Art Mehaffey – Congo

We know that it has been a long time since we have written to you. We are sorry about that. We will try to get you caught up on what has been happening to us as a family and what has been happening here in the Congo. In July, the Mehaffey family took a vacation to South Africa. It is the first vacation that we have had in a long time. Perhaps it is the first that we have had as an entire family. We visited Johannesburg and Durban while we were there. It was quite cool as it is winter in South Africa in July and August. We were able to visit with Dr. Goba, the former Global Ministries Africa Executive, and his family while we were in Durban. We were also able to buy many school clothes for the children while we were there.

We have also been keeping busy since our return to Kinshasa with several things. Our children, Marie and Michael, attend The American School of Kinshasa (TASOK), which keeps them very busy. Marie is in the 10th grade and made the Honor Roll during the first nine-week period. Michael is in the 7th grade and keeps busy doing one thing or another. He is too busy playing around to make the Honor Roll. He is a normal 7th grade boy and hopefully he will keep maturing and be a little more serious in a year or two. Art is the missionary representative on the TASOK school board, which keeps him busy during much of his spare time. Vanessa is attending a French-speaking kindergarten. She speaks three languages (Lingala, English, and French) and is going to be the linguist in the family.

Madeleine is no longer a Global Ministries' missionary and the orphanage that she has started has been turned over to the Community of the Disciples of Christ of the Congo (CDCC). She, however, keeps busy looking after the house along with looking after the rest of us. She has been busy lately because Vanessa and Art have had malaria, Michael has had bronchitis, and Art has had a sinus infection. We are all fairly well right now, but we have to be watchful as many diseases are prevalent here and it is easy to catch one or the other of them.

Art has been busy lately with helping two small groups from Global Ministries in the U. S. find out information that they are seeking about the needs of the CDCC here. First, there were three people-Dan Owen, a former missionary to the Congo, Fred Erickson, and Garry Sparks-who came here around the first of September for a couple of weeks to evaluate the communication (or lack thereof) situation here for the CDCC. They represent the Disciples amateur radio group (DARF). Art accompanied them to Mbandaka for a week talking to various church and community people about the communication problems and possible solutions. They then returned to Kinshasa for a week where they investigated the local availability of various types of communication equipment. Art was down with malaria during most of this week, but the people from the Kinshasa CDCC helped them. The three of them returned to the U. S. to submit their report and decide on the best course of action.

During October, Angela Balfour, Global Ministries Africa Office Program Director, and Phyllis Richards, of the UCC One Great Hour of Sharing office, visited projects in the Mbandaka area and in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Church of the Disciples of Christ of the Congo (Eglise des Disciples du Christ au Congo, in French or EDCC). They seemed to be very encouraged by what they saw in the churches in both countries. Fortunately Art had just recovered from his sinus infection just before they arrived.

We have also been keeping watch on the political situation here as the Democratic Republic of the Congo is having its first democratic elections since 1960 (the only other time that there were democratic elections here). In July they had national parliamentary and the first round of presidential elections. The lower house of the parliament was elected then and the various provincial parliaments will choose the upper house at a later date. As there were 33 presidential candidates, no one received an absolute majority, so a second round was held between the top two vote getters in July. This second round was just held October 29 along with the various provincial parliamentary elections. We are still awaiting the results somewhat anxiously because when the results of the first round were announced in August, there were a couple of days of gunshots and disturbances. This actually delayed Dan, Fred, and Garry for a week before they were able to get here. The results of the second round will probably be announced either November 12 or 19 and most people expect some disturbances for a few days after this. We'll have to wait and see. Please keep the Congo in your prayers as the people here are going through a difficult period of political learning and participation.

Thanks for all your prayers, support, and everything else.

In Christian service,
The Mehaffey family-Art, Madeleine, Marie, Michael, and Vanessa
Global Ministries' missionary family
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Art Mehaffey is a missionary with the Disciples of Christ in the Congo. Art serves in Kinshasa, and provides theological, educational, health and logistical support services.