BELGIAN CONGO MISSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22719, 4 May 1937, Page 8

BELGIAN CONGO MISSION

WOMAN WORKER'S VISIT LAND STEEPED IN WITCHCRAFT The wide ramifications of the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade in Africa and the enormous territory which it covers, were outlined by Miss Mary Itees, who. for seven years has beet a missionary in the Belgian Congo, when she arrived lay the Niagara yesterday. She intends to spend three months in New Zealand on deputation work on behalf of the will travel to Australia, South Africa and Great Britain before returning to her work in Africa. "Fifty missionaries are now working in the Belgian Congo," Miss Rees said. "Over 67,000 square miles are covered by our work, the area being increased from 9000 square miles in 1931. Although the land is steeped in witchcraft it has not been uncommon for the evangelical work to turn a cannibal into a saint." _ The Belgian Government, Miss Reos continued, had granted many concessions to the mission, but it was now necessary for its medical workers to obtain their certificates in French as well as English. As a result, several <Jf the staff had left for Europe to study the language and comply with the new provisions. The selling of girls seven and eight years of age as wives in exchange for domestic animals, a knife or even _ a. piece of iron was not uncommon, Miss Bees explained, but in one school alone the mission was teaching 90 girl pupils with very far-reaching results. It was an easier problem to carry out the evangelical 'work among the native boys, many of whom entered the service of the mission.