Congo distributors carry Scriptures
to shoppers

KINSHASA, DR Congo — Many people talk about sharing God’s Word in society’s ‘marketplace of ideas’. For distributors in DR Congo, such ideas are an everyday fact of life. The marketplace is not just one of ‘ideas’ – it is literally the central market of the largest city in their country.

Trying to meet the needs of souls as well as the demand for soles, this Kinshasa distributor supplies his customers with both shoes and God’s Word. He is one of 75 Bible salesmen and women who distribute the Scriptures for the Bible Society of Congo. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (DRC02DJ-17)

One of the first items on the agenda of the Rev Christophe Kongo when he became General Secretary of the Bible Society of Congo was to meet the distributors to discuss his vision of taking God’s Word beyond the walls of Bible House.

He found several dozen men and women who were not only willing to sell Bibles to earn a living, but also shared a commitment to make God’s Word available to as many people as possible.

One of them, Jean-Louis Kirongozia-Bakuele, is one of the leaders of the 70 or so in the Kinshasa area.

“I sell the Bible because it is Holy Scripture and someone can know Jesus Christ and be saved if he reads it,” he declares. “He can have a better life in Christ by reading God’s Word.

“But to sell the Bible you must live the Word as well. So I also work with the Red Cross as a volunteer two hours a day. It is like the Good Samaritan – I must work so that people may know about Jesus.”

Since the distributors’ first talk with Mr Kongo, they have organised themselves into a cohesive Bible force that is having a considerable impact on the city. They reinforce their sales efforts with a weekly prayer meeting at Bible House.

“Every Saturday morning they have a prayer time to commend the week’s activities to God,” explains Bienvenu Masingende, the Bible Society’s Manager of Partnerships, Church Relations and Fundraising Clubs. “They pray for the week’s activities, for the Bible Society staff, for Bible Society work and for our country.”

The distributors pray for the country, he explains, “because effective Bible distribution depends on a stable political situation.” They also pray for a good supply of Bibles and for evangelism campaigns.

“Many churches organise evangelism campaigns during the dry season, and the distributors pray for them because they sell Bibles during all of those events,” Mr Masingende explains.

In addition to the prayers, there is preaching by Jean-Louis Kirongozia-Bakuele, the group’s evangelist and spiritual leader, as well as attention to business matters. Bible Society Distribution Manager Dany Mubeno keeps the group in touch with the Bible Society by bringing them relevant information.

“They also take up an offering,” notes Mr Masingende. “The collection is for members who need Bibles but may not have the money at the time to purchase them. When they sell the Bibles, they repay the money.”

God’s Word should be in the marketplace, and at this Kinshasa market stand, Bible Society distributors make it available along with diaries featuring English football star David Beckham and other celebrities. On this day, the interest seems to be focused more on Bibles than on footballers. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (DRC02DJ-14)

Mr Kirongozia-Bakuele, who manages the Bible Society warehouse, says that cash flow is a problem for the small Bible entrepreneurs.

“We sell Bibles to them at a discount in lots of 10,” he explains, “and they get the same wholesale price as a bookshop would get. But many of them cannot afford to buy that many at a time, so a group of them unite to buy 10.”

Regardless of how they finance their Bibles, they are satisfied that they are achieving their ultimate goal of placing them in the hands of those who need them.

Florence Osawu, who operates a permanent Bible stand in Kinshasa’s central market, distributes about 15-20 Bibles each week.

Mr Kirongozia-Bakuele, who uses a more direct approach in the market on Saturdays, says that he can sell five Bibles in less than five hours. Overall, sales in several Kinshasa markets total more than 2,000 Bibles a week.

“Even though we distribute in big markets, sometimes we do hear back from those who receive Bibles from us,” Mr Kirongozia-Bakuele says. “Some who are not Christians buy a Bible because they have heard what it can do – they see what it has done in my life and in the lives of other Christians. Then some of them become Christians themselves.”