Helping the handicapped in Congo from a wheelchair

An illness contracted in Congo landed him in a wheelchair. Yet missionary Martien Konings (81) returned to Africa. He founded a center for the handicapped, which is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.

It is the week before Whitsun in Kisangani, a city in the heart of DR Congo. Missionary Konings is being ferried through the city in a minivan. His wheelchair parked in the trunk. “We are looking for the Public Prosecutor in an effort to set free the mentally handicapped young man Dedee,” says Konings. He disagrees that he should be in his church at this moment: “This is more important.”

Dedee has been behaving aggressively, admits the Catholic father. “But this boy is handicapped, so he shouldn’t be locked up with criminals. He has to be transferred to a mental hospital.” The mission fails. Konings first visits the Prosecutor’s office, then his home and eventually his church. But the man is not there. Then the priest drives off to his own church to attend the remaining part of the Mass.

God's will
Martien Konings is from West-Brabant, in the south of The Netherlands. He came to Congo as a missionary in 1969, and learned how to speak the local language Swahili. “Many priests were needed here,” says Konings. “During the Simba Rebellion of 1964 at least 27 priests of our congregation had been murdered in this area.”

In 1983, Martien Konings developed a back-ache. Then his legs grew weak. The father was flown to Holland where he heard he would never be able to walk again. “I was very sad but soon realized this was God’s will.” In early 1985 the priest returned to the Congo. “Despite being warned by my superiors that I was ‘totally crazy,’” Konings recalls smiling. But in Congo he got back to work. Driving an American historical car, controllable with his hands, he crisscrossed Kisangani and founded a center for the handicapped: Centre Simama. (‘Stand up’ in Kiswahili).

Gifts from abroad
Preparations for the center’s 25th anniversary are in full swing. There are now a primary and a secondary school, as well as a trainings institute for tailors. “Valid and invalid children study together here,” says Konings. There is also a workshop where over 500 wheelchairs have been produced, mainly with locally available materials. Elsewhere an orthopedist makes prostheses in his own workshop. Every day, dozens of mentally and physically handicapped persons receive treatment in Simama’s hospital. The centre charges a fee for some of the services, but can nevertheless only exist due to gifts from abroad. Konings uses a website (www.centresimama.com ) as a means to attract attention. “I think I will soon start blogging,” the 81-year-old says.

After Whitsun, the missionary continues his quest. He manages to get the handicapped man Dedee out of prison. To achieve that, the priest first had to place his wheelchair in the narrow office of the Prosecutor, stubbornly blocking the place until he received the letter he needed.

Martien Konings, the last Dutch missionary in this part of Congo, says helping others is part of his duty as a priest. “Loving God with all your soul also means that you should love your neighbors. So developing aid is inherent to preaching Christianity.”