We had now left the Kasai River and were sailing down the Sankuru River. The bishop and his entourage, four students from the Faculty of Theology of the Orthodox University of Congo, had to reach the remote forest villages. On the second day they traveled through the rivers, the wilderness, the virgin forests, in the heart of Africa. They didn’t mind spending the whole night on the river’s edge, in the boat.
Their impatience was great. For the first time the bishop would meet his native Orthodox faithful. For the first time they would see their bishop. The students Alexander and Paul of the Faculty of Theology had informed the only priest of this vast area and the natives, and they would be waiting for them. They would gather from all the villages located in the forests. They had to go.
The Governor of the area, in the last town, Ilebo, where they had landed in the small ten-seater plane of the line, prevented them from continuing their journey to Sankuru.
– Dangerous and difficult is your undertaking to cross the rivers, to pass through the wild forests. There is no communication, no telephones. If anything happens to you, we are responsible…
But the bishop and his fellow students were determined.
They replied. We have to meet the Orthodox, to minister, to commune with them.
The Governor tried again to stop them. – You must not go, there is fear. – We will go. That’s why we came from Kinshasa. Our believers are waiting for us.
Seeing everyone’s persistence, the Governor replied :
– Then not with the boat you found, but with the speedboat the state has, not with a monohull, with a pirogue. This small speedboat is now given to us, first time it will sail. With the pirogue you want a week to get to your destination, and it’s very risky.
God helped us, we finally reached the village of Shamana, the only village that has a church built, and is dedicated to St. Euthymius the Young. The only priest of this vast region, Fr. Augustine, along with his blessed flock, welcomed us with songs and dances.
First time they saw white. First time a bishop. They took the white bishop’s hands to see what the white man’s skin looked like. The children rejoiced, the old men gave thanks, the women and young men danced. . An unprecedented festival had been set up. They had come from distant villages, 70 kilometers on foot. They had been waiting for days for their bishop.
There was a formal reception in the church, where the improvised choir of the village sang. After the speeches, we sat outside, under tall trees, with the kings, the chiefs, and the faithful to talk.
– We here, when we get sick, by the time we get to the doctor, we are dying…
– The nearest doctor’s office takes four days to get there…
– We set off, and on the way our old men and children die from the suffering…
– Four days in the forest!” the bishop monologued.
The debate heated up. The bishop was lost in thought for a moment: “Four days… And we who are called civilized complain when the doctor is a few hours away from our house. Shame on us and they die… Four days on foot to get to the doctor…”. He glanced at the little children, their little eyes glowing. If they get sick, they don’t have a doctor’s office. By the time they get there, they’ll be dead. They’ll die for an aspirin…
– We have a nurse, the kings continued, but we have no medicine, no infirmary…
– “We’ll have an infirmary,” the bishop replied spontaneously. We will have one here in your village, to serve the surrounding villages. A Christian from Thessaloniki will help you get it.
Extreme silence followed. Incredible news… There will be a dispensary here…. in the forest, in our forgotten village…
– Yes, there will be, the bishop repeated.
– We will give as much space as needed, we will all help, the village king replied.
Immediately a committee was formed, the nurse and three masons. They had to study, make the plan, see how to bring the materials. Everything requires good planning. Cement, iron, sheet metal for the roof, nails, tools, everything has to come from the capital, Kinshasa, by river boat. It takes four weeks to two months to get here by riverboat, there is no other way. If something is missing, you can’t find it here, it takes good planning.
In the morning, after the Divine Liturgy, the committee joyfully handed the rough draft to the bishop. – When it’s done, we won’t be dying in the street… …the old people won’t suffer… we won’t lose our children. May God reward the man from Thessaloniki who will make us the infirmary.
† The African centrist Nikiforos
