“So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God.” Eph. 2:19
Mrs. Misenga Salim is a Muslim hailing from East Kasayi, one of the provinces in the center of the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was living with her daughter, however, in Kinshasa, which is the capital located along the far western border of the country. Mrs. Salim had not travelled back to her home region to visit her parents and relatives in a very long time, because of the difficult conditions of travelling in the inner-country. Usually a trip by private truck to the interior, which is some 700 miles from Kinshasa, would take weeks, even months, to reach their destination. But plane fare is exorbitant for the average Congolese citizen, so most people have little choice concerning transportation options. Regardless of the cost and travel time though, at a certain point Mrs. Salim decided that she could no longer delay in making the journey to her hometown; she gathered the money for the truck fare and, accompanied by her little girl Fatuma, set out for East Kasayi.
Along with miscellaneous cargo and several other passengers, Mrs. Salim and her five-year-old daughter boarded the overstuffed truck for their journey. Unfortunately, the treacherous nature of the landscape and this mode of travel did not spare them: disaster struck, as it often does, in the form of a major accident resulting in many injuries and casualties. More than 300 miles away from Kinshasa, near the city of Kikwit, the truck toppled and the little girl suffered major injuries to both her legs. She was taken to a nearby hospital, about six miles from the site of the accident. The hospital doctors recommended amputation of both of girl’s legs; seemingly due to how seriously injured they were. Mrs. Salim simply could not accept the proposal of these doctors. Therefore, once Fatuma was stabilized, her mother looked for the services of a traditional medicine doctor in the area.
In this part of the country, the practice of traditional medicine is well appreciated. Traditional practices can involve herbal remedy preparations, spiritualists, acupuncturists, practitioners who treat with mineral and animal products, etc. The particular traditional physician that Mrs. Salim engaged kept the young girl confined to a small house for some time, while natural leaves and chicken products were utilized in her treatment. Seemingly, the treatment worked well because Fatuma improved accordingly. However, a lasting cure was not achieved. Only a short time after she was able to ambulate again, the little girl was out playing with new friends from the community when both her legs broke for the second time.
The brave mother this time brought her daughter to a Muslim woman of the community, who was also a traditional physician. After a few months of treatment in that situation, once again, the little girl was able to walk. But the fee for her months of care had only been partially honored when, unbelievably, the child’s legs were fractured for the third time. That was the climax of their suffering: poor mother and daughter! Feeling dejected and cursed, Mrs. Salim knew that they had to leave this place. Despite the suffering and conditions they had to endure, they somehow managed to leave Kikwit and continue their journey all the way to Kananga, some 300 miles to the east. Near Kananga, there was an orthopedic center managed by the Brothers of Charity, a Catholic institute known well for their apostolic works in education and health care.
As soon as they arrived at the hospital, little Fatuma was admitted and quickly received operations on both of her legs. Though she was confined for six months, she is finally considered to be rehabilitated and walking properly again.
It was during their time at the orthopedic hospital, that Mrs. Salim and Fatuma met our Fr. Albert Feys, cicm. Fr. Albert has been in the Congo for 56 years, and is now a retiree. Although he is retired, he is not idle. Fr. Albert has a daily apostolate of visiting the sick at home and in the medical centers. Throughout his many years as a Catholic pastor in the region, Fr. Albert has had occasion to work and be acquainted with many Muslims. He is familiar with many of their celebrations and family customs. He was delighted to get to know Mrs. Salim and her daughter, and the full recovery of little Fatuma was always a fervent concern of his.
Having lived a somewhat nomadic or transitory life for many preceding months, Fr. Albert recognized that this mother and child could probably benefit from the friendship of others in the community. So, by animating some parishioners experienced with visiting the sick, Fr. Albert was able to encourage connections with others who could befriend the pair and ease their sense of isolation. Among these kind parishioners was Mrs. Balela Mukanya, who was also the leader of a local Basic Ecclesial Community. Mrs. Mukanya became a friend to little Fatuma and her mother. As the experienced mother of five of children, Mrs. Mukany treated Fatuma as one of her own. Soon Mrs. Salim and Fatuma were integrated into the community of Christians, even though they remain Muslims.
As their presence extended beyond Fatuma’s hospitalization, Mrs. Mukanya introduced them to some other Muslim families in the vicinity, and helped them to find a Mosque for their Friday services. Next, Mrs. Mukanya and Fr. Albert were able to find a school for little Fatuma to get her primary education. Today, she has evolved into a thriving fifth grade student. The mother and daughter live in a small boarding house where Mrs. Salim manages a little consignment income to sustain them and pay the scholarship for Fatuma.
Really, there is no sign that this mother and daughter are immigrants. They are perfectly integrated in the community: they speak the local language and are accepted by everyone in this parish community. As their story suggests, the respect and consideration for people of other faiths can be a meaningful expression of evangelization. How better to convey the Gospel truths and knowledge of the Gospel, than through imitating Christ’s own compassion toward the alien, the outcasts, or the suffering?
The Gospels reveal that Christ’s footsteps are, indeed, primarily found alongside the alien, the sick, the sinner, and the lost. Our missionary footsteps are intended to be the same. We are committed to bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation, and welcoming the stranger is at the core of our faith.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” Matthew 25:35
Francis N’sapo Kande, cicm
Kananga, DR of Congo
Fr. Francis Xavier N’sapo, cicm, is a native of Kasayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He joined Missionhurst-CICM in 1989, and was ordained in 1998. Fr. Francis worked for fifteen years in the Philippines before being recalled to his home country in 2010 to serve as the provincial secretary. He is currently the provincial superior of the CICM province of Southern Africa.
