MISSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND CHURCH MISSION

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CHAPTER 3 MISSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND CHURCH MISSION

Introduction

Ngoubagara Baptist Church faces different community development challenges because of many socio-political, economic and cultural factors. This chapter analyses and values the serious challenges that prevented a balanced development in the Central African Republic between 2005 and 2013, which also hampered the spiritual and physical growth of a number of Ngoubagara Baptist Church members.
This chapter is divided into four essential sections whose analysis objects are as follows: the problem of communal development from a political, economic, social and cultural viewpoint in order to give a missiological answer that may stimulate a positive transformation of Central African society. Explaining church tasks along these lines Czerny (2012:74) maintins, “duty to seek peace; development and liberation of peoples; improvement in forms of world and national governments; construction of possible forms of listening, living together, dialogue and collaboration by various cultures and religions; safeguarding of the rights of persons, entire peoples and, above all, minorities; support for the most vulnerable in society”.
On the political side, the problem areas of security, peace, and corruption will be demonstrated, analysed and valued. All these are the necessary pillars for communal development, because without guaranteed security, lasting peace and fighting against corruption, investors cannot trust the country. The country can hardly attract the needed investments to work towards a balanced and communal development. However, on the economic side, the poverty problem and financial issues will be analysed in order to determine the causes of the decreasing economy. At the social level, the public health and national education problem will be valued which describe the general situation of education and employment in Central African Republic. In the final section, the cultural problem will be elaborated as one of factors that prevent strong and healthy communal development in CAR.

Causes of community development issues

Political issues

It is worth highlighting that between 2012 and 2015, the Central African Republic went through a difficult period in its history and an alarming socio-political situation. Indeed, politically, the problem began with the seizure of power by Bozizé in 2003. The coming to power of Bozizé was violently contested and the first civil war ravaged the country between 2004 and 2007, up to the signing of a peace agreement (Aristide 2016).
The rebels then denounced the non-respect of the agreements by President Bozizé, and took up arms late 2012, launching a series of attacks marking the second civil war in Central African Republic. On 24 March 2013, the Seleka rebel coalition seized Bangui and Bozizé ran away; Michel Djotodia proclaimed himself president of the Central African Republic. And the Seleka militiamen, mostly Muslim, came with numerous abuses that caused serious insecurity in the country, which naturally led to the formation of the self-defense militias, Anti-Balaka (Aristide 2016). The conflict results in a « pre-genocidal » according to France and the United States. On 5 December 2013, a UN resolution allowed France to send armed troops in the Central African Republic (Sangaris operation) to defuse the conflict and protect civilians.
On 10 January 2014 the transition President of the Central African Republic Michel Djotodia and his Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye announced their resignation at an extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of the Central African States (ECCAS). And on 20 January 2014, the National Transitional Council of the Central African Republic elected Catherine Samba-Panza as the head of transition government of the Central African Republic. On 23 July 2014, the warring parties signed a ceasefire agreement in Brazzaville. Faustin-Archange Touadéra becomes president on 30 March 2016 (Aristide 2016).
In fact, politics occupies an important place in this study as regards the causes and challenges of the community development in the Central African Republic (CAR) because it manages the socio-political, economic and cultural life of all the Central African citizens. The political situation in 2010 was marked by the postponement of three presidential and legislative elections. The elections that were scheduled for 25 May 2010 ended up being postponed due to main opposition parties and development partners’ demands to guarantee regularity. UNDP (2011:16) affirms “The intervention of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court was asked to allow president Bozizé to remain in power constitutionally whereas his mandate came to term in June 11, 2010”.
The presidential and legislative elections took place on 23 January 2011. The then president was re-elected. This double voting took place and allowed the CAR to strengthen processes of peace and political stabilisation after returning to constitutional legality in 2005. However, after the 2012 elections there were contentions by the political parties and some rebel troops as well as Seleka and Anti-baraka.
And since the flight of François Bozizé in 2012 up to 2015, CAR experienced several problems of political instability, insecurity and bad governance, which impeded its full development and had harmful social impact because of the constant hostilities. Practically, this situation resulted in the absence of peace in most of the country and in the increased rate of unemployment, sickness, mortality, illiteracy, poverty, prostitution and other challenges that could not afford an effective Christian mission in the country.
A semblance of a religious war was settling in the country, 90% of the population in IDP sites experienced alimentary conditions, hygiene, lack of clean water and electricity. Poverty and hostilities were on the rise. The lack of peace was creating trauma and cardiovascular diseases, exaggerated killings, revenge-killings and growing social instability. The rates of prostitution and rape were soaring exponentially and so were heinous lootings. Businesses and shops were destroyed causing an acute unemployment. All these conditions point to the seriousness of the challenges that the Church should face. It is for these reasons that the Ngoubagara Baptist Church have to rethink their mission strategies in order to properly fulfill their prophetic and holistic mission to the Central African population.
The Church in CAR is therefore challenged to assist the government carry out their mission in this context to fight the present chaotic and alarming situation and reach the necessary socioeconomic level for growth and development. Certainly some of these abuses and insurrections experienced in the country are committed by some immature Christians who are not actually transformed that belong to the Anti-Balaka. These Christians use charms and wear amulets for their protection, to become invisible or disappear spontaneously in case of mortal danger. They kill, steal, plunder and rape without pity; they are resentful and ready to take revenge against their enemies (Sabone 2015:36).
And to succeed in this glorious enterprise, Ngoubagara Baptist Church have to carry out their evangelizing and educational mission without complacency and according to the ordinances of God. Moreover, this catastrophic socio-political situation in CAR should lead the Church to rethink its mission and perform on the model of the ministry of Jesus to help the Central African people find their mental and physical peace, and be totally transformed and saved.
In fact, security problems, lasting peace and good governance preoccupy all Central African’s minds in order to positively transform their society. The church should face the community challenges of “the present time, not with ready-made answers or simplistic, over-simplifying ideologies, but with a realistic attitude and with discernment. This is the church’s duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel” (Czerny 2012:70).

Security and conflict prevention

The secular understanding of development expands from economic growth to assuring people greater choices in basic areas such as security, income, education, health and communication (Czerny 2012:72).
In the Central African Republic’s history, the military and political crises destroyed the economy and elements constituting social levels in the CAR. The different coup d’états and mutinies during April and May 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2012 – 2015 led to serious insecurities, rural exodus as well as possession destruction (i.e. houses, equipment etc.), cultivation and stock farming (Razafimaharo 2013:26).
It should be noted that between 2012 and 2015 the Central African Republic went through a difficult period in its history and an alarming security situation. Indeed, in terms of security, the problem began with the departure of Bozizé and his replacement in power by the rebel leader as shown above in Chapter 2 of this thesis.
Obviously, after several rounds of unrest and despite the intervention of the international community, the security situation was still problematic and volatile until the presidential election of February 2016. There is therefore a real need to reconcile the Central African people with God and among themselves where necessary. This situation brought not only the distrust of the population towards government and politicians, but also destroyed CAR at various levels. But, the church is an expert in humanity, it has often been affirmed, and her expertise is rooted in her active engagement in human affairs, ceaselessly looking towards new heavens and a new earth, which the church points out in order to help people live their lives in the dimension of authentic meaning (Czerny 2012:73). Razafimaharo (2013:26) demonstrates that “the political situation improved with the return to the constitutional legality in 2005 by organising elections for a democratic institution setup, after the 2002 to 2004 transition” (own translation from French). Despite these efforts, there still exist pockets of insecurity, which are animated by rebel groups and some political activities. Negotiations were held which led to a successful cease-fire and a search for peace. The organisation of the political dialogue included all taking part and aiming for national reconciliation, the restoration of security and the strengthening of the peace. The funding of the peace treaty required the Central African Republic, assisted by the international community to invest a total amount of FCFA 34,6 billion from 2008 until 2011 as well as 8.6 billion of FCFA for year 2008; 10.4 for year 2009; 15.6 for 2010 and 9.8 for 2011 (IMF 2009:30).
The financing of this peace fund only began in 2008. Before this year, no internal or external financing was agreed upon; however, from 2008 the amount increased from year to year, as shown in the chart above. This increase shows the necessity to enhance maintenance and restoration efforts for security and peace, especially in under-developed areas of the country where difficult road construction restricts the population’s free circulation, rebel movements and inhibits agriculture and stock farming practices; it also shows the precariousness/unstableness of this peace. The existence of a rebel army called “Ugandan Lord Resistance Army” to the East of the Central African Republic underlines this reality and often compromises security and peace in CAR. This report confirms the increasing need to finance this sector in order to fight insecurity. Indeed, the absence of peace in the Central African Republic entails many consequences for the population as demonstrated in the diagram below:
Chart 1: Insecurity and the growth rate of the real GDP (PIB) from 2005 – 2013
Central African Republic GDP Annual Growth Rate 2005-2015
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Central African Republic expanded 1 percent in 2014 from the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Central African Republic averaged 1 percent from 1961 until 2014, reaching an all-time high of 9.48 percent in 1984 and a record low of -36 percent in 2013. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Central African Republic is reported by the Bank of Central African States. Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world with over 50 percent of population dependent on subsistence agriculture and farming. Central African Republic’s economy relies on diamond and timber exports and foreign aid. Yet, chronic political and social instability diverts both foreign direct investments and foreign aid.
Fiscal mismanagement, youth unemployment, lack of basic infrastructure and low-skilled labour force are the main obstacles to growth. This page provides the Central African Republic GDP Annual Growth Rate – actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Central African Republic GDP Annual Growth Rate – actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases – was last updated on May of 2016.
The interpretation of the insecurity index and GDP growth demonstrates that between 2000 and 2003, during the military political crises, the growth rate of the real GDP severely fell from 2,7% to -4,6 %. From 2003 a relatively lull settled, allowing a rate growth from -4,6% to 4,3% in 2006. From 2007, on the other hand, pockets of rebels and insecurity became insistent and added to the electricity, food and financial world crisis that restricted rate growth to a steady variation relatively around 3,3%, although the expected growth rates for the period of 2007 – 2010 should have been up to the DSRP 4,3% (2007) and 11,4% (2010). This situation created thus gapes which were wider and wider.
In spite of the scheduled projections in the DSRP, these rates were not reached because of insecurity, electricity, food and financial crises. Also, in 2005, according to the HCR reports in Chad, the displacement in the northwest was estimated to be close to 45 000 Central Africans that fled toward Chad and Cameroon while in 2008, these refugees numbered 105 745 according to UNICEF. This increase of the number of refugees confirms the existence of political insecurity and moral and physical suffering of a population that cannot circulate freely and enjoy the liberty of living in their own country (Razafimaharo 2013:39).
This situation shows serious poverty challenges among the population, especially in the insecure zones. This poverty and insecurity also affects members of the Ngoubagara Baptist Church. But, as “an expert in humanity, the church seeks new pedagogical means, new communicative strategies, to reach its children and everyone it sees affected – in danger of being reduced – by destructive forces” (Czerny 2012:73).
The recent political crisis due to the onward move of Séleka rebels in 2012 who reached Damara and lead to a prime minister change in January 2013. This in turn lead to a national union government including the democratic opposition, rebels of the Séleka, the presidential majority as well as the preparation for a legislative election which confirms the fragility security in CAR. Evidently, investigations were done by the UNDP and Transparency International in collaboration with ministries of economy, planning and international cooperation to determine the classification elements of the Central African population and the reasons of non-community development.
These investigations were conducted with 2 500 individuals residing in 960 households; a 1 000 people in Bangui and Bimbo; a 1 000 in the other cities and 500 in the rural environment. The population target constituted all active members of the household aged 18 years or older, including pensioners and persons of independent means (Razafimaharo 2013:59). Enterprises, on the other hand, were categorised as follows: Construction and Building Public Works; Transportation and Transit; Extraction and Transformation, Mines, Water, Energy and Forests; Trade and Services; Banks, Insurance and Cooperatives; NTIC; others like Clinics, Pharmacies and Hotels. The investigation was essentially done in Bangui with 39 big enterprises investigated on the 89 and 66 PME-PMIS investigated on the 166 existing. However, these investigations demonstrate the classification done by people as follows:
This Chart 2 indicates the ten priorities that cause community development challenges in Central African Republic. Evidently, this investigation permits popular opinions of different poverty causes in CAR and the order thereof. Given that at least five thousand interviewees have pointed the first three quoted causes, they should have the biggest impact on community development. In the document presented by the ABD, the OECD, UNDP, CEA, the economic Perspectives in Africa 2011, CAR, the CAR is presented like a “Fragile Government and in post conflict” despite the efforts of the authorities.
The implementation of the program called “Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reinsertion” [DDR], towards the Inclusive Political Dialogue (IPD) in December 2008, experienced many delays from the start to ultimately be operative only in 2010. This programme was intended to demobilise more than 8 000 ex-fighters, but came across many political disagreements, especially concerning the amount of food subsidy to be allocated to rebels. The attacks of 17 July and 23 November 2010 as well as the takeover of Birao and its liberation are but good indicators of the security precariousness (Razafimaharo 2013:59).

Good governance

The Central African Republic is a presidential republic where the president is both head of state and head of government. The executive power is held by the government while the legislative power is shared between the government and the parliament. The management of state affairs was difficult as outlined in the previous two chapters; however, the uneasy calm prevailed under the regime of President Bozizé between 2005 and late 2012.
From 24 March 2013, date the Seleka rebels took power to 10 January 2014 the date of the resignation of Michel Djotodia, the financial and material management of the state assets was bad (Aristide 2016). After the resignation, the interim authority was ensured by Catherine Samba-Panza as the transition Head of the Central African State. She was sworn in on 23 January 2014 and on the 25th; she appointed André Nzapayeké as prime minister. But the general policy of the leaders in this country tends to satisfy their own interests, steal money from the public funds, diverting public assets, favor their own relatives and kindred as well as their own region instead of meeting the real needs of the entire citizenry of the country.
Poor governance and vivid injustice are visible in the country. There are nominations by usurpation. Qualified graduates are overlooked in appointments while the poorly educated and the illiterate people occupy juicy and noble functions for purely political reasons; injustice is becoming increasingly fierce. Practically, the Central African government lacks a good development vision and policy. As shown in Chapter 2 the issue of the national development is more theoretical than practical. The unemployment rate is on the rise. The country is going backwards. Human rights and democracy are not respected (Aristide 2016). For most respondents, the living conditions of the Central African civil servants are deteriorating on a daily basis.
I have observed that the scope, intensity and duration of the recent political and military events which have taken place in the country have caused significant losses of life, massive displacement of rural populations, property damage and the destruction of the important means of production among rural people, particularly in the north, northeast, east and southeast that are considered as the country’s breadbasket.
Transparency in management and impartiality in nominating of the high executive staff of the Government and in the entire management the Government are the big challenges in Central African Republic. As in Chart 3, the people interviewed have mentioned poor governance as a major contributor to the impoverishment of the Central African population, which also undermines the national development. The power abuse by political authorities and Government agents in the different regions of the country and nepotism are elements most usually mentioned as indicators of poor leadership and governance (MEPCI 2007:10).
The indication of these causes that prevent balanced communal development is necessary because they point to indifference of the leaders in their management of the lives of their people. Different inequalities (regional, ethnic, economic, social, etc.) are also used as national destabilisation sources because they lead to exclusion (especially of those who are not or who were never in power). Promoting political dialogue is another important matter to consider and initialise. It essential to allow the elements of the society to express themselves freely and know that their leaders are prepared to talk and listen to them for the search of solutions to the communal problems. Political opponents should also be prepared to effectively look for solutions regarding the well-being of their people, even to the detriment of personal interests.
In view of this classification, the Embassy of France, in its presentation of the economic and financial situation of CAR, affirm “the numerous failings noted concerning governance of the CAR have indeed contributed to maintain an ominous environment, characterised by poor management of finances and public services, high level of corruption and lack of efficient government intervention”. In fact, this quote reinforces the link between governance and corruption to clearly understanding poverty problems in CAR as one of the under-development causes in the country. This demonstrated the responsibility that political decision-makers must take on public financial management.
2000 interviewees out of 13 000 (or 14, 29%) point to corruption as a cause of underdevelopment occupying the sixth position in Chart 3. The interviewees then indicated that it doesn’t lessen its importance in the struggle against poverty and under-communal development in CAR; as also attested by Christensen (2007) saying, “Corruption is practiced in Africa under the table, with fraud and in misappropriations.” UNDP (2005) published an investigation report on corruption by households and enterprises. Four levels are evident in this investigation “the level of the corruption in CAR, the acceptability of corruption practices, reasons of the corruption and the struggle against the corruption. The police, the customs, the ministry of Justice and public health have been judged among the most corrupt”. Investigations reveal that corruption is indeed generally accepted in the Central African Republic in order to avoid administrative “red tape” and that politics is used to become richer and not to serve the country.
This investigation points to wages, impunity, absence of transparency and personal enrichment as reasons for corruption among Government officials; the worst corruption is especially among big enterprises. The investigation reveals that “72,5% of enterprises declare to have made a non-official remittance during the last twelve months, either to obtain a service, to avoid a problem or to get a permit for construct or demolition” (Razafimaharo 2013:46). Lesser corruption concerns households which include administrative situations (act of marriage, passport, etc.) and access to public services. However, results of the investigation demonstrate that Central African populations condemns the corruption while exercising it consciously or unconsciously as affirmed by Kalemba (2012:3) saying “the corruption is currently accepted as a normal way of life and the people lost their feelings of guilt”.
This paradoxical situation explains the corruption classification to the sixth place of poverty causes in Central African Republic and it is becoming an accommodating practice. In fact, Central Africans are amongst the people oriented toward a culture of shame and also relational solidarity, so they settle administrative harassments by corruption. On the one hand, corruption is seen in Galatians (6:8) as a description of the temporary character or the deterioration of the creation “its eternal ruin”, and on the other hand, it shows hearts, altered by sin, that are corrupted and that drag men into reprehensible acts causing their loss (Romans 8:21; 2 Philippians 2:12 & 19). In other words, “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Evidently, corruption can be considered as an indication of moral decadence or a depravity of morals.
The adaptation to corruption shows how hearts are depraved by sin. It can therefore be deducted that corruption is also an element of the Central African animist culture. Kalemba (2012:3) argues that corruption is practiced by distinguished personalities especially to “elevated levels of responsibility and the second report is that children grow up in this corrupt environment and lean towards these strong, intelligent and valorous bribers, therefore they choose the way to success by corruption more than by studies and work”. The current CAR government that have been democratically elected since 30 March 2016 can demonstrate its political maturity by promoting good governance through working according to the constitution by applying it in a strict fashion and by primarily seeking to satisfy the interest of the people. The rulers can avoid embezzling government money and avoiding diverting foreign aid and public goods that are the heritage of the Central African people. They can avoid favoring their own relatives and their kindred and their own region. They have to adequately respond to the real needs of the people.
The actions of the government can fully benefit the Central African people. The policy of destruction can finally be banished and replaced by a policy of development at all levels in the country. Poor governance can be replaced by good governance, social injustice by good socio-economic and political justices. Usurpation of appointments may be banned. The government can work with people based on their intellectual merit and their actual professional competence and moral integrity.
Qualified graduates can be quickly employed, appointed and used for socio-economic and community development. Those who are poorly educated and the illiterate can receive financial aid from the government to expand trade, culture, livestock and income-generating activities to enable CAR to reach their real community development. The government can adopt a good vision to establish the Community development policy. The issue of development can not only remain theoretical but become practical.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Definitions of the key concepts used in the research
1.3 Partial conclusion
2: BACKGROUND TO MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Overview of the Central African Republic
2.3 Historical background to mission in Central African Republic
2.4 Partial Conclusion
CHAPTER 3: MISSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND CHURCH MISSION
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Causes of community development challenges
3.3 Partial Conclusion
Chapter 4: MISSIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Social plan
4.3 Political plan
4.4 Economic plan
4.5 Missional model
4.6 Partial Conclusion
CHAPTER 5: GENERAL CONCLUSION  BIBLIOGRAPHY 
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