Rethy was a remote, independent village in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, until the foreigners came. It was transformed from a farming community into a multicultural hub complete with a boarding school and hydroelectric plant. Today, the traces of missionary work in Rethy can be seen from brick buildings to medical practices.

Rethy was independent until 1885, when King Leopold II colonized Congo. Until then, natives lived remotely and tended to their own business—farming, trading, and fishing. But when the Belgians came, they were forced into labor. King Leopold II claimed Congo as his own personal property. He changed the name of cities, forced natives to harvest rubber, and recruited men for his army. King Leopold II says he was trying to “humanize” the country, but in reality Congo lost half its population between 1880 and 1920 (Marty). During this time, Africa Inland Mission sent the first missionaries to Rethy.

When missionaries came to Rethy, they shared the gospel, provided education, and introduced new health practices and building techniques. Over the next 80 years, Rethy was home to dozens of missionary families. A hospital, church, and school were built. Rethy developed into a diverse village. In 1988, a hydroelectric plant was commissioned for electricity. But Rethy was not always safe–there was still political unrest.

Rethy villagers welcomed the missionaries, but others did not. The Simbas–an angry group of citizen soldiers–resented foreign rule and blamed all outsiders, including missionaries, for the condition of their government.  Paul Brown, who was in 10th grade at Rethy Academy describes the situation:

“There was quite a bit of unrest, because the Congolese didn’t want to be ruled by Belgium anymore…Congo wasn’t really well prepared for independence—there weren’t a lot of trained administrators, and the people really had been exploited. But in any case, there was a lot of revenge taken against white people….It was called the Simba rebellion (Paul Brown).”

The Simbas were responsible for the death of 21 missionaries when they tried to take control of the country. Missionaries fled Rethy. Out of the chaos a dictator—Joseph Mobutu—took control.

Under President Mobutu in the 1960’s, Congo was safe but taken advantage of. Missionaries came back, but natives were forced to mine precious metals.  President Mobutu used Congo’s resources for his own profit. In Rethy, missionaries continued their ministries. But the traumatic effect of the first evacuation caused a change. Missionary responsibilities —doctors, pastors, and teachers—were given to Africans. This proved good—Rethy was more independent.

In 1996, a civil war between Hutus and the Tutsies forced missionaries to leave Rethy again This time the evacuation was permanent. The political unrest continued for longer than the missionaries expected. But good has come out of it. Rev. Glenn Murray, a 51 year old Presbyterian missionary who spent 20 years in Africa, says, “It was very difficult to pull out and leave them, but now the Africans will have to take over the church themselves and accept responsibility, and perhaps they will develop it into even a more worthwhile thing than we could” (Time). Although missionaries left, the responsibility has been good for the church and the community.

Missionaries have been gone from Rethy for 13 years, but they have had a lasting influence on it’s culture. Congolese medical students and pastors have continued the missionaries’ work. Despite Rethy’s remote location in the jungles of Africa, hundreds of people from all over the world are familiar with the people there.