Congo Kid - Life Stories

Soccer was prevalent overseas in the 1960’s and 1970’s before it gained a foothold in the USA. Growing up in D.R. Congo exposed me to the sport at a very young age and I grew up playing soccer almost every day. So when I came to the States in Jr. High and in High School, I was the most skilled player. Then I joined my college team and enjoyed a 4 year career. This episode tells my story of soccer and college career. It also features Mark Daniels, one of the best players to come out of our school in Congo. Mark shares about the culture of soccer and its impact on his life and career. Then, Mark Schartner, my college coach who played with numerous missionary kids and foreign players in college and coached numerous foreign players shares about the lessons learned and challenges of coaching missionary kid players. The sport of soccer led to a career in coaching for both Mark Daniels and Mark Schartner. Rounding out the episode Janet Meyers and Judy Edstrom share about their playing soccer growing up in D.R. Congo and then into college and beyond.

Thanks to Mark Daniels, Mark Schartner, Janet Meyers and Judy Edstrom for sharing their stories for this episode.

Copyright © 2022 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

This podcast episode is actually the culmination of a Radio Broadcasting class I took at Saddleback College in the Spring of 2022. My hope in taking the class was to improve my podcasting efforts. I’ll let you be the judge as to if a semester of 4 hours a week actually helped. My instructor asked me if I wanted to do an extra solo show that was not part of the class curriculum. I jumped at the chance. So this episode is the solo show that aired live on June 30, 2022 at 7 pm on www.jazz885.org. I added an intro, my promo clip, and edited down a few of the songs, but hopefully you’ll enjoy listening to some soukous (African Rumba) music, learning about the music genre, and also learning about and listening to some Zifa songs.

I also did a 30 minute radio/tv interview as a co-host in April 2022. Click on the video link:

https://ch39.saddleback.edu/CablecastPublicSite/show/5525?channel=1

Copyright © 2022 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

Congo’s history is one of difficulty, exploitation, political unrest, corruption and challenges for the common man. This is Part 6 of a 6 part series of the country’s history, mainly reflecting on the strength, courage, perseverance, joy, and contentment of the people, despite their circumstances. Part 6 explores where they find joy and happiness while living in corruption and in seemingly hopeless circumstances. The episode explores the role of the church to the Believers in finding joy and having peace in their souls while the world around them is in chaos and filled with uncertainty. This episode will hopefully leave you with a newfound respect for the people themselves for all they’ve endured for 6 generations.

Thanks to Paul Noren and Pete Ekstrand for their stories and perspectives from the missionary lens. Thanks also go to Mrs. Nutwa Dami and Talabisa Dawena, PhD, two Congolese, that share their wisdom and views as to how the Congolese cope, find joy, and thrive in difficult circumstances.

A special thanks to my friend Tim Snow for the idea of this 6 episode series. Wow – what a journey it’s been for me preparing these podcasts. And special thanks to Rick Selin, radio broadcaster extraordinaire for the final wrap up.

Copyright © 2022 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

The story of Congo’s history is not very well known. This country has been exploited for its ivory, slaves, rubber, copper, uranium, coltan and other minerals. It’s had political unrest for years, has been governed by dictators, experienced wars, financial chaos and economic unrest. This is Part 5 of a 6 part series of the country’s history. Part 5 starts with President Mobutu’s exile in 1997 and rebel leader Laurent Kabila’s take over of the country. The story continues with Laurent Kabila’s assassination in 2001 and his son, Joseph Kabila seizing the presidency for 16 years, his refusal to leave when termed out and then having one of the first democratically elected presidents in 2018, Felix Tshisekedi.

Thanks to Nyenemo Sanguma for sharing his family’s personal story of surviving multiple bombings by Laurent Kabila’s rebels, in Gemena (my home town), escaping into the forest for a month then making their way to Cameroon and on to the US to safety. Paul Noren shares about the corruption the average person faces in everyday life. And thanks to Talabisa Dawena for his perspective on Laurent Kabila’s initial impact on the country.

Pete Ekstrand shares about how the church fared during the absence of missionaries and during the 2nd Congo war, while many lived in the forest for fear of the war. “Thank you” to all the contributors to bring more authenticity and real life experiences to this podcast episode.

Copyright © 2022 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

This is part 4 of a 6 part series on the History of Congo from the 1991 evacuation when President Mobutu’s government was faltering and the expatriots evacuated, through Laurent Kabila’s rebellion to overthrow the government in 1997. During this time, the country experiences political turmoil, multiple governments, out of control inflation, genocide of Hutu people living in Zaire, and another evacuation in 1996 due to the rebellion and genocide in eastern Zaire. Ultimately, Laurent Kabila and his rebel group succeeds in taking over the country, not without the loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. And ultimately, President Mobutu was sent into exile and dies.

Paul Noren shares of his evacuation in 1996 as well as several examples of the hyper inflation. A Congolese friend shares his thoughts on Laurent Kabila’s rebel march from eastern Zaire to Kinshasa, the capital and the horrible destruction. And Pete Ekstrand shares of his efforts to help the local church during these tumultous times of evacuation, political and economic unrest so that the mission’s ministries could continue.

Copyright © 2022 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

This is part 3 of a 6 part series on the History of Congo: from 1965 when Colonel Mobutu seizes control of the country and takes over to 1991 when the expatriots evacuate due to civil unrest. During this period, President Mobutu changes the name of the country to Zaire, nationalizes everything, (destroying the economy in the process), deals with Cuban soldiers trying to take over the Shaba province in 1978 ,and tries to deal with hyper inflation due to his kleptocracy and mismanagement of the country’s industries and businesses.

Roger Eales shares real life stories about the country name change, the culture clash of the Belgian influence on the country and the people’s desire to be part of the international scene, against Mobutu’s “authenticity” push involving the shedding all things western. Dr. Tom Cairns shares about transferring assets to the local church and the challenges therein, and Paul Noren discusses the political undercurrents leading to the civil unrest and his evacuation from the country in 1991.

Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

The History of Congo is not well known, as this country has been exploited, causing political instability and corruption. This is the 2nd of a 6 part series. Part 2 starts on June 30, 1960, when Congo gains independence from Belgium and goes through November 24, 1965 when Joseph Mobutu seizes the presidency through a coup d’etat. A hastily thrown together plan for an infant country starts out rocky and chaotic for the first five years. Several presidents, a murdered prime minister, 2 coup d’etats and a rebellion from Simba rebels resulting in the “Congo Massacre”. American and Belgian and European hostages were seized by the rebels and a daring rescue attempt was made involving paratroopers, only to have numerous people killed. Notably, Dr. Paul Carlson, a medical missionary became the most famous of the hostages that lost his life. His legacy lives on through the Dr. Paul Carlson Foundation/Partnership.

Special guests this episode include Mrs. Lois Carlson Bridges, Ted Ericson, and James Edstrom who share their stories of how their lives were impacted by the Simba rebels in the fall of 1964. Thanks too for a paper written in April, 1965 on the life of Dr. Carlson, by Gordon Andersson which provided considerable material for this episode.

The painting of the paratrooper assault on Stanleyville was shared by Ted Ericson who got it in 1982 at Karawa, D.R. Congo from a Portuguese merchant.

Recommended documentary on the life of Dr. Paul Carlson – https://vimeo.com/341846371

Recommended book written by Mrs. Lois Carlson Bridges, about her life with Dr. Paul Carlson; MONGANGA PAUL

Recommended term paper written 6 months after Dr. Carlson’s death:

The Paul Carlson Story by Gordon Andersson – 4-28-1965

Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

The history of Congo is not known to many people. The story is one of exploitation, corruption and political instability. This is the first of a six part series. Part 1 starts in the 1880’s when King Leopold II of Belgium manages to obtain personal possession of the area called the Congo Free State, exploiting it for its ivory and rubber.  Then, Belgium takes over, making Congo its colony in the early 1900’s until 1960 when it grants Congo its independence. Due to political turmoil, countless Belgians and other foreigners flee before and after Independence. Eleda Wester shares about evacuating with her family from Congo in 1960.

Video documentary on King Leopold II – “White King, Red Rubber, Black Death”.

Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

Leprosy is a disease that is misunderstood by most people. People associate the disease with poverty, third world status and being relegated to leper colonies. Those with the disease are socially ostracized, outcast and mistreated throughout the world. We had many lepers in our area that we worked with and interacted with in D.R. Congo. Dr. Leo Lanoie became a leading advocate and expert for helping and treating this segment of the population, making huge strides in therapies, healing and boosting their dignity. Dr. Lanoie shatters many misconceptions about the disease including what it really is, symptoms, effects to one’s health and body, how transmittable it is and its treatment.

Thanks to Dr. Leo Lanoie for sharing his expertise in this episode as a leading Leprosy doctor in the 1970’s to early 1990’s.

Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.

This episode contains Four (4) short stories:  1) My best cup of coffee ever  2) How to hypnotize a chicken   3) How to cool off on a warm day drinking a hot beverage   4) Haggling with a customs agent over 3 containers worth of medical supplies and equipment.

The link for Karawa Coffee is: https://www.paulcarlson.org/economic-development/coffee/

Copyright © 2021 by Jeffrey W. Eales. All rights reserved. No portions may be reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written permission of the author.