Missions - Spring 2024
RUN THE RACE WITH ENDURANCE
Ted Witmer
I came to Zaïre (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1987 to teach systematic theology in a seminary with 35 students. My wife, Dana, was to work in a church-run clinic as the only doctor. In fact, I never taught systematic theology in Congo-Zaïre, but rather Hebrew and Old Testament. Through the years, I also designed buildings, installed the campus electrical and water systems, and set up the local area network and satellite connections for the Internet. Now 37 years later, I am the Director of Development for Shalom University, a Christian university of 1800 students. Dana is teaching clinical medicine to 30 medical students in a teaching hospital of 11 medical specialists and 7 general MDs. Prior to this, she was the general contractor for a maternity building, as well as the director of a preschool and primary school. She always loved evangelizing and discipling to round out her ministry.
These changes for us have been huge. They have not always been the things we most wanted to do, but have been the service that was most needed according to changing circumstances. How have we survived and run the race with endurance?
Three key principles have helped us along the way to keep the joy of Christ on the path that God has set before us:
First was TO RECOGNIZE GOD’S CALL ON OUR LIVES. Our calls were a bit different, which led to some tension over the years, but we both had very definite calls to mission service, and then a very specific call from God to serve in the city of Bunia, Zaïre (the D. R. Congo). We had been committed to mission service from 1974 to 1985, but did not know where to go. We prepared academically and practically, and figured out the kind of ministries we were looking for -- me in theological education and Dana in medicine -- in a French-speaking country. When the time to finally go overseas was near, we wrote to 10 mission agencies with our resumés and stated desires. Four agencies replied that we should go to Zaïre, three specifically to Bunia in Zaire. The other responses did not fit the kind of ministries we were looking for. We praised God for His amazingly clear, detailed direction. I went on a vision trip to Bunia which confirmed that this was indeed an excellent place for us to engage in long-term ministry.
Second was TO INVEST IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE LEARNING so that we could be effective for the long haul. As we joined the mission, we were advised to spend time improving our French so that we would be able to function well in a French language university setting. We spent four months in Paris, and while there we got a letter advising us that we would be spending our first year in Africa in a village learning an African language and culture so that we could better understand the students in the seminary. That was an unexpected delay in our desire to “get into ministry,” and caused some angst, but in hindsight it was the key to our long-term adaptation to living in Africa. That year invested in beginning to learn about our new environment equipped us to survive many hardships including the looting of our home, fleeing to another country during the Congo War, and encountering unusual cultural practices.
A third principle to help us keep joy in our service was the basic philosophy of missions: AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SERVE WHERE ASKED TO SERVE. We are not missionaries in order to impose our plans on others. Rather, we are to meet the needs of those whom we are serving. This is what SERVICE is about. In the outworking of this principle, God used our training and skills in ways that we had not expected. For example, my undergrad degree was in Mechanical (and Aerospace) Engineering. I’ve not yet met another mechanical engineer in Congo, so of course anything that needed the least bit of technical skills was tasked to me.
Ted working on satellite dish
In my theological studies, while I majored in systematic theology, I also had lots of Old Testament and Hebrew studies, more than most other seminary graduates. No one else at the Bunia Seminary was equipped in Old Testament, not even a little bit, so I got to teach Hebrew, in French, to students who spoke 25 different mother tongues, some of whom have now become Bible translators. I developed the Old Testament and Hebrew language course program, and was eventually joined by two Congolese with PhD’s in Old Testament, one a former student of mine. As for being Director of Development, I never had any training for that role but just learned as I went along, for better or for worse. Others could have done far better, but no one else was available so I did as I was asked. Thus, I did not do what I had planned, but was willing to do as God had planned. That has enabled me to serve with joy and endure through the years.
For Dana, having a team of coworkers that she trusted and could work with was crucial. It was not always easy, but over the years she found different teams and adjusted to new work situations that would enable her to persevere. For the first 10 years, she was deeply involved in a small church-run clinic and maternity center with a great team. Then the Congo War came and we fled to Kenya where we were welcomed into a major Christian hospital that was understaffed. They mentored both of us in new areas of service: Dana as head of pediatrics and neonatal intensive care, and me as a programmer of electronic medical records and then IT director. (I also got to teach systematic theology part-time in the Bible college close by—"Thank you, Lord!”) Being in a new setting gave us new skills we would use when we returned to Congo after the war.
Dana with med students & teachers
Once back in Congo, Dana helped to develop two other hospitals, and then focused on helping to set up Shalom University’s new School of Medicine. To do this, she joined a new growing hospital that was designated to train Shalom University medical students. At first the team was not very welcoming or cohesive, but God enabled the team to grow and mature to become quite effective and enthusiastic about training future doctors. In the first class that graduated in October 2023, 50% were given honors in their oral exams by a jury of outside examiners -- grades that are virtually non-existent in Congo. It is amazing to see how God has done this work to fulfill the vision of the churches that asked the university “to train doctors like the missionaries used to be.” With over 300 church-owned and run hospitals and clinics in northeast Congo, the churches were desperate to have doctors who were keen Christians and highly competent. And by God’s grace, and in part through Dana’s service, the first class of 10 who graduated in 2023 are able to begin meeting that goal.
2023 Med School Graduates
As I reflect back on our service, I do not teach much in the classroom anymore and I miss it. But over the years, Shalom School of Evangelical Theology has graduated over 600 students, and now, with PhD programs in Biblical Theology and Missions, there are many Congolese teachers on the university’s staff who are more highly qualified than I am. I taught them what I know and they are “Timothys” carrying on the work leaving me available to “serve as needed”. And just this year, a very capable staff member has become the Assistant Director of Development and is doing a lot of the on-site work more efficiently than I ever could. It is a joy to work with this dear co-laborer in the Lord and see problems that arise quickly solved. It leaves me freer to contact donors and grant organizations to support a rapidly growing Christian university. We continue to run the race with endurance for the joy that is set before us as we fulfill God’s plan for our service following the example of our Lord Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2)
Ted & Dana Witmer continue to serve as missionaries with Crossworld. In 2020, they moved to Fairfax, Virginia, to be closer to their three children and nine grandchildren. Living in the US enables Ted to better perform his job as Director of Development. Dana serves in a free, local Christian medical clinic. They travel to the D.R. Congo for at least two months of the year, continuing to counsel the next generation of leaders in the university, medical work and churches. In fact, Ted wrote this article last month while in Congo. If you would like to receive the Witmer’s newsletter or read past ones, click here. If you would like to support Shalom University, click here.
