Bishop  dies of coronavirus, ll’ be missed by Muslims, Christians over ebola

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The death of Bishop Désiré Mukanirwa of coronavirus has no doubt brought to fore the stack reality of the pandemic in developing nations.

Right Rev Desire Mukanirwa, the Anglican  Bishop of Goma, in the Democratic Republic  of Congo(DRC), died at the weekend.

In 2019, Mukanirwa worked across faiths to enable the training of more than 60 leaders from different Christian denominations and their Islamic partners to consider the specific contribution that churches and mosques could make towards the understanding of ebola, its prevention and control.

Swan

In a message of condolence, Canon Tim Swan,
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Anglican Aid,  (a charity, voluntary and non profit society of the church), who had worked with him expressed sadness over his illness and subsequent death from coronavirus.

“His passing brings into focus the troubling reality of the pandemic in developing nations. This virus has brought to a sudden end the life of a beloved and vital church leader in the Congo, alongside many other precious lives,” he said.

To the Sydney Bishop for International Relations, Malcolm Richards, a long-time friend of Mukanirwa, he saw a man passionate about serving Jesus when he met him at the Goma Anglican youth group.

Bishop Mukanirwa and wife

“With degrees in theology and development studies, Désiré combined his love for evangelism with a concern for the marginalised in Congolese society – the poorest of the poor: widows, orphans and victims of rape in war.

“I have visited his home many times over the years, and his house is always full of people. He has four children of his own but he and Claudaline also gave space to many other children and adults who needed a home… Bishop Désiré was a godly, Jesus-loving man,” Rechard said.

Mukanirwa was a member of the Global Anglican Future Conference(GAFCON), which represents the conservative majority in the Anglican Communion that have stood against perceived promotion of false gospel, and a variety of sexual preferences and immoral behaviour as a universal human right.

Till last years he kept on asking for prayer for his country over the menace of ebola, and peace of the DRC after the presidential election and transition of new president in its democratic history.

He was quoted as having said in an email to the CEO of Anglican Aid, “Pray for peace, stability and security of the DRC and the new leadership,Pray for ebola virus outbreak in our region.Pray  for the mission in the Anglican church of Congo.”

The bishop alongside his wife, Claudaline, in thier work in a country coming out from brutal conflict that blighted the country’s peace and economy, lifted many out of spiritual and economical quagmire

The women and their goats business inspired by the bishop and wife

They embarked not only in evangelism, planting of churches, they initiated agro-pastoral project, which helped over 300 women to cultivate the land and grow cassava, both to eat and to sell, brought back hope to the women, most of whom were abused and raped by soldiers and rebels during the war.

Through the programme, “World in Need”, the women went into pig rearing, using a scheme whereby one farmer keeps the sow until she has a litter of piglets. The farmer then keeps those piglets and passes the sow on to the next person. This allows them all to build their farms and become self-sufficient. They keep other animals too, notably goats, turkeys and ducks.

Claudaline, an expert seamstress herself, also trained more than 600 women in needlecraft, training not less than 100 women at a time.

The Word In Need Congo provided micro-credit, which enables people to set up small businesses. People use a loan, usually of about $10, to invest in things to sell, such as sorghum flour, soya flour or salt, onions and garlic. Others sell ratafia mats which they have made or fruits such as paw-paws, lemons and pineapple.

The love of many young people to be professional footballers caught the attention of the bishop and his team, they came in, supported them, built their hope, they became happy and built friendship.

Mukanirwa will be missed by the youths, the society both Christians and Muslims, the opposition political class, his wife and four children alike