Page 329 - Volume 2_CHANGES_merged_with links

m̩ 'zuŋ u memories of the Christian Church in Africa
ɡ

walk softly, go quietly and you wlll see...

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And so we come to the Englishman and his unholy use of the christian church.

I have stayed for several months in and around one particular place in Sub-Saharan
Africa. I have stayed so long that friendships have been built and there is the discussion that I

might be able to help the local community.

I have no idea what would need to be done to start an NGO so I ask around. I get
directed to Jonathan.

Jonathan is a rogue, by any definition. Scandalised in a national UK newspaper, he

m̩
ɡ
moved to Africa with a 'zuŋ u female partner. Claiming to be a 'born again' christian they
established an 'NGO'.
In response to my visit, Jonathan handed me his papers that he had used to set up his

'NGO', telling me that all I needed to do was paste and copy details of any project into his
documents. But whatever I did, I needed to keep all the references to the Christian Church and

how his / my 'NGO' would actively promote christian values .…
m̩
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Jonathan had done what so many unqualified, self-serving 'zuŋ u had done before him
(and no doubt many are still doing). He had gone to an overlooked small village. Built a very small,

m̩
very inexpensive (especially in 'zuŋ u terms) building as a community facility, used this to make
ɡ
promises to / bribe local elders to support his establishing an 'NGO".
How can elders in an otherwise overlooked African village possibly not support anything

that promises to develop their village, their local economy?
And so the necessary signatures are gathered. There are many. After the villages elders

comes the sub-district chairman, the district chairman, the sub-county chairman, the county
chairman, the regional security officer ...and so on until it reaches a middle ranking civil

servant in the capital.

And at every stage, the official involved can see all the references to Christianity and they
instinctively know that should they turn down the 'NGO' application, they personally will be

held responsible for the social unrest that follows. And they know without a doubt that social

unrest there will be. Unrest as unchecked voices claim that this official or that is acting
against god and Christianity itself. He isn't but in a country where more than 90% of people