A doctor earns the equivalent of $9 a month
By Jack Brunet
I just returned from a church visit to Zaire Jan. 28 to Feb. 12, and I would like to share with you some of the difficulties our brethren and others there face.
Zaire is as large as all the Western European countries put together. It is rich in natural resources such as wood, gold, diamonds, copper and oil. However, this wealth does not benefit the people. It is shame to see people living in poverty in a country with a great economic potential.
Daily life is more than just a battle. It is a matter of survival. Every day is a miracle.
The currency (Nouveau Zaire) loses money each hour.
Workers, when they have a job, are paid in local currency. A doctor earns the equivalent of $9 a month, a school inspector with 36 years of experience $3 a month.
Young people cannot get married because it is impossible to assure a decent life for family members.
Take a look at how much an inspector for Zaire customs in Kinshasa is paid. He is 35 years old, a church member, married and has three children.
In January 20,000 Nouveau Zaires equaled one U.S. dollar. When you receive this article the Nouveau Zaire could be worth half that amount.
His base monthly salary is 5,700 NZ, which would pay for one-way bus travel to work. He receives a children and family allotment as well as a lodging allotment.
Many people rely on small gardens or farms for food.
Because teachers haven't been paid in a year, they ask parents to pay them directly.
How can people in Zaire handle these problems. Mathematically, they can't. They need to trust God every minute of every day. It is difficult or impossible to succeed with honesty, so you can imagine how hard it is to be a Christian there.
It is inspiring that brethren in Zaire gave 12.1 million NZ (US$600) in tithes and offerings in 1995. If you consider that most of the 420 members are children and without jobs, it is quite an expression of faith that illustrates the attitude of the Zaire church.
More and more Christians will face the necessity of supporting brethren in the Third World. The world is not only what we see every day. There is a hidden face of reality in Africa, Asia and South America.
Ask God for a vision of the church of tomorrow with a worldwide view. Christ died for the rich and poor, and black and white. We need to practice true Christian love without frontiers and racial barriers.
It is difficult to stay firm as Christians in a disintegrating society. Practice the love of Christ and be partners of our brothers in Christ in the Third World.
Pray for Zairian people and the Zairian members of the Worldwide Church of God.
Jack Brunet pastors the Brussels, Belgium, church and is coordinating pastor of Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire.
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