The Born Again Church

This is a crazy country indeed and for now people hold on to whatever they can. For many that is a religious institution – no matter how bizarre their rituals are. I, in this moment, can only hold on to my anger against those religious institutions. Every day we are bombarded with a plethora of church songs and priest screeming into microphones. 500 plus churches in the city of Mbandaka - 4 of those within 200m radius of our hotel!!.. But the anger has accumulated particularly each night over the past three weeks, against the “Born- again” Christian Church located somewhere behind the hotel. Each Night. No really, EACH NIGHT they have their service (‘cult’), as I have mentioned before, in which a crazy, extremist-priest screams into the microphone ... It does almost have something mystical (well or fanatic) that these guys can yell for multiple hours EVERY night - now for three weeks straight. All I can do is pray for rain! As the rain dampens the noise and washes my worries and hatred away…

We talked to a friend about the events recently, and beyond the lack of governor (the old governor which was recently kicked out had forbidden night ‘cults’) there is another explanation. The story is that these churches – especially the American like and born again churches- are wanted and even supported (meaning financed) by the national government…. To keep the people calm. 

Usually I start hearing the born-again Church around 2 am in the morning and hope to fall asleep around 3 or 3:30 with ear plugs tightly tugged in, plus the focused determination to ignore them. Last night however, as Melaine has been sick and up during nights, I heard them start their service at 12 am.
12 am with church songs to warm up the crowed, of course all amplified so the entire neighborhood can hear them sing. They must be robbing those poor suckers blind to continue to by fuel to have the generator run all nights….

So around 2 am in the morning the extremist-priest takes over the microphone to insight rage and enormously loud responses from his followers. While his screeching and aggressive sounding voice is amplified for us to hear what sound like hate-speech, the crowd response is so enormous and loud that no speakers are need for their voices to be carried through the night, right into our bedroom.

My anger accumulated last night as I was reading ‘African World Wars’ with my flashlight on our doorstep to pass the time (usually the cult is done around 3:30) – about the history, the dictators that have ruined this country, which bares so much potential. And sadness. Sadness for the masses of people that rather follow a demagogue through the night, holding on to every word he utters, instead of taking action to turn this country around. As the church service continued with no end in sight, it was a good opportunity to practice my first song I recently learned on the guitar – Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash – I also feel a bit stuck in prison only that I hear the Born again Church rolling over the souls of men, while I ain’t seen running school since I don’t know when… Far from this Born again church, that’s where I want to be….then again its great practice as the church is so load that no one is bothered by my singing and my guitar skills get much better by having to play in the dark : )

For now we are stuck in L’Epervier. Thankfully yesterday the funds were finally released so we were able to sign the contract for the renovation work on the house. Supposedly 15 days until they will be done! Let’s cross our fingers! Until then we’ll have to suffer through what most Congolese have to suffer through – a market that is build to support monopolies – with high prices for low service. As one might suggest when reading this: why do these kids not simply move into another hotel. Well, there are only three hotels in town – two of them in the “expensive” category.

Considering that we are moving to this country and took all your belongings to potentially live here for 2-3 years, without any trusted contact or place to leave things until the house is finally ready here in Mbandaka, we need a decent size room. Also because we don’t have an office or anywhere else to go... So a larger room runs $200 a night at Nina Rivers and $120 a night at Bengazi – the only other two hotels in town – also both without running water or electricity during the day. Considering how far this country has come I am happy that we have a hotel room (which is no also officially flea free!!) but seeing how the guys at Medecine Sans Frontieres and Aviastion San Frontieres I can't help but feel a bi jealous of their professional organization, good support system and comfortable living situation. Every visit is a treat! And thankfully MSF has been incredible supportive this week (a free Malaria test and a surfeit Medicine against Melaine's the stomach pains, free internet connection, printing of the contract for us, watching Bayern München And BVB Dortmund kick ass, and even some of the Pizza their cook prepared!!!- thank you MSF!!)

Today our friend and colleagues arrives in Mbandaka. We had offered him originally to live with us in the beginning, as the house and office has two guest rooms. But as things have been so difficult to implement (especially with funds not being available) we are not sure where he will stay for now…

I can only hope that my lack of hope is correlated to my lack of sleep and that things will get better soon. To end on a bright note: I talked to the owner of the hotel again today about the Born again Church and he did promise to talk to the responsible person at the Church. He also added that the Church is quite far away and indeed their using of microphones and amplifiers in the middle of the night are very unusual. If I understood correctly he also mentioned a letter he will write… to someone important? Maybe… my French is still not ever close to perfect, but the empathy I felt was universal. And that all that matters for today…. And that Melaine is getting better soon. Having stomach problems with food bathed in palm oil, sweltering heat and no flushing toilet is SHIT – literally. Fingers crossed he will feel better soon. Thanks to his good planning the BAYER and BAYER company product Imodium is here with us. Let’s hope it works soon….