Small Town News

From Congo to Cool Spring, clergyman enjoying America

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The Rev. Joseph. Kabasele is bridging continents

There are many aspects about America the Rev. Joseph Kabasele finds fascinating, but three items top his list.

"Good roads, electricity and water. In my country we have no good roads, we have no electricity, we have no drinking water," says Kabasele.

His country, Democratic Republic of Congo, ranks among the most impoverished in Africa. Kabasele, who is visiting the United States for the first time, is pastor of Lunandu Presbyterian Church. For the past five years, Kabasele's church and Lewes Presbyterian Church have been developing a partnership - a sister-church relationship.

Beginning in 2004, members of Lewes Presbyterian Church have traveled to Congo to help jumpstart a number of projects. Following the 2004 visit, small groups of Lewes Presbyterian Church members would go to Congo in 2006, 2007 and 2008 to follow up on existing projects and to start new ones. Kabasele calls those visits by the Lewes groups "a blessing from God," because of help they provided.

He said the Lewes-Congo church connection is one that has gone - and will continue to go well.

Next week, Kabasele, 41, will end his one-month stay in the area. Various Lewes Presbyterian Church members have hosted him, showing him the sights, giving him a taste of Delmarva at several blue crab feasts, taking him to see collegiate gridiron action - the University of Delaware's victorious 35-0 season opener against West Chester - and helping fulfill a few items on his list.

"One was to visit Washington,

D.C., and I did. To Philadelphia, and I did; and to visit some churches, some museums, the ocean, Delaware Bay and to see the boards," he said, referring to the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach.

Kabasele also took in a few business operations, including a visit to Hopkins Farm Creamery, the state's largest dairy farm.

He said this country's roadways, electricity and drinking water are possible because there's money to pay for them. '"This is why your technology is very, very, high," he said.

Kabasele said about 80 percent of Congolese are jobless.

"In Delaware, I see people work. But in my country, when you arrive, you can find many, many people don't work," he said.

Kabasele said he's seen what Americans call poverty.

"But this is not remarkable," he said, because a majority of this country's people have jobs.

Kabasele, who speaks French, English and his native Congolese dialect, is married to Alfonsine Ndalula Kabasele. The couple has six children, three boys and three girls.

From 1991 to 1995 Kabasele studied to become a clergyman. He spent two years, 1997 through 1998, working to obtain his clergy license.

Kabasele said Lunandu Presbyterian Church started with fewer than 100 members and has grown to a congregation of more than 600.

He said the church's growth can be attributed to Lewes Presbyterian Church's help.

Sunday, Sept. 6, Kabasele worshipped and spoke at New Zion A.M.E. Church in Cool Spring, joining its pastor the Rev. W Ouemonde Brangman, and the Rev. Bill Hopkins, pastor of Groome United Methodist Church in Lewes and the Rev. Dr. Harry Hughes, pastor of Lewes Presbyterian Church

The Lewes Presbyterian

Church Choir performed and several church members also attended New Zion's celebration of the church's fifth anniversary in its building along Route 9 in Cool Spring.

Hughes said the churches have learned and will continue to learn from one another. He said the Congolese believe in the power of prayer and have practiced what is preached, helping bring many projects to fruition.

Kabasele said the next project the Lewes and Congo churches would work on is construction of a building to consolidate several woman-owned businesses under one roof.

"Lewes Presbyterian Church helped us start the businesses, but none of them is in the same place or they don't have a build-ing where they make their things. I've asked the Lewes Presbyterian Church if they could find the money to fund the building so the ladies can be stable," he said.

Lewes Presbyterian Church also funded and helped build a school where there had been none. The school now has more than 1,150 students - and one toilet.

"The one we have is used by many people from my church, many children and even teachers use the same latrine," Kabasele said. He said the school needs three more latrines - one for preschool students, one for primary school students, one for secondary school students and one for teachers.

So, what's he taking home to his community that would be of value? "The thing that I can bring with me to my country and make money with every day is a copy machine. With the machine in my area, we'd put it in one place and many people could make copies," he said. Kabasele said he's also taking home two concepts - "One, about faith, the second, about development of the individual and of the community."





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