Africa Expert?!

In my new role working as liaison between the Covenant Church and World Vision, I wanted to share some thoughts about my role in communcations.

Dr. Mossai Sanguma, Director of World Vision Gemena

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Last night we celebrated the birthday of the Director of World Vision in Equateur province, former Covenant Church of Congo President Mossai Sanguma.  Some of you may know his name, and some of you have met him during his time in the States studying at North Park University and Fuller Theological Seminary.  He has been a very influential leader in this region and continues to occupy that role with his relatively new position in World Vision.

We celebrated in his home, which is always full of people and always full of food to share.  Last night was no different, and we enjoyed a spread of goat, fried fish, chicken, rice in a mushroom sauce, and pineapple.  As we talked and laughed together, the topic turned toward the subject of “experts” on Africa.  I commented on how interesting it was that reporters from some major news sources labeled “Africa Experts” were Caucasian males from Europe or the States.  Why does the world still, so often fail to give voice to African experts from Africa?  Dr. Sanguma shared frustrations about meeting people or reading books written by people who claimed to be experts on this region of Congo, but who had spent a total of two weeks here.  One of the things I really respect about Mossai is his willingness to challenge me in my assumptions about my role here and about my foreign perspective of his culture.

And this made me reflect on my role as a correspondant between the World Vision office and all of you churches and donors back in the States.  This is a very delicate position to be in.  I am not Congolese and I have lived in Gemena not even a year, yet I am one of those reporting on World Vision’s work and it’s interplay with people, organizations and culture here. 

So I want to set a disclaimer and say, I am no expert.  My goal is to give voice to what is happening here, and though I know I will be biased, I can only pray that God uses my words to communicate the true voice that needs to be heard from Gemena.  Thankfully, I work with a wonderful Congolese staff who has agreed to review my work and tell me when I’m off.  So it is with their help and perspective that we have the privilege to hear the Congolese World Vision story. 

And I invite readers to ask questions, make critiques and put in their two cents too.  Transparency, onward.