A cultural exchange takes place - One IVEP worker enjoys community involvement

Mennonite Central Committee
Saturday, 17 June 2000

LANCASTER, Pa. -- International Visitor Exchange Program (IVEP) participants "remind us of the work that Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is doing around the world." So says Michael Booth, director of evangelism at South Christian Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pa. For the past five months, Booth has been working with Monique Kinjanja, an IVEP participant from Qpetro, Congo.

Kinjanja, who is 27, recently finished studies in theology at the University of Kinshasa. Her background and church involvement make South Christian an enriching placement for her.

In Kinjanja's experience, the IVEP truly seems to be serving its goal of providing a give-and-take cultural understanding between the worker and host community.

Kinjanja's father is an elder and her mother a deacon at their church in Congo, which at about 30 members is much smaller than South Christian Street Mennonite. Kinjanja said she plans to relate her worship experiences in the U.S. to her home congregation, and that while some details of worship are different -- she is used to three-hour Sunday services -- she has learned that the Mennonite church in both countries shares similar ideas.

Her host family is somewhat atypical for the IVEP program. She lives with Deborah Rogers and Jennifer Rosenberry in a multicultural neighborhood in Lancaster. Booth said he asked the two to consider hosting Kinjanja because the women are close in age and are all involved in ministry.

Rosenberry said the arrangement has worked well, that it has perhaps given Kinjanja more independence than a traditional home stay would. "There's a different dynamic that comes from us all being single, working women who are very involved in the church and other things." The three have developed a close friendship that Rosenberry said gives them "a broader world view."

Kinjanja enjoys her involvement in the community. She knows a number of people in the neighborhood, including a few Congolese families, and babysits on occasion. "I'm comfortable in Lancaster; it's a very social place," she says. "In my country we are very social."

Kinjanja often walks the 10 blocks through the city to South Christian Street Mennonite Church, where she works four days a week. Her responsibilities there are varied; she is involved with church youth, helps produce the bulletins, welcomes visitors and works in the office. Kinjanja is very proud of the computer skills that she learned. Booth feels that she has gained valuable clerical and administrative skills and says the church hopes to provide a computer that she can take back to Congo. Kinjanja will be one of the first people in her town to be computer literate, and Booth believes that her opportunities there will be "unlimited."

Every Wednesday, Kinjanja works at Water Street Rescue Mission. In the morning she helps with food distribution and in the afternoon helps with "Prime Time," an after school program. On the walls of her living room hang cards and drawings that some of the students made for her. "You are special to me," reads one. Another, "This womine she is wanderfol." Kinjanja said she enjoys sharing with the children about life in Congo and answering all of their questions like "What do you eat?"

Her hosts have also enjoyed learning about Congolese culture. They listen to music in French and Lingala, and cook traditional dishes together like peanut butter chicken and fu-fu. Kinjanja appreciates true American food as well. Her favorite restaurant? She smiles. "McDonalds."

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org