Congo Calling - The Memoir of a Welsh Nurse in 1960'S Africa

By Margaret Maund

A follow-up to nurse and ordained minister Margaret Maund's autobiography. In this book she concentrates on her time living in the former Belgian Congo in Central Africa between 1968 and 1971. She relates the difficulties, but her stories also reflect the fun, joy, friendship and hope during a very challenging period in her life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Y Lolfa
• Release date: Sep 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781847717641

Book preview

Margaret%20Maund%20-%20Congo%20Calling.jpg

First impression: 2013

© Copyright Margaret Maund and Y Lolfa Cyf., 2013

The contents of this book are subject to copyright, and may not be reproduced by any means, mechanical or electronic, without the prior, written consent of the publishers.

Cover design: Y Lolfa

ISBN: 978 184771 666 8

E-ISBN: 978-1-84771-764-1

Published and printed in Wales

on paper from well maintained forests

by Y Lolfa Cyf., Talybont, Ceredigion SY24 5HE

website www.ylolfa.com

e-mail [e-mail]

tel [phone]

fax 832 782

In memory of our beloved parents

Donald and Doris Maund

This book is dedicated to my first-born niece, Caitlin-Haf Rees, who has listened to these stories for years and in now able to read them for herself.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following:

My brother David for his consistent support.

My younger nieces and nephew, Phoebe, Courtney and Ryan, who are listening to the stories now.

Salem Chapel for nurturing me from childhood to adult years.

The Baptist Missionary Society for preparing me and sending me to Africa.

Bishop Saunders and Mrs Cynthia Davies who have helped and encouraged me over the years.

The Church in Wales for ordaining me into the self-supporting ministry, which has given me much joy – a mirror image of my life in Africa.

Diane Patrick and Celia Jones who prepared the manuscript.

Rob who has perked up my French no end!

Dr Rachel and Mr Russel Warden.

Dr David and Mrs Irene Masters.

Dr Vivien and Mrs Jane Church.

Pastor and Mrs Mondengo.

Hospital staff and all African families and friends who appear in the photographs.

Parish Priest, the Rev. Ruth Moverly, and all members of the congregation for their continuing help and support.

My friends in Vogue Salon for their skill in keeping my hair in order.

All my family and friends for sharing my life, bringing me great joy over the years and into the future.

Thank you all,

Margaret

Foreword

In her first book, Decades of Discovery, the Reverend Margaret Maund wrote a very entertaining account of her life. Born and brought up in Tonyrefail she trained as a nurse and midwife before going on to the Congo as a medical missionary with the Baptist Missionary Society at the end of the 1960s. After three years there she had to return home when her father became seriously ill and died. She had hoped to return to Africa but her health had been seriously impaired during the time she had spent in the tropics and she was never able to go back to the hospital at Pimu. This was a source of great sadness to her.

Despite the fact that she went on to continue her nursing career, to broadcast, to write and to become one of the first women to be ordained priest in the Church of Wales, her love for Africa never left her.

The country and its people made an indelible impression on her and she loves to tell others about the time that she spent there. She has been asked to write down these tales to a wider audience so in this, her second book, we too can enjoy them. She is a good storyteller and we enter fully into her experiences. We feel the intense heat, we cower in the midst of great electrical storms, we shy away from the poisonous snakes, crocodiles and insects, we share the traumas of the medical staff and we sing and dance with the Ngombe people. We are transported back to Pimu.

I have very much enjoyed being there. I feel sure that you will too!

Cynthia Davies

Introduction

You may not believe it when waking up to a wet, gloomy morning, but some scientists say that we are born to laugh. According to research chuckling at a good joke or when someone amuses us is instinctive.

It is suggested that laughing and smiling have evolved to diffuse confrontation. Even primates laugh if you tickle a gorilla or orang-utan apparently. Laughter has also been described as a different way of breathing, and I suppose they could be right.

Cracking up with laughter is said to be very good for us, lowering our blood pressure and bringing happy or relaxing moments. Laughter releases the hormone endorphin into our systems, making us feel much better and reducing stress. A shared smile and a twinkle in the eye does us all a power of good.

Shared stories make me laugh and I’m still finding that incidents from my life cause a great deal of fun. I have shared with you in the past that my health is not so good now – the main problem being that my bones are very fragile and in danger of breaking. Because of this condition, I was invited to join a group of people sharing similar treatment, an education programme on how to care for ourselves and avoid all accidents. We were all at different stages of one illness or the other, and in varying degrees of discomfort and disability. Sharing stories with each other, though, meant that we were soon cracking up with laughter, enjoying each others company when the going was tough.

I came across an article which said that if you are unfit and unhealthy, forget the gym and try a little laughter instead. Laughtercise improves our health, restores our appetite and sharing a wide smile can even add seven years to your life! Biblical wisdom may be right: laughter is good medicine which God gives us.

A quote from one of my Mum’s books says the most wasted day