We are more than we were before, yet a piece of us was left behind.
Eight people from the Memphis and Tennessee Annual Conferences traveled to Kindu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to participate in Congo Women Arise – the United Methodist Church initiative that combats stigma due to rape in East Congo. The team included Rev. Randy Cooper, Rev. Neelley Hicks, Rev. Don Spencer, Erin Bell, Michaela Johnson, Shelby Jacobs Johnston, Kandice Martin, Melissa Wheatley, and Pierre Omadjela, Special Projects Manager – United Methodist Communications.
We arrived at a great celebration held in the midst of the East Congo Annual Conference. Music, singing, and dancing provided a welcome worthy of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. A short walk from the Episcopal offices revealed a beautiful sight: the Mama Lynn Center rising up to embody the architectural drawing provided last year. The Tennessee, Memphis and California-Pacific conferences are working together to raise $350,000 to build this women’s center which will be named for Lynn McAlilly. Due to the generosity of annual conference season and an anonymous donor, we have raised more than 2/3 of the goal, and now lack just $80,990.36!
A “No Stigma” workshop was held for four days and included around 50 women leaders and survivors of sexual violence. Team members opted to participate in a workshop (sponsored by WiseHeart Foundation, Harper Hill Global, and East Congo UMC), lead Vacation Bible School with children from the orphanage, or help with construction at the Center. Pierre offered English classes with Michaela, Kandice, and Melissa assisting. The team brought gifts from Centertown United Methodist Church, Discipleship Ministries, Harper Hill Global, Martin First United Methodist Church, and Project 20/20. The gifts were received with much gratitude, and then it was our team’s turn to become the recipient.
Chaco Tunda, whose grandfather welcomed Methodism into the Maniema Province, bestowed new names upon each team member after we had received United Methodist clothing, and “welcome” plaques with our names hand painted.
Randy once described this trip as a “pilgrimage” to us coming together with family in Christ to draw closer to Him and one another. That surely happened. The bright faces of children eager to play with us, women brought into the circle, adults learning new languages, and team members carrying rocks on their heads as their counterparts there do, all signify a basic human need to love and be loved – to understand and be understood. A piece of us was left behind, yet we are still so much more than before. Isn’t that the way love works?
Donate to the construction of the Mama Lynn Center at CongoWomenArise.org
