Archbishop Masimango of the Congo (DRC) Visiting Canada
By Rev. Dr. Canon Ed & Janice Hird
-an article for the Light Magazine
https://lightmagazine.ca/archbishop-masimango-of-the-congo-drc-visiting-canada/
Attention: Steve Almond, Publisher
Archbishop Masimango and his wife Naomi recently visited in Toronto, Vancouver Island, and Greater Vancouver. This was his third visit to Canada, and his first time to Toronto.
He learned that Canada is a Christian country, but now it is moving towards being a secular country. Masimango noted:
those who are still Christians are very committed, and they have hope that one day, this country will be a Christian country, because they continue to pray, and God always answer prayers.
Archbishop Masimango, with a College of Consultors, gives oversight to the Anglican Mission churches in Canada, which is led by the Right Reverend Dr. Silas Ng, our Apostolic Vicar. Archbishop Masimango commented,
I am very happy to witness the growth of the Anglican Mission in Canada, and I visited all the chapters. I saw that there is hope that the Anglican Mission in to Canada will grow and plant new churches, God willing.
In the Province of the Congo (DRC), there are about six hundred thousand Anglican Christians. In the Province of Rwanda, there are 1.5 million Anglican Christians. Sixty percent of the one hundred million Anglicans now live in Africa with over sixty million Anglican Christians. This includes around ten million in Uganda and over twenty-five million in Nigeria.
Archbishop Masimango explained how the East African Revival in the 1930s spread from Uganda to Rwanda to Kenya and Tanzania. Then this East African Revival crossed into the Congo through an Ugandan priest Apollo Kivbulaya,
At this time, people were very open to the gospel. So the gospel was preached, and people were converted to the Christian life through Anglican testimonies. –Masimango
The East Africa Revival has a strong emphasis on walking in the Light as mentioned in 1 John 1:9. It emphasizes repentance, holiness, open confession of sin, and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Many Anglicans and other Christians rejected polygamy and embraced monogamy through the East African Revival. They would provide financially for the former wives and children.
Archbishop Masimango spoke of GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference) challenging many who have veered away from the Essentials of the Gospel. It was founded in 2008 in Jerusalem and affirms the Jerusalem Declaration. The Anglican Province of the Congo was part of GAFCON, but did not attend the recent Abuja Conference in Nigeria, because the Anglican Province of the Congo is still in the Anglican Communion. They still believe in the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Province of the Congo is active in the GSFA, the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans.
One of their ministries in the Congo is making gardens in the forest for those suffering from malnutrition. They also take people into their homes and look after them if they are homeless. Through teaching women jobs like sewing, weaving baskets, growing crops, and look after livestock, they help them provide for their families. As they help them care for their children, many come to know the Lord Jesus.
Archbishop Masimango travels to the Congo villages by motorcycle, on dangerous, muddy trails. He commented,
We are living in the rural area where the government is not well organized, so the only way we can visit churches is by using motorbikes, because a car could not reach there. As the rainy season is very long in the equatorial forests, the roads become very slippery and muddy. So, without that sacrifice, you can't visit any churches.
Bishop Peter Klenner is a Canadian Anglican Mission bishop who was consecrated in 2018 and is licensed by Archbishop Masimango, the current bishop of the Congo Diocese of Kindu. Bishop Peter commented, “I'm honoured to say that the Archbishop of Congo, and the Bishop of Kindu, is my friend.” Archbishop Masimango was at All Saints Crescent Beach when Rev. Dr. Ed Hird was installed in both English and Swahili as Canon for Community Affairs.
We in Canada give thanks for this Global Anglican partnership with Archbishop Masimango who takes the time to invest in our Canadian people. May God deeply bless this mutual partnership with the people of the Congo in the coming years.