peacefully (?) at most check-points. We do not try to find out whys.

What you read usually about civil war in Congo’s north-east is “CNDP”, stands in French for “Conseil National pour la Defense du Peuple” (National Assembly of People”s Defense).

CNDP leader, General Laurent Nkunda Batware Mihigo (commonly called as Gen.Nkunda) is originally a Rwandan Tutsi living in Congo, and he was a general in Congolese army.  Many times he was interviewed by Western press, photos taken.

CNDP headquarter is in “Kichanga”, a small town within “Masasi”, 6-70 km west of Goma city. CNDP operates between 100 km due south of Butembo until a few kilometers before Goma (300km), 200-250km west from Uganda, Rwanda and Congo border, also mountainous region, part of beautiful “Virunga” national park.

They are alleged to be better equipped, more intelligences and higher morale(?). In September this year, they even attacked UN peace-keeping forces.  Many times of peace conference effort have failed.

Gen. Nkunda has been coming on Sabbath to SDA Church “Birere” in Goma. I do not desire to publicize more than necessary but this was a known fact. This is to erase rumors that Gen.Nkunda has said he does not kill people during Sabbath. I do not know whether he is a baptized Adventist or not, nor do I wish to verify it because I am sure his conduct is completely against Adventist Church Beliefs and conducts. Even General Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist has issued a statement in early December, condemning such violence.

The North and South Kivu were historically inhabited by both Congolese and Rwandese during Belgium colonial days. It reached as far down as Burundi and all these countries are French speaking countries. They were not clearly divided in territorial classification in these regions because it was not necessary for Belgian. Many Rwandese missionaries contributed for evangelization of people in the North Kivu and as far north of “Oriental”(geographical northern part of North Kivu) where Maha’s naked tribe Lugbara lives.

Now, after independence from colonialism, especially after the unfortunate “massacre” in Rwanda in 1944 between “Hutu” and Tutsi”, situations became further complicated even among those two tribes residing scattered over Kivu and Congolese. To make matters worse, there were many exoduses to this side of Congo during and after 1944 and they became naturalized.

These two countries own political developments as time went on, coupled with adjacent neighboring countries(there are about 9) interests in Congo’s rich natural resources during and after cold war era have made roots and sentiments of two nations very complicated.

Yesterday, two of Maha missionaries dared to visit separate mission sites. Moses to Aloya Pigmy Camp for water wells inspection, and he reported successful passing through Mai Mai check points. Another missionary Venaah went to hilly, old church “Kinyatsi” and he has returned safely.

They went to sites to inspect and take photos so that we can report to those SDA churches in the US who supported and funded projects. We have just completed all 15 Pigmy camps (4 major camps, 15 satellite camps) clean water wells. Maha will separately report on these projects later.

We, Maha Mission, are thankful to God to specially choosing us as His vessels to these regions to do His work. These realities of risk and danger are our opportunities He gave us.

We have reported earlier that people in the North Kivu wants to believe in God. And we firmly believe this is opportunity God is blessing these people to come to Him through these difficulties and trials, to be saved, so that they all have eternal lives. Congolese, along with other Africans, have been suffering historically for a very long time. No one ever stood on their side to defend them, nor to become their friends. Only Jesus is their friend.

They do not seem to trust their government, military, beaurocrats and police. They, many times, are predators instead of being protectors. THAT IS WHY THEY ALL WANT TO COME TO CHURCHES.  All we have to do is to deliver “Good News”.

We as missionaries are staying behind our local church leaders so that they can more efficiently spread Gospel. Many times our work is as simple as just standing beside suffering people. Is this not God’s special blessing to us to go to heaven altogether?

This is why we, Maha Mission, are continuously in pursuit of “every tribe” to “ the Ends of the Earth”, experiencing vividly that He is always with us, in us and always leading us without fail…God is that faithful!  Are we to Him?

We owe you several mission reports of how great God’s blessings we have received during the last several months. You can expect many photos. As of now, we were so busy because He blessed us so much, way ahead of us, we feel like asking Him to slow down until we can catch up with Him, or help us to…

We pray for all of you as 2008 is just a few days away. It will never come back. If you find around you some friends who have not yet made up their minds, please love them to decide NOW. We also pray in 2009 we all would like to reach more people and bring them to Jesus. Amen.

Reporting from  Butembo, Congo (D.R.),    

Yang, Seung Chun,

A coward Korean missionary who did not go by motor-bike to sites himself because of rebels, instead only courageous, young missionaries went.