When Weyburn pastor Doug Loden paid a visit to the central African country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he found the country had gone through a lot of difficult times since he served there as a missionary 15 years ago, but there is a lot of hope amongst its peoples as they rebuild.

Loden and his family lived in the country, formerly known as Zaire, for seven years while he served as a missionary, teaching in a mission school for pastors for churches in the country, and for two weeks in March, he was able to return and visit many of the people he made friendships with during his tenure there.

Rev. Loden visited Katwa where his family used to live, and he walked through the town, and spoke in the church and on the local radio station as well as visiting many friends.

He will be hosting an Africa evening at Calvary Baptist Church sometime in May, with the date and time to be announced at a later time. He will have some African food available, will show slides from his trip and will speak about the situation in Congo.

He noted his proficiency in the three languages of the region - French, Swahili and a local dialect - was not a problem.

"It came back to me like I had only been away for a short time," said Loden, noting he spoke in the local tongue for 12 minutes in one church there.

He said he saw many encouraging signs as he visited: "The schools are all functioning as best they can. Many people have forgiven the terrible things done to them, and everyone seems ready to rebuild."

Over the last 15 years, some of the difficult times included a flood of refugees from Rwanda, and fighting between six different armies in Kivu province, plus destruction from a volcano six years ago which destroyed part of the regional capital of Goma. The Rwandan refugees left an army of Hutu soldiers, called the Interhamwe, plus there is a private army of Tutsi soldiers in the area as well. A part of the Congo army was stationed in the province, and many young people wanted to chase out the foreign soldiers. Loden said some estimates are that between three and four million people have died in Congo from the fighting, the volcano and from the hunger and disease that arose as a result of the fighting.

Despite the difficulties, the fighting in the province of Kivu has mostly come to an end, and many Protestant church leaders have been elected to the new government, giving hope of reform to the formerly corrupt government.

Through his church, Calvary Baptist, and through the Baptist mission that still works in the region, Rev. Loden said he hopes to see some practical help go to people in that part of Congo, such as to get new hand tools, some better seeds and animals like pigs, goats and rabbits to raise.

He would also like to help some of the health centres replace the medicine and equipment they lost during the days of fighting.

"The health centres are doing the best they can, but they struggle to purchase the medications that people need, and in many cases, they don't have a microscope to do the testing they need," he said.

In some areas, many of the trees were cut down by refugees and soldiers, so he would also like to see a tree replanting program, as well as fixing up of some the schools that were broken down and badly damaged by refugees and soldiers who used the desks and chairs for firewood.