How does one begin to capture all that has happened in these past days? Today Tim, Ewen (from the UK team) and I led a workshop for chaplains of soldiers. When I heard about this assignment when I was in Berkeley I was wondering, “what in the world will we be talking about?” But, we felt that God had called us to this task, so God would somehow give us the messages we were to share. We began at 9 am today. Tim passed out index cards to the chaplains and asked them to write the issues/questions they held as chaplains. We then took those cards to see what threads there were for us to discuss. While we were having the cards translated and sorted, Ewen did a seminar on forgiveness. As we flipped through the cards, we saw many questions about their need to learn more about forgiveness! We knew that God was in control.
Another set of questions focused on how do churches/denominations work together when there are doctrinal issues that they are in disagreement. Tim did a great seminar on focusing on those things that they hold in common and are central to the gospel of Christ. There was great discussion amongst the chaplains as they sat in groups to come up with those things they hold in common.
Then I did a seminar on pastoral care. Many of the questions focused on how they were to do their work as chaplains when their families were not being cared for. Yesterday we spoke with the Chief of the Chaplains as he wanted to brief us about the chaplains who would be in attendance at today’s workshop. As a major in the DRC Army, he is getting $40 (US) a month. We went on the base and saw the military housing (which were tents and shacks)! They didn’t make enough money to pay for school fees for their children so they were not being educated. They didn’t have funds for transportation for their children to go to school. It is a really terrible situation. Often both soldiers and policemen end up resorting to robbery and violence themselves because they are not being cared for. I ended up sharing my experience as a military kid. They were surprised to hear that I understood in a small way what it means to live the life as a military dependent and with a father in the military. I realized as were doing the workshop that I came to Christ through the chaplaincy program on the different bases I lived on.
There are no words to describe the convergence of my life experience and my time in the Congo. No words. I pray that what I shared gave them encouragement and hope for the work they are doing.
Mary Ellen Azada
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