Pictures Added

Access to bandwidth is a wonderful thing. Pictures have now been added to the original blog posts which you can click to expand. Video via our BensInCongo YouTube Channel will be added into the appropriate posts over the next few days.

Financial support for CME Nyankunde via Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood can be made through WEC via CanadaHelps. For ongoing information on CME Nyankunde, especially if you are in the UK, please visit the Friends of CME website.

Financial support for Healing Streams can also be made through CanadaHelps. The Brenda Ben Bursary Fund in support of educating promising students in Africa can receive donations through Healing Streams.

Quick access to earlier blog posts is available via the calendar on the left.

Key dates for reference:
Oct 22 – First post
Nov 24 – Depart Toronto (for real)
Nov 30 – Arrival in Congo
Dec 5 – Return to Bunia from Butembo
Dec 9 – Depart Congo

Thank-you again for your support and prayers.
Michael Ben
Brenda Ben

Al Gore Was Almost President

While the Congo election result is now being disputed, it is easy to forget that controversial election results are quite common. There are now demonstrations around the world with a large one scheduled for Kinshasa. The current results show incumbent Kabila winning over challenger Tshisekedi by 49% to 32%, but Tshisekedi (by all accounts a loose cannon) has declared himself president, something Al Gore never did against George Bush despite being urged to do so by some Democrats. Things will get ugly in parts of Kinshasa, although there is no expectation of violence in the east.

Kabila poster

The difficulty for the Congo Supreme Court is they are obliged to rule of the validity of the results by Tuesday (tomorrow) which leaves them no time to properly assess everything (ignoring the fact that Kabila appointed them all). A key factor on behalf of Kabila is that while fraud undoubtedly existed, his margin of victory is so big that someone would have to notice it. Yes, there was 101% voter turnout who voted 99% in favour of Kabila in his home province while the equivalent percentages in Tshisekedi is around 60%. Yes, there are hundreds of ballot boxes missing from key Tshisekedi areas, but it doesn’t seem to add up to 17% of the vote.

In Congo, the last five voters in a polling station are the ones who count the vote. Tshisekedi purposefully voted late so he could be a counter. By definition, it was his home poll, yet we heard that Kabila still received around 30% and Tshisekedi was happy with the local result. There will be objections, but I don’t see how Kabila will lose power.

Amsterdam is a beautiful city where we have had a great time. We’ll fly home tomorrow. No promises on timing, but we’ll try to promptly post pictures into earlier blog entries.

If you have any questions you’d like answered, post it as a comment on any blog entry and we’ll respond to the comment. Thanks for your interest!

Back in Entebbe, Uganda

After a smooth and uneventful flight on a Cessna Caravan, we are back in Entebbe. We had given ourselves a day cushion before our flight to Amsterdam Saturday night, but we fortunately did not need it.

On our way out of Congo (exit fees =$250), our bags were searched, apparently for gold, diamonds or weapons. I guess they don’t profile passengers in Congo very effectively.

Why they checked for our yellow fever vaccine certificate on the way out and not on the way in was another mystery.

What they did come across in their search was a small wood carving which suddenly needed an export document, despite being made from a common red wood. After some negotiations by Dr. Nancy Wood and a fortunately a ruling by another agent that we didn’t need a document, we passed through without being extorted for money.

UN helicopters at Bunia airport

Bunia from the air, looking south

The famous sign at Entebbe airport

The difference in Uganda from Congo is so striking. Electricity. Air conditioning. Paved roads. Maybe we just landed on another planet.

Almost Done

We are grateful to the The Co-operators for provided two notebooks for our use in Congo, which were then given to Joseph Rona Katawanga and to the head of the CME nursing school

Another visitor at the Wood's home, Ruth Wellard, from Guildford, UK, was teaching English to CME doctors and nurses

In the UN or Reconciliation market in Bunia, so called because it was created by the UN in support of the local minority tribe

Reconciliation market in Bunia, Orientale, DRC

As we wait for the election results, we are wrapping up our consulting work and are planning to leave Congo tomorrow for Uganda. We will catch a red eye flight to Amsterdam on Saturday night.

This was a productive day of interviewing people and starting the written draft of our report. Our work has come together well.

Elisha, Pastor Tsongo and Michael

Elisee Undehoso Okameli Isse Mundeke or Elisha, Assistant to the Executive Director at CME Nyankunde

Last Supper with the Woods (and the English class)

Here is an excerpt from a wonderful e-mail received today from an Anglican minister and husband to Mama Dorcas from the Butembo orphanage.
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We were so delighted at your visit in Butembo most especially at the orphanage. I think you have experienced the life that orphans are living. But we thank God so much for having given us the spirit of compassion which has enable us to look after these victims regardless of the difficult issues we face over taking care for them.

Thank you very much for the prayers you prayed for me while I was hospitalised. God answered your prayers and now I feel well at home with my orphans. What a wonderful miracle that God has done through you.

Also we thank you very much for the assistance you gave to teachers and most especially food, soap, pots, sugar, cups, oil, parrafin, mattresses, torches and many things you offered to orphans. Now orphans are eating, sleeping, dancing, enjoying things you gave them. Thank you very very very much and God bless you and your children and all activities you are doing for people of God.

May God Bless your city, your country CANADA and everything you have.

We wish you a blessing trip wherever you will pass up to your home and greet all friends there on our behalf.

Revd Kasereka Kiharami Emmanuel and His wife Dorcas

Nyankunde Massacre

The Congo wars had been progressing for a few years but the hospital known as CME Nyankunde had remained untouched. By far the best equipped hospital in north east Congo with 400 beds and 400 employees, there was a policy of providing care to everyone. The Congo wars have been complex and fed by many factors, but the village of Nyankunde was subject to a tribal conflict encouraged by the lawlessness of the ongoing wars.

The immediate trigger for the massacre was a chief who wanted to cleanse the village of 17,000 of another tribe. 5,000 people were displaced out of the town and more were threatened. Further, this chief prevented access to the hospital, CME Nyankunde, to the other tribe. In retaliation, 100 heavily armed men with thousands of supporting tribesmen attacked Nyankunde on September 5, 2002. 1,500 were slaughtered. The hospital was completely ransacked and destroyed. Many thousands fled through the jungle to the nearest large town of Oicha. There were six maternal deliveries during the exodus.

Dr Philip Wood heard the gun shoots, took in several people at his home for shelter and locked up his house. Gunmen banged on the door and demanded money and entrance. Dr Wood knew that entrance would mean the death of those he was hiding. He responded by saying he had no money there, that he wasn’t letting them in, but he would pray for them. After he closed his eyes to pray, he realized the gunmen had moved on.

The next day, Dr Wood learned that MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) had arranged evacuation flights out. Leaving his house, he saw scores of people he knew well lying dead on the ground. MAF took him to Bunia where he met with UN officials who, to put it mildly, were useless. Dr Wood proceeded to Oicha where he was instrumental in aiding the refugees from Nyankunde.

The town and hospital area was mined by the attacking tribal militia. South African UN peacekeepers, who seem to be a completely different lot from the rest of the UN peacekeepers in Congo, eventually de-mined the town and residents slowly returned. But the village has yet to return to its former size.

CME rushed to re-establish the destroyed CME Nyankunde hospital in nearby Beni, expanding thereafter to Bunia. CME Nyankunde reopened in 2005 but as a shadow of its former self. The rebuilding underway has been impressive. A new building hosting operating room and intensive care facilities which is being funded by Samaritan’s Purse will be among the finest in the country.

Washing clothes as we approach Nyankunde

The beautiful drive into Nyankunde

Joseph Rona Katawanga met us in Nyankunde, along with the Nyankunde cashier

One of many buildings still destroyed

While much of Nyankunde has been rebuilt, much remains to be done

We had excellent discussions today with the Executive Director Dr Mike Upio Nzeni, universally known as Dr Mike. This impressive and brave doctor had relatives killed in the massacre and was the first doctor to return to Nyankunde. Dr Mike assisted with the de-mining. Today he leads CME Nyankunde (succeeding Dr Wood) which from the ashes now has three hospitals, 240 beds, 270 employees, pharmacies, labs and hopes for significant expansions.

Dr. Mike Upio Nzeni, Executive Director of CME Nyankunde, or simply Dr. Mike

Looking down on Nyankunde. The largest building is the new operating room being built by Samaritan's Purse.

Looking northwards from the hill behind Nyankunde

Dr. Mike showing us the new operating room under construction

A rebuilt but quieter ward

Chris Phillips, universally known as Tate (i.e. Auntie, a name of high respect). A physiotherapist from the UK, she has been volunteering at CME since 2008.

For more information on Chris, please visit the Friends of CME website:
http://www.friendsofcme.com/physio.php

A girl waving at us (being muzungu) while we drive through Nyankunde but notice the bullet holes

A quick stop at the market on the road back to Bunia

Michael Ben negotiating for mangoes on the road to Bunia

It wasn't a happy dance, but a pleased girl nonetheless

On Our Way to Nyankunde and the UN

Our drive to Nyankunde was made interesting as we caught up to a UN convoy of six troop carriers filled with soldiers in battle helmets. They are usually in blue berets. They stopped and jumped out at some local roadside houses, brandishing their guns straight ahead instead of the customary downwards and were all looking worried. It was probably a moment to take pictures when they couldn’t be bothered with us.

Behind a UN troop carrier (one of six) about to stop and make a raid

UN soldier involved with a raid (in centre of photo) with bystanders watching intently

Dr Philip Wood heard that four days ago, militia from NURL (National Ugandan Liberation Army) attacked a Congo army outpost near the road from Beni to Butembo in order to capture guns. Maybe this morning’s UN efforts were a counter seizure effort (we are roughly 120 km further north), but we have no idea.

When rebel militia returned to Nyankunde in 2008, a UN base was only 4 km away and in fact had been established there to be close to Nyankunde after the 2002 massacre. When asked for help, the local UN commander professed ignorance on where Nyankunde even was (straight down the road) and refused to send help (Rwanda anyone?). They only half heartedly acted when told that one of the CME Nyankunde staff was a Japanese citizen by sending enough vehicles to take out foreigners, but the Congolese (who were the ones being threatened on a tribal basis) were left to their own devices.

To watch the UN potentially being proactive was quite the surprise.

Police Clash With Demonstrators

Unsurprising, election results have been delayed another two days. This creates an unusual situation as there is no constitutional provision for such a delay and the government can’t legally function, contributing to the uncertainly.

Meanwhile, with police clashing with demonstrators in Ottawa and Toronto over the Congo election, we have heard more about violence in Canada than about any violence in this part of Congo.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/12/06/toronto-protests-congo.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/12/06/ottawa-congo-demonstration.html

Road Graders and Operating Rooms

In 1974, the Canadian government purchased and donated 72 badly needed road graders for Congo, complete with a large maple leaf painted on it. A year later, however, there was a desperate effort to locate them but only 10 could be found. The Canadian embassy contacted Canadians and asked them to keep an eye out for the graders. No spare parts had been sent, so with any kind of breakdown, just one cracked bolt, the graders quickly became a mass of iron subject to rusting in the elements. Road widening was frequently needed to get around disabled graders which had been pushed to the side of the road and were quickly grown over with grasses.

A somewhat similar attitude is evident among Western doners to CME. Samaritan’s Purse (bless them) donated a sizable amount to reconstruct the destroyed operating room in Nyankunde. They, like virtually all foreign donors and encouraged by our tax authorities, insist that any money being donated is used for a specified capital project. But with all foreign money going to capital projects (and at that it’s only 20% of revenue), there is precious money available for ongoing operating expenses. The Congolese government doesn’t financially support CME (even though Nyankunde is a designated Congo general hospital) so operations must be run from patient revenues. In one of the poorest parts of the world.

The Woods are paid a salary of $960 per month (which they would make in a few hours in Canada). They are treated special, as Congolese doctors make $450 per month. Doctor defections to Kenya and elsewhere are common and an ongoing problem. The good news is that Congo schools currently at record high levels or enrollment, although quality levels apparently are a concern.

We had another productive day with the Finance Director, including our always enjoyable 15 minute walk to and from the clinic. It is a joy to note that the sand bags, barbed wire and machine guns in the UN bunkers from prior years have been removed.

MONUSCO HQ Bunia, immediately beside the CME lab and office. It was great to see the machine gun bunker removed.

The CME Office and Lab (on the right) looking towards downtown Bunia, with major road reconstruction underway

It was also a joy to reconnect at the clinic with Pastor Tsongo who was our translator at the first Healing Streams seminars in 2006 and who continues to support the ongoing work of Healing Streams here.

Pastor Tsongo, Head Champlain at CME Nyankunde

The election results are said to be announced at midnight tonight. Interim results give the incumbent president at 10% point lead with 66% of the votes counted, which would seem mathematically impossible to overcome. No one (except a nervous Canadian ambassador in Kinshassa) expects any trouble in Bunia. Apparently Canadians have been asked to leave Congo by their government, unlike Britain and other Western countries.

Mind you, we have yet to see any Chinese around.

Wood Quarterly

We have never seen or heard of anyone who communicates with their supporters as well as Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood. They send out an informative e-mail every Sunday. Once a quarter, they send out a summary e-mail to a broader audience, portions of which have been pasted below.

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The challenges here in N E Congo are immense. We dearly want to see the Nursing College move ahead in the development of their 5 hectares which in the short term means putting finishing touches on the latest building, like ceilings and toilets and city power connection and solar power. The intake of students this year was smaller, only 105 in all options as the secondary school results were not good. The staff need our prayers as they all carry a heavy load of responsibility. Philip has been teaching most afternoons since our return and Nancy is now teaching mornings at home, a delightfully small class of 3 doing their Licence in Epidemiology. The subject is Geriatrics.

The Bunia hospital continues to be busy with almost 100% occupancy of 80 beds. Philip has 3 – 5 patients to operate every day and follow up at the end of the day. Some say the standards are going down. When one of the chaplains came to visit he and Nancy were talking about the need for discipleship of staff and students. We need to model Jesus in his love, integrity and actions to EVERY person we meet.

Outpatient Diabetics occupy Nancy two mornings a week and we seem to
have around 350 clients. Most of the snags in the monthly purchasing of
their drugs in Kampala, Uganda and their shipment on MAF, and passing
through customs here have been worked out. Other family doctors help in Nancy’s absence.

The two schools for the deaf of which Nancy is honourary director, are
progressing well. The Ephata School in Oicha saw 6 children complete
primary school and succeed in official exams. The two girls are beginning a
4 year program in sewing and tailoring, and the 4 boys are learning carpentry. The senior class in the Proreso School here in Bunia has now moved up to 3rd year secondary and the students have the choice of 3 options: teaching, computers or hairdressing. We were thrilled to put in a foundation for 6 classrooms and an office for this school and we are asking the Lord to send the funds to put up the walls, put on the roof and complete it this year. Both schools are recognized by the government but as yet none of the 21 teachers receive a government salary.

One of our ongoing prayers for Congo is from 2 Chronicles 7:14 “Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

With our love and prayers, Nancy & Philip

First Day At Work In Bunia

There is no need for alarm clocks in Bunia with the roosters ordering you awake at 5:30. We need to allow the Woods first dibs on the bathroom, but breakfast is at 6:30. It is a nutritional start to the day with a large slice of papaya and a lemon slice, followed by a soy porridge. Add a banana plus sugar and milk. Soy is the highest source of available protein here.

The Woods asked the landlord to not repaint the house so it will look less attractive for thieves

Inside the home of Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood

The Woods arranged for the Finance Director, Joseph Rona Katawanga, to come to Bunia so we can work at their rented home, which is extremely convenient for us.

Working with Joseph Rona Katawanga

Joseph speaks five languages and does quite well with English. We take the morning to review the operational and financial reporting structures. It’s actually fairly complicated. Originally, there was one location at Nyankunde which made for simple accounting and governance. After the massacre in 2002, the operation was transferred to Beni. With an expansion to Bunia and then the return and rebuilding at Nyankunde, now you have a multi location organization with multiple operating units at each location (eg nurses training, pharmacy, laboratory plus hospitals). With seven supporting churches and multiple supporting charities (including Samaritan’s Purse and WEC among others, although we were surprised at the low percentage of revenue received from donors), governance issues become interesting. We will be making recommendations on their organizational structures.

We’ll spend tomorrow at the Bunia offices with Joseph to review various documents but we are really looking forward to our visit to Nyankunde on Wednesday to meet the Executive staff.