One year on, Congo’s visually
impaired
tell of the benefits of Bible Society centre
 CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE
— Only a year after the Espérance
2005 (‘Hope 2005’) centre opened in the grounds of Bible
House in Brazzaville, there is already strong evidence that it is already
fulfilling its mission of being a thriving facility where blind and
visually impaired people can be helped to become independent and valuable
members of society and to have access to God’s Word.
Since that day in May 2004 (see World
Report 388/17), two sets of students have completed a course
which gave them the opportunity to learn to read the Bible in Braille,
to acquire practical skills, to borrow items from a small but expanding
library, to learn English and to participate in music groups.
‘Come and See’
The first anniversary of this centre,
which was set up by the Bible Society in Congo’s dedicated Viens
et Vois (‘Come and See’) committee, was marked by
a ceremony at the African Rehabilitation Centre in Brazzaville on June
4. Before an audience made up of blind and visually impaired people
and guests including representatives of the Bible Society, government
ministers and staff from the National Association of Blind and Visually
Impaired People, students from both the courses took part in a competition
designed to demonstrate their new-found ability to write Braille. In
recognition of their skills, they were presented with various Bible-based
publications in Braille.
This ceremony also presented an opportunity
for some of the students to speak about how their lives had changed
as a result of studying in this modest semi-permanent structure.
Amateur boxer
Xavier Longangola told the audience how
he had once been a prize-winning amateur boxer. After becoming blind
in 1997, however, he had become very troubled and had turned to alcohol
for consolation. He had gone to various places seeking help, but had
encountered nothing but negativity and misunderstanding. It was not
until he met a blind woman who persuaded him that he should learn Braille
that he began to regain control over his life. He approached the Bible
Society and was in turn put in touch with staff from the ‘Come
and See’ committee. Before long he was being warmly welcomed at
the centre, where his confidence started to grow.
Isolation
“I had been going to church but my
heart was still troubled,” he said. “It was not until I began
going to the centre that I was rebuilt on the inside. I was totally
enthralled by the ‘magic’ of Braille and began reading it
until the early hours of the morning!”
Like Mr Longangola, Parfaite Olandzobo
experienced isolation and depression after she became blind, in her
case at the age of 15. Although she had never been to school, she quickly
felt comfortable with learning Braille at the centre and made rapid
progress. As well as learning practical skills, she also found that
God filled her heart with great spiritual joy. “It’s truly
a miracle!” she proclaimed.
The Bible Society and its partners are
now making plans to run a third course in Brazzaville and to set up
a similar course in Pointe-Noire.
Further information about the ‘Hope
2005’ centre can also be found in World
Report 393/13. (WR 396/19 - 09/10.05)
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