Hearts for Harvest: Testimonies: Iris Congolese Pastors/Leaders from the Refugee Camp

The following testimonies are collected from the 21 Congolese pastors/leaders who currently live in one of the refugee camps in Tanzania. I wanted to get more of their stories, but after one woman spoke for the group, many of the other pastors could not bear listening to more. I’m sharing these testimonies so that you can see how precious the name of Jesus is, and how some people have chosen to trust in the only hope there is, Jesus Christ, even in the midst of unimaginable suffering that many of us who live in the U.S. and other “western” countries may never experience or even consider.

Pastor Deus (to my right), His wife (black t-shirt), me
and many of Iris pastors from the camp

Beatrice, one of the 21 Congolese Iris pastors/leaders who came from the camp, was speaking about the previous and on-going wars in the Congo, its effect on their lives, and the poor conditions of life in the camp. She said, “I don’t know what we’ve done against the Lord to deserve this…our situation is so bad [speaking even of their current life in the refugee camp],” and then she said “because of the war, maybe we thought that God doesn’t [present tense] love us, but when we came to Mwanza [the seminar] we realized that God loves us”. I stopped her and asked the translator to make sure he had translated her words correctly. Then, I realized that Jesus was doing even greater things during the conference than what I imagined. Below are some of the stories that I was able to get from the group of Congolese pastors in their words.

“When the war came to our villages, everyone just ran away. You woke up without clothes on and you ran. Husbands generally leave their families. But, because of their heart for their children, the mothers try to run with their children. Often the children run away by themselves, and we don’t know where our husbands and children are. Some of us made it to Tanzania, but you cry because you are alone. People come and tell you that your whole family is dead.” She said for years the soldiers took them [the women], and used them in a bad way [when I asked some about this afterwards they told me the soldiers raped the women and did many things to them]. Sometimes the soldiers took whole families and burned them in the house. The soldiers found women who were pregnant and cut the baby out, and just left the women lying there. Sometimes the soldiers would cut off your hand, arm(s), put your eyes out and just leave you there. Children were put in flour sacks, which were tied then thrown into the water. Beatrice herself had 5 children, which were killed right in front of her face. She said she was told this story in the camp: a woman ran with her children when the soldiers came into her village, but her 6 month old baby was crying and she couldn’t get the baby to stop. The soldiers were still around her, so she killed her 6 month old baby herself to save the rest of her children who were with her. Some people got a chance to reach the camps. Some people came to the refugee camp naked because they just woke up in the middle of the night and ran when the soldiers came. “The government helped us by receiving us into the camps.”

But now [many years later], the government is trying to close the camps where the Congolese pastors live. One older man sadly admitted, “In the camp I pray a lot, but really, I just complain. I’m just telling you the truth.” The food is spoiled. There’s not enough food. Many don’t have charcoal to cook the flour. (For you my readers, you’ll have to understand that boiled flour made from dried corn and beans is very common in our part of Africa. It’s what you eat most of the time). Each person gets about 3 ½ lbs. (1 ½ kilos) of the flour to eat for 2 weeks. Many parents give most of their food to their children and when parents don’t have enough food, they sleep during the day. They said that they can’t leave the camp when they want to [Pastor Deus was able to help them get special permission to come to the seminar but they had to return immediately]. Even though they received official permission, they were still made to pay money before they were allowed to leave the camp. One pastor said that he had only left the camp twice in 3 years – both times for a seminar. Because the government is closing the camp, half of their group of Congolese pastors in the camp already had to leave. The rest feared leaving because the war is still going on in their parts of the Congo. Because the government wants the refugees to return to the Congo, they closed down the market [where people can get food], and are not allowing people to plant food around their homes.

During the conference, some of the pastor’s daughters were calling them from the camp because they had been 2 days without any food. One called and said, “We don’t’ have any food or anything. What can we eat? What will we do?” (When I was told this, the pastors had 5 more days before they’d return home). Remember, I just wanted you to hear their stories to see that even in the face of difficulties, these men and women continue to believe and hope in Christ. That’s why they came to the conference. (Some might be wondering why the camps are closing down and have many more questions…but this blog isn’t about providing comments, questions or answers on their current situation in the camp or the camp. My joy was to encourage these pastors and minister life, love and healing to them, and help teach and empower them to believe in all the wonderful things Jesus wants to do with their lives now).

Remember, Friday afternoon, we had a special time of ministry to the Congolese pastors. Can you imagine how I felt standing in front of them with a word, a prophetic word, for their good and their future? The Holy Spirit came with love and power that afternoon, and we rejoiced and danced. I know that Jesus continued bringing healing that day, but that much more healing will follow as they continue to pursue the One they love.

I asked the head pastor of the group why he and the group came. He had also lost children because of the war. He said that all 21 pastors had borrowed 34,000 Shillings (about $23 USD) each to pay for transport to come to the conference. They all went around to many people in the camp until they each collected enough money. They borrowed the money to come even though they knew that I would only pay their return fare back. They also knew that they had no way to pay back the borrowed money, but they all borrowed the money anyway. When I had Pastor Deus remind them that all the pastors had to pay their own fare to the conference, but I was only paying their return fare (because that was the original agreement) some pastors cried. They knew they had no way to pay back the money. The head pastor told me that he came to the conference because he knew he would receive encouragement and would be able to take that back to the camp. When I heard that, the Lord told me that was “boldness”. The Lord blessed them for their boldness. Both, my wife and I knew we had to give them money to pay back their loans, so that’s what we did for all 21 Congolese pastors. Of course, that was well beyond the budget we had to spend for the conference. We also gave them money for food during their return journey (as we did with the other pastors). I learned many things from the Congolese pastors, but their example of boldness stood out the most. I have met these pastors, and despite what they are going through, they are mighty men and women of God with ministries and purposes in the camp and a future beyond. They try their best to sell vegetables, and do other things like knit clothes to sell, or visit the sick in the camp. They are mothers and fathers physically and spiritually caring for adults and children who are not naturally part of their families. They are leaders who are bringing vision, restoration and hope to hundreds and thousands. They are contending for the lives of their families and friends, and for the sake of bringing the Word of life (the Gospel) to many others who are in the camp. They are heroes.

In our final session with them we talked about the value of suffering for Christ (as the Word of God talks about it, 1 Peter 4:12-16, 19; Philippians 1:29; 2 Corinthians 7:4). I told them what they already knew, that as they continue to live for Jesus at all and any cost, some might have to leave the camp and may be killed in the Congo, others would continue experiencing times of hunger and having no food, and suffer other harm (for His glory, 1 Peter 4:13-14). But, I believe many had already made their decision. They would consider preaching the gospel a privilege, and go wherever Jesus sent them, even if they had to be killed while serving the one they love, Jesus Christ, who first loved them and laid down His life that they might have an everlasting and eternal life through Him. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (NKJV)
His love and joy endures, even in the face of suffering and martyrdom.

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes