Review of the annual conference: An evening of encounters
On June 15, not only did the Swiss national team win its first match, Connexio hope and develop also celebrated: We presented the Democratic Republic of Congo in the large community hall in Rothrist.
What are the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo thirsting for?
Blanchard Ayinza Boke The country coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) was in great demand: he gave a vivid account of the beauty of his country, but also showed the contradictions: Prosperity here and abject poverty there, rich deposits of raw materials and, on the other hand, people fleeing the bloody conflicts over these raw materials. He told of Projects in this area. Small projects, but they raise high hopes, as hostile population groups interact with each other. The audience asked many questions and the scheduled time was exceeded, which is always a good sign.
What are we responsible for?
In the second group, the participants talked about Switzerland's ecclesiastical and secular relations with the DR Congo. They also critically questioned how the behavior of people in Switzerland contributes to the situation in the DR Congo.
A majority of the companies based in Switzerland with the highest turnover are commodity traders. Swiss companies have been involved in corruption scandals. So what can we in Switzerland do to avoid having a negative impact on the lives of Congolese people? Is it enough to Corporate Responsibility Initiative to support? Does the church need to intervene more and where does it have the opportunity to do so?
And which river flows through the country?
Despite the difficult topics, there was no shortage of fun: in addition to the aperitif, visitors took the opportunity to test their knowledge of the DR Congo in a quiz (no, the Amazon does not flow through the country), to philosophize about Congolese proverbs or to listen to or watch audio and film recordings. A picture gallery and information on current projects rounded off the offer. Not to forget: We sang in Lingala, one of the languages of the DR Congo!
We would like to thank all visitors, but also those who supported and encouraged us in the run-up to the event.
You are more than just a drop in the ocean, also for the people in the DR Congo!
The Annual Conference (Church Parliament) of the Evangelical Methodist Church met in Rothrist from June 12 to 16, 2024. The theme of the conference was "Thirst for Life".
All photos by Andreas Stämpfli
Text by Danka Bogdanovic, Connexio hope and develop
