Faith leads to action, and action gives rise to hope
A part of the Body of Christ lives in Congo as well, which is why we cannot turn our backs on this predominantly Christian country rich in natural resources. We have the opportunity for long-term cooperation with our local brothers and sisters, who are blessed with a strong fighting spirit – affirms and demonstrates Gergő Péter Juhász. We spoke with the president of the Planetrise Cultural and Environmental Association about the causes of the conflict in Congo, the situation of Christians there, and the organisation's seventeen years of regional development efforts.
Would you challenge some of the common misconceptions we hold about Africa?
There are typically two strongly stereotypical images that people in the West have about developing countries. One is the disturbing sight of emaciated, barefoot, starving children, an image deeply embedded in our consciousness through various awareness campaigns. The other is the Lion King effect: a cinematic safari scene that appears in our mind's eye, with giraffes, elephants, and zebras silhouetted against a glowing sunset. It's as if someone were to claim that every Hungarian either lives as a homeless person in Budapest or works as a traditional horse-herder on the Great Hungarian Plain. The African continent consists of many different countries, with a wide variety of ethnic groups, religions, and customs. While both of the aforementioned images contain elements of truth, a significant portion of the population now lives in urban areas. Over the past decades, the quality of life has improved in several regions.
How are visitors received in a typical Congolese village?
My first visit to Congo in 2008 left a lasting impression on me, not least because it was the first time I travelled to a country that is not a typical tourist destination. When I entered a village with a local interpreter – who later became a close friend and business partner – everyone was either sitting on the ground or standing in a circle. Immediately, two chairs were brought out: one for the community leader and the other for me as the guest. The protocol part of this conversation alone lasted three hours. During this time, we asked each other at length about the well-being of our family members. Periodically, our discussion was interrupted to serve us food and drinks. Only after this could we speak – for about three minutes – about the actual reason for our visit.
How different is daily life there compared to ours?
The differences are fundamental – their mindset is often difficult for us to grasp. One thing that immediately stands out is how much broader their concept of "family" is. For them, family refers to a community in which people take responsible care of one another – sometimes numbering as many as three hundred individuals, which is not unusual. Blood ties are not a requirement for belonging to such a community. It includes many children, adults who are elderly or unable to work, and even those who are unemployed due to a lack of education, and whose only contributions may be carrying water and firewood or performing basic agricultural tasks. This places a tremendous burden on those who manage to find well-paid jobs in the city. They regularly send money and goods that cannot be produced in the village, while their rural relatives provide them with food in return.
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Written by: reformatus.hu
