J.D.’s journal

J.D. Tidenberg grew up in Tanzania, where his parents were missionaries. Since graduating from college in the United States, he’s returned to Africa to research the Taabwa tribe, a people group who live on the edge of Lake Tanganyika. He hopes the strategy coordinator for the Democratic Republic of the Congo can use his findings to create a strategy for reaching the Taabwa with the Gospel.

Since the mid-1990s, the country, then known as Zaire, has experienced ethnic strife and civil war sparked by an influx of refugees fleeing war in neighboring Rwanda and Burundi. Longtime President Mobutu Sese Seko was forced out in 1997. His successor Laurent Kabila was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph Kabila, was named head of state. Warring parties signed a cease-fire in 1999 and a transitional government formed in 2006. More than 4 million people have died from the conflict and conditions stemming from it and fighting continues in some areas.

The DRC is home to more than 200,000 refugees from neighboring countries and more than 1 million people displaced within the country by years of fighting. About 400,000 refugees from the DRC live in neighboring countries. Large numbers are now returning home to the area around Lake Tanganyika.

May 14, 4:08 p. m.

I am excited about the trip. The only problem with this trip, I think, is I’m going to get Africa in my blood that much more. Where do I go from this?

Plans as of yet: It has been a crazy 3 days in Kenya. At first we were to be getting my visa on Thursday and flying direct to Kigoma from Jomo. That didn’t work out. Didn’t get the visa till Friday @ 3:30 pm.

Another kink in the plans: My two friends are not able to come now. This is a bit more difficult for me since we were going to be tag-teaming Kalemie to cover the area more quickly. Me and C.S. Stanley* now depart, arrive and meet and go. We have been in touch with a local teacher there and are hoping to hear something about the boats from Kigoma to Kileme. We hope to depart Kigoma ASAP since we want to catch a connection boat from Kileme to Moba.

Went to take a shower, and I could have dumped more water on myself with a cup and a bucket of water than the pressure received from the showerhead. No big deal, just takes longer.

Currently on the plane to Kigoma, the man next to me apparently has malaria. Should I offer Dramamine?! Then I would have to deal with a hot head on my shoulder. . . I’ll refrain.

We arrived in Kigoma and found a taxi driver named Robert. The Kigoma airport was a dirt runway, of course, and had a lovely baggage claim of a wood table. I am excited to finally get here and start the journey. Everything has been set up till now.

The hardest thing about this trip, which is also the most exciting, has been having no clue and few contacts where we are going. Today felt like a mission accomplished in that department. We met people like Jean, a really good contact who knows boats, UN people, head port operator and so on.

I want to view this place as I usually would, but also I need/feel as if I should give a bit more thought to how someone else sees it. I can bargain, make deals with locals far better, talk in Swahili, and keep on moving, whereas someone else may struggle. …

Anticipation, my word thus far for how I am living day to day. … We are still not yet to Democratic Republic of the Congo, still do not know where we are headed on this trip.

Finally got to swim in the legendary Lake Tanganyika.

Monday morn. May 21

Boat ride took about 9 hours and then we were stuck in the port for about 2 hours. Our teacher friend pulled through for us. If she hadn’t been there we would have been sleeping in the boat all night, in the port! Then we got out. But they had to search the boat. After searching, the commissioner for the area had to see us. … He had heard that the Congo Ambassador had brought us in, so IF the Ambassador had brought us in, then he must meet us. Once again we sit, talk and finally get out and free.

The journey over … Landscape, islands, little villages of fishermen tucked into any hillside available on the islands. How vast just the islands are and the shoreline, which is most likely hard to penetrate from inland. These people are just like any other persons in the world. They need to hear the Word. They are just located in an area that is next to impossible to penetrate with any efficiency.

There are so many villages and people in the mountains and stuck into every hillside, just to go and count them all, let alone minister to them, would take forever. … Finding and teaching those who could be influential in the community how to evangelize and go out into the interior is possibly one of the few ways to advance any type of mass results in little amount of time.

I have found Kalemie is just like any other city, a melting pot of tribes. With the co-annexation of Belgians and French there is a strange emphasis in Catholicism here. A problem of religion by word, but not by actions. The Tabwa and Congolese around here are a very superstitious, witch-doctor fearing and believing people.

After rounding a corner on the way back we ran into a local village dancing. The song and ritual they were holding was calling the demons and spirits to fill their bodies and giving them strength when they leave. This all ties into the peoples’ great belief in witchcraft. I feel in these battles of culture and witchcraft, conflicting with religion, only God can break down the barrier … I believe a missionary alone is nothing but a warm body and words, but God’s words can penetrate a heart and break down barriers. Missionaries just speak for Him and get to witness the amazing things He does. I believe a missionary has the best seat in the world.

Tues., May 22, ‘07

I am rocking on a boat to Moba. This is an all-evening boat. Should take about 11 hours, and we get to share one of the 2 bunks in the captains quarters, probably 10 ft. wide. I felt as if I was in a large oven, and I was the pot roast! It is crazy how you can be going on about your business and then come to the realization that you are drenched in sweat. BOAT – babies nursing, rusty bunk, soft springs, rat fecies and urine smell, small breeze through window, Superman posters, BO, constant hum and thump of the engine. Rocking back and forth, waves splashing, babies crying.

Wednesday, May 23

Immigrations gives us bogus claims of photography fees upon entry. Take a walk around Kirungu and talk to people. Return. Thomas comes to visit and we take pictures. Eat, shower, put up mosquito net, and sleep. We then hiked and talked to people along the way.

The only thing I can say [to them] is that people may return there, and there is the chance that they might not. All we can do is give [people back home] the information and then pray to God that He touches the hearts of those who hear, to go. If it is God’s will for people to come, then they will come.

May 25th, Friday

The beach of Tanganyika was gorgeous! I wish this was my beach and I had a house in the bushes … but without the political headache. We must go to Zambue and speak with them on why we are here … “Why are you here? Why do you take photos? We heard you took photos? Where are these photos? Let me thumb through your passport again. Where is your entrance fee? Where is your visa?” Then to the Congolese FBI. …

We found a pastor of the Methodist church in town and talked to him for quite a while. It is perceived that the churches here in Moba are struggling. With the war and everyone retuning and trying to rebuild, it is difficult for them to have a desire to enter the church. … He wished for someone who could encourage him in his work for he feels as if he is just spinning his wheels.

I think that whoever comes here is going to have to be very compassionate, get very wise and strong in their methods. This is an area where so many have so little and it would be hard to be selective in your disbursement of help. Everyone is poor comparative to other regions in Africa. They have been gone for 9 years, and are returning to a fresh start. What better time for someone to be here to give them hope in God, give them Someone to believe in.

* C.S. Stanley is a photojournalist who shared in and documented J.D.’s travels.