TWO rural Church of Ireland parishes - Milltown and neighbouring
Killyman - have pledged themselves to build a £60,000 orphanage in the
Democratic Republic of Congo after their rectors visited the
impoverished African country.
The Rev Gerald Macartney (Milltown) and the Rev
Robert Boyd (Killyman) spent over a week in Congo, as guest of Portadown
man David Gough, who is partnership co-ordinator with the Church of
Ireland CMS (Church Mission Society) and who has travelled several
African States on behalf of what is part of the Anglican communion.
Congo and South Sudan are among his top destinations.
Said Gerald, “David has fantastic contacts in the African mission scene, visited there for years as part of his work for decades. The trip was certainly an eye-opener. Our parishes have sent money to support orphanages in Africa, but to see the poverty was something totally different.
“The orphanage in question is in the North Kivu Diocese, one of 10 which we visited, and the building which houses the 40 children - orphaned because of the savage conflict in Congo - consists of crumbling mud walls and no foundation. Robert and I decided a new one was needed - it’s priced at £60,000 - and our own parishes are backing us to the hilt. We’re planning a proper two-storey building for 50 children and the fund-raising is under way.
“A Roman Catholic woman who lives near Milltown actually gave us £100 this week. She was in hospital for a couple of weeks and didn’t need her pension and handed it to me. That’s quite an example.”
He added, though, that the orphanage is just a drop in the ocean, given the crushing poverty of Congo, with the two rectors having been shown around the 10 dioceses, and having seen the mud buildings that pass for hospitals, churches, schools and orphanages.
“The operating theatre in the hospital consists of a wooden table, with a low-energy bulb swinging over it, all run by a 12-volt battery and the scrubbing-up room contains and bucket with a water tap, and the lab contained one microscope,” said Gerald. “Schools are mud huts with bamboo reinforcement with corrugated roofs, 400 pupils to four toilets (holes in the ground without sanitation) and teachers who aren’t sure of their pay. There isn’t even electric power at the schools and one man asked us to build his area a power station!
“Our two parishes are concentrating exclusively on the orphanage. Funds could be stretched so thinly to be useless and all we can do is pick this single project and get on with it. What struck us was that these children have nothing and yet they always have a smile and greeted us with such friendliness. It’s such a worthwhile project.”
David Gough said he was delighted to set up the trip for the two rectors, and when they headed for home, he moved on to the south of the country to promote other CMS projects.
Said Gerald, “He’s terrific at what he does - he does it without fuss, and the only reason he wants publicity is to prompt people to support a country that is reeling from crushing poverty and from civil war, The Commonwealth and Foreign Office advise people in its website not to venture there, and that makes the need all the greater.”
Said Gerald, “David has fantastic contacts in the African mission scene, visited there for years as part of his work for decades. The trip was certainly an eye-opener. Our parishes have sent money to support orphanages in Africa, but to see the poverty was something totally different.
“The orphanage in question is in the North Kivu Diocese, one of 10 which we visited, and the building which houses the 40 children - orphaned because of the savage conflict in Congo - consists of crumbling mud walls and no foundation. Robert and I decided a new one was needed - it’s priced at £60,000 - and our own parishes are backing us to the hilt. We’re planning a proper two-storey building for 50 children and the fund-raising is under way.
“A Roman Catholic woman who lives near Milltown actually gave us £100 this week. She was in hospital for a couple of weeks and didn’t need her pension and handed it to me. That’s quite an example.”
He added, though, that the orphanage is just a drop in the ocean, given the crushing poverty of Congo, with the two rectors having been shown around the 10 dioceses, and having seen the mud buildings that pass for hospitals, churches, schools and orphanages.
“The operating theatre in the hospital consists of a wooden table, with a low-energy bulb swinging over it, all run by a 12-volt battery and the scrubbing-up room contains and bucket with a water tap, and the lab contained one microscope,” said Gerald. “Schools are mud huts with bamboo reinforcement with corrugated roofs, 400 pupils to four toilets (holes in the ground without sanitation) and teachers who aren’t sure of their pay. There isn’t even electric power at the schools and one man asked us to build his area a power station!
“Our two parishes are concentrating exclusively on the orphanage. Funds could be stretched so thinly to be useless and all we can do is pick this single project and get on with it. What struck us was that these children have nothing and yet they always have a smile and greeted us with such friendliness. It’s such a worthwhile project.”
David Gough said he was delighted to set up the trip for the two rectors, and when they headed for home, he moved on to the south of the country to promote other CMS projects.
Said Gerald, “He’s terrific at what he does - he does it without fuss, and the only reason he wants publicity is to prompt people to support a country that is reeling from crushing poverty and from civil war, The Commonwealth and Foreign Office advise people in its website not to venture there, and that makes the need all the greater.”