Youth Gathering

JEELCA (the youth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic) had their national youth gathering May 10 – 15, 2016 in Bohong.  (Yes, that means it is still going on until tomorrow, but I was only there for the first two days.)  The theme is “Wake up” from Ephesians 5:14. 

Pres. Ndanga-Toue

JEELCA Pres Martin Nouye

Imagine this:  six representatives from 28 districts (that are organized into seven regions) came with their leaders along with the choir from Temple Centre in Bouar (about 35 youth, several electric guitars, a drum set, a traditional drum or two, and the PA equipment).  Then add many of the leaders of programs/institutions of the EELRCA who presented, including President Samuel Ndanga-Toué.  Youth who come to these gatherings are generally between 15 and 35 years old.  (Many seemed to be at the older edge of this range.)

Activities were held in the Lutheran Church, Bohong Mbella which is at the edge of town.  We filled the church – with overflow crowds outside the windows and doors – especially the next generation of JEELCA members (those currently under 15 years old.)  It was standing room only at times (so that open space in the picture was filled, too).

Now imagine the area:  Bohong was hard hit during the “events” (evenements, as they are called here).  I have written about the town before; 75% of buildings in town were leveled.  Much of the destruction has been cleared away and new houses are being built (some with Lutheran Disaster Response support).  Youth stayed in the houses of church members; the president and I stayed in one of the EELRCA houses near the hospital with Naabeau Catherine.  In town there is no electricity or running water.  The telephone tower stopped working some time ago and has not been repaired so there is no cellphone service (and there have never been land lines…) nor internet.  If such a meeting were organized in the USA, young people would boycott, don’t you think!  But many came and were happy to be there; this is the first youth gathering in five years. 

Getting there was another challenge.  The road is not paved, although it is not horrible (just bad).  Some participants found their own way there but JEELCA arranged for some transport, too. Those coming from the south rented a large truck in Baboua and picked up others along the way.  Another small bus came from Bouar.  They filled the back – standing room only with  (unfortunately) a few hanging off the back.Fewer came from the north but they, too, rented a small bus.  Both vehicles broke down!  Because there were only eight coming from the north, organizers hired motorcycles from Bohong to go and get them.

When I was traveling from GB, we passed the larger truck.  I stopped in Bouar for lunch with Pres. Ndanga-Toué and a rest.  As our Land Cruiser started off to Bohong, we saw the truck again just past Maigaro (not far outside of Bouar and still 60 km./40 m, from Bohong).  This was not a flat tire, but something more major.  More than 50 youth were stranded as the driver and his assistant tried to repair the problem.  Our LC had seven people, but we picked up a few more. (A drop in the bucket.) 

Once we got to Bohong, our LC and the hospital ambulance went back for more stranded youth.  That’s a four-hour round trip starting at 6 p.m. as it was getting dark.  They couldn’t get everyone, though (since we refuse to have people riding on top or hanging off the back…)  Fortunately, the driver got the truck fixed and it, along with the rest of the youth, arrived at 3 a.m.  An exciting, or maybe just exhausting, start to the gathering for them!

I have to say, churches in the US need to learn about welcomes from Central Africans!  About half a mile before the church a group of people gathered to welcome our vehicle with songs and shouts.  Between there and the church were more people singing, waving, shouting, and even some waving palm branches.  (I got a clearer image of the original Palm Sunday.)  Once we got to the church, even more people were there with a welcome song.  We were surrounded with joy at our having arrived.  Here’s one small picture of that crowd.

It has been a long time since I have been to a youth gathering in the USA, but I imagine that this one was similar:  singing, a message from the national president and the president of JEELCA, bible studies, educational sessions, reports from regions (including the development of proposals that were voted on), and, of course, socializing, and singing.

Did I mention lots of singing?!  The program opened with various choirs singing: from Bouar, the hosting church, Women for Christ, Young Sisters for Christ, and the Sunday school of the hosting church!  No choir had fewer than 30 people and all sang with gusto accompanied by the guitars and drums.  This was a joyful time.  As is custom, to show their appreciation people brought coins and small bills to put on the singers’ foreheads as offerings of appreciation.  Two people also put something on my forehead as I danced with the others!  What a joyous start.  In the evenings singing and dancing continued after formal meetings were done.

My presentation’s theme was “Education Wakens the Soul.”  I fretted a little before beginning my preparation because there would be so many and I wasn’t sure what to say.  (I even put out an appeal on Facebook… and followed a couple of the suggestions given).  It turned out well.  First I told them that although I could understand a lot of the Sango, I couldn’t present in their language, so I would do it in English if that was OK with them.  They laughed so I said I would do it in French and a pastor would interpret into Sango.  (Many speak French, but since public schools have never been strong and have been close to nonexistent since the “trouble,” we wanted to be sure all understood – and had the courtesy of hearing the message in their own language.)  

We started with a simple song in English, though, “Praise Ye the Lord.”  This is one I remember from my days at Lutheran youth camp!  It was a great start.  Then I had them work in small groups to consider some questions like what education is, models of teaching found in the Bible, what they want to learn, and ways they can begin to learn, even if they can’t go to formal schools. The emphasis   We ended with another round of the song.  I was temporarily famous as I saw various cell phones recording me sing the song.  (Bohong may have no telephone network, but many other places in the country do.)  They gave leaders from Bouar small gifts (another tradition).  Here’s me with my orange basin – on my head (practicing traditional ways of carrying things…)

was on their working together to define challenges and then seeking local help to start to address them.

I was glad to have the chance to be with these young people who have such energy and many huge challenges to face – both as individuals and as a church and country.

VSP Dir. Service Abel

After lunch (by the way, I ate more manioc during this trip than I had for months – when in Rome…) a car full of us went back to Bouar. (Other church leaders headed to Bohong Fri.)  EELRCA organized a farewell gathering for me that moved me close to tears a couple of time.  Several people spoke  about my work and presented we with parting gifts which included two wooden plaques carved for me, a couple of dresses, decorated gourds, and a set of elephants. JEELCA presented the latter saying that one elephant faces the others.  That one is me, sharing my knowledge with them. 

 

This was a wonderful and bittersweet week.  I regret that I have not been able to be involved in more such gatherings and work in CAR.  At the same time, since I have had to live in Garoua Boulai, I have been able to work with many more church and program leaders.  Currently, many friends and colleagues are at a distance in the USA.  After next month, I will be closer to those people, but I now have other friends and colleagues who will still be at a distance – in CAR.