Now, I can read!

Madame “Ange Lomame”* is typical of many women in the Republic of the Congo. She never had the opportunity to go to school. She was one of ten children in her family and the second oldest girl. Her oldest sister was ten years older than she, with three brothers and a child that died at birth in between. That made her the sixth child. Her mother then had three younger sisters and a younger brother who again died at birth. Just when she was beginning school at age six, her older sister became pregnant. Her mother was also pregnant with her youngest sister at the same time. After a few months, her oldest sister gave birth, but died in childbirth. Then a few months later, her mother gave birth. With two newborns and two toddler sisters in the house, her mother needed someone to help her with the children and do things around the house.

Madame “Ange Lomame”* is typical of many women in the Republic of the Congo. She never had the opportunity to go to school. She was one of ten children in her family and the second oldest girl. Her oldest sister was ten years older than she, with three brothers and a child that died at birth in between. That made her the sixth child. Her mother then had three younger sisters and a younger brother who again died at birth. Just when she was beginning school at age six, her older sister became pregnant. Her mother was also pregnant with her youngest sister at the same time. After a few months, her oldest sister gave birth, but died in childbirth. Then a few months later, her mother gave birth. With two newborns and two toddler sisters in the house, her mother needed someone to help her with the children and do things around the house.“Ange” grew up taking care of her younger siblings while helping her mother with the planting and growing of the large garden that was needed to feed the family. She might have gone to school with her youngest sister, but about the same time her father died, leaving her mother with seven children to care for. There was not enough money to send both her and her younger sister to school and she did not really want to begin first grade at twelve years old. She continued to help her mother around the house and garden. A few years later, she became interested in boys and at the age of about eighteen got married.

A few years before she got married, Ange’s oldest brother moved to Brazzaville where he got some work. About the time of her marriage, her next oldest brother went to Brazzaville, also. Each brother got work, married, and called the rest of the family, one by one, to come to Brazzaville because the opportunities were better there than in the village. Ange and her husband had two children by the time that they decided to follow her older brothers to Brazzaville. Even though she did not know how to read and write, she made a little money for her family by selling a few items at the local market. He husband had an elementary school education, but not enough schooling to get a well-paying job. He found work as a day laborer and between the two of them found enough money to feed and house the family. Slowly three more children were born into the family and there were seven in all to care for.

When Ange and her husband moved to Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo had a socialist government that discouraged religion. In 1997 there was a civil war and the government changed. Although this was a difficult time for Ange and her family when they fled to Kinshasa for a few months to escape the fighting, they returned to Brazzaville and picked up their life there. About this time other women from Ange’s village invited her to the relatively new Brazzaville EDCC church. She, her husband, and children soon were fairly regular attendees at the Ouenze parish. Ange became involved in the programs for women, even though she was unable to read and write. In 2000, Mrs. Madeleine Mehaffey came to Brazzaville as a missionary working with the women of the church. The women wanted to start many different programs, but lacked the money to do so. Finally, after some months of discussion and getting to know the women, Mrs. Mehaffey suggested that they start a literacy class as they could do that without a large expense. Because Mrs. Mehaffey lived in Kinshasa and could not be a regular teacher of this class, Madame Pauline Bokezé, a trained teacher, volunteered to begin teaching this Lingala class. The object of this class was to learn to read the Bible and improve their lives. This class began in 2001.

After three years, Ange and nineteen others completed the entire course and can now read the Bible and other material in Lingala. Ange says that it was a lot of hard work but was well worth it. “Now, I can read!” exclaims Ange. She and the others in the class are so happy that they can now read that when Mrs. Mehaffey returned to Brazzaville in October 2004, they presented her with a small gifts to show their gratitude for helping them to learn to read and write. They now think that their lives will be better and more productive because of it. They all closed this meeting with the shout, “Now, I can read!”

* Her name has been changed, as she did not want to be singled out for this story. She says that many women have very similar stories and that hers is nothing special. She finally consented to tell her story, but only if her name were changed.

In Christian service,

The Mehaffey family, Art, Madeleine, Marie, Michael, and Vanessa
Global Ministries missionaries
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Art & Mapuka Mehaffey are missionaries with the Disciples of Christ in the Congo. Art serves in Kinshasa, and provides theological, educational, health and logistical support services. Mapuka serves in Brazzaville, and provides community education for the Disciples of Christ in Brazzaville, Congo.