The Words of the Morey Family
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The Words of the Morey Family |
The most striking quality of the mamas of Zaire is their pioneer spirit. They don't want to sit on the sidelines and sew -- they want to be on the front line, witnessing and fundraising for True Parents. We already have three mamas who have sacrificed much to become full-time pioneers. Mama Beti and Mama Chantal were sent to Bangui, Central African Republic, to help with E.A.R.M.A.P., the youth training center that we are operating there in cooperation with the government. Mama Ntambwe is working in home church and managing the kitchen at the main center here in Kinshasa, after having left four children with her husband, from whom she is separated.
Many letters are carried back and forth from Bangui, as Mama Beti and Mama Chantal tell of their experiences there and the mamas here give them news of the Mamas' Group. There is a spirit of solidarity among the mamas that is very strong. Some mamas speak French, the official language of Zaire, and could study with the External Members' Group. But they don't want to leave the Mamas' Group, which is taught in Lingala, the local language. God is using "mama power" to ignite His spirit in Zaire, and it is beautiful to see. They really love True Parents and want to teach Divine Principle.
When I first came to Zaire in January, 1981, there were about eight mamas in the group. I was filled with a feeling of inadequacy because of the language problem. I didn't speak either French or Lingala. But I felt Heavenly Father's love for them very strongly. He told me to relax and enjoy them -- so I did. The people of Zaire have a foundation of heart that makes it easy to love them. Matongo, a strong Zairean sister, teaches Divine Principle, and I give internal guidance translated by Kwanzi, a Zairean sister who speaks Lingala, French and English.
I doubt if I will ever have a more attentive audience than the mamas of Zaire Many walk a long distance to come to the center, and their ardent desire to hear God's word makes them very attentive listeners. They often comment with the Lingala affirmative "Aee" (pronounced with a nasal twang). Some of my favorite times in Zaire have been poignant moments of give and take with the mamas under the palm trees of the second center, with God's presence definitely felt by all. Sometimes Gregory or Kathy Novalis or Pamela Stein come to speak to them, and we all agree that it's a wonderful experience.
We begin at 2:30 on Wednesday afternoons, with three classes for the mamas -- one on writing Lingala (for those who are illiterate), one on teaching Divine Principle in French, and one on teaching Divine Principle in Lingala. Then we gather together for singing, prayer and internal guidance. They must be on their way home by 5:30, because transportation is a terrible problem in Zaire and buses become impossibly crowded and late.
On Sundays, we meet after the service for Divine Principle study. To join this group, a mama must first hear all of Divine Principle (including the story of Father's life) in the center, and then show that she understands and accepts True Parents. This group has grown to approximately 70 members, and soon we will divide the group into two: Group A for new mamas and Group B for advanced mamas.
During the last year, we have had two 7-day workshops especially for mamas at our training center in Kinkole, a nearby fishing village. During the most recent workshop, they had a spiritual experience on the last night. They were outside in the garden enjoying a family night when everyone saw a very bright light in the sky, which separated into three colored lights and then came down among them, encircling Nguala, the brother who was leading them. Everyone felt deep joy and, at the same time, repentance. Many tears were shed, and the mamas will never forget this gift from God of His love for them. Just prior to this seminar, they had completed a 40-day condition of prayer and fundraising, in order to separate themselves from Satan. They felt that this condition had made it possible for God to bless them in such a way.
For the future, we plan to have another 7-day workshop for the many new mamas, followed by our first 21-day workshop in Lingala for mamas. This will require a lot of work in translating the 21-day workshop lectures from French to Lingala, since the 21-day workshop has never been taught in Lingala.
We are happy that there is also a Papas' Group now. This was started recently by Ndulu, the headmaster of ECOPROF, our church's vocational school. These papas recently had their own 7-day workshop at Kinkole.
The mamas have demonstrated their desire to work for God by many fundraising conditions. Twice they have raised money to make new choir uniforms for the New Hope Singers of Zaire. Many mamas fundraise for the church and also to support their families. Before the church, some mamas had been forced to turn to prostitution as the only means of supporting their families. Now, True Parents and fundraising have made it possible for them to change from prostitution to serving God. The result is obvious in their bright, shining faces. They also fund- raise to pay for the cost of their workshops. At the conclusion of a condition, they have a party where they sing and dance and share their joy in the victory. At one party, we introduced square dancing, which they enjoyed very much, after incorporating the Zairean hip-swinging style. Two cultures melted together in this spectacle, and I felt the astonishment of the American pioneer spirit world.
One reason God loves these mamas so much is because of the indemnity they pay. They are caught in between two worlds, so to speak.
They know these are the last days, when the new truth has come; but they had already established their families before they found out. Because of this, many difficulties have to be overcome. A major complicating factor is the African tradition of men having many wives. Sometimes the husband sets out for another city and never returns, leaving the wife in despair and confusion as to her future. What does a woman who hears Principle do when she is the lowly third wife of a man who is not at all interested in Principle? If she leaves him, it is difficult for her to support herself and her children. If she stays with him and tries to win him over to Principle by loving and serving, her course may take years. Either way involves much indemnity. I believe God really reaches out to these mamas to let them know that He is the Rock in their lives, the One on Whom they can truly depend. And this knowledge is their strength.
Another problem the mamas confront is Chapter Two temptations during fundraising. Free love is part of the culture of Zaire, and men don't understand when a woman does not cooperate. To combat this problem, the mamas usually fundraise in pairs.
Much of the guidance I have been giving to the mamas has been aimed at breaking down fallen family traditions and putting God in the center of the family. Many of them come from tribes where the tradition is for men to congregate in one place for their activities while women and children assemble elsewhere for theirs. They are used to tribe-centered activities not family-centered ones, with give and take between husband, wife, and children as a God-centered unit. I have tried to encourage them to use the family as their workshop for learning how to give and receive God's love. We have also discussed ways of bringing up children that reflect God's nature. God is absolute, so sometimes love must be firm -- but not angry or physically harmful.
Sometimes, in their zeal to start a Principle life, the mamas push their husbands to make a separation condition. Many mamas are spiritually quite open, and spirit world also pushes them in this direction. Much counseling is needed for them to realize the serious difficulties involved in making this condition and the need for both husband and wife to be spiritually ready before attempting it.
The mamas are full of stories of the spiritual revelations and dreams they receive. One mama's grandmother had a revelation from Simon Kimbangu, the deceased Zairean prophet and founder of the five- million member Kimbanguist Church in Africa. He told her, "There will be one true church in Zaire. You must go and find it." After hearing Divine Principle, her children joined our church first, and then she followed.
Another mama dreamed of an airplane crash near our center. Later, when she came to our center, she recognized it as the house in her dream. One day, when I had finished giving some internal guidance, this same mama told me she saw a waterfall pouring over my head while I was speaking.
One 54-year-old mama gave her testimony of an experience at Kinkole during a workshop, in which Satan challenged her through her body. She felt heavy and tired and did not want to keep up with the stiff schedule of the workshop. Finally she told God that she wanted to serve Him in every way -- with her body, too. The next morning, she arose and did calisthenics vigorously with the others. Afterwards, she felt a new lightness in her body. She sensed that God had released her from her physical heaviness because of her desire to serve Him, and she demonstrated this by jumping high into the air several times. I learned a lesson from her because I am also 54 and feel the same physical challenge.
I sincerely hope that I have taught the mamas as much as they have taught me, for I have learned much from them. I will he leaving soon for a new mission in Nairobi, Kenya, to work with my daughter, Gail. I pray that I can carry their spirit of love and faith in True Parents with me and stir up "mama power" in Nairobi.