Following his residency, Dr. Galloway became director of a comprehensive health care project serving 50,000 poor residents in Beaufort and Jasper counties in South Carolina from 1971-1974. He then joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to develop a rural health program in Kasai from 1974-1977. He returned to the United States and worked for another comprehensive health program in Davenport, Iowa for two years.

In 1979, he entered the Missionhurst Novitiate in Arlington, Va. He took vows to become a Brother on Aug. 24, 1980 in the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at their United States headquarters in Arlington, Va. He was sent to the Province of Inongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he lived and worked in the Pendjua sector serving the Pygmy and Bantu people for 27 years. Realizing that the Pygmy children would not advance without schooling, he set up schools in the area which also included boarding homes.

His work in the Congo was recognized in July 2005 when he was presented with the Medical College of Wisconsin/Marquette Medical Alumni Association’s Humanitarian Award. The award was given in recognition of his unselfish service to thousands of Pygmy and Bantu people of the Congo.

Dr. Galloway raised the level of health care in his 27 years in the Congo. He taught nurses diagnosis and therapy, shared his expertise with Congolese physicians and trained many “barefoot doctors” – young Pygmy men with a 4th to 7th grade education. The men received 10 week’s training in basic first aid, health education, examination and other areas. Dr. Galloway dealt with obscure diseases, scarce technology and political unrest. He always emphatically stated that his years in the Congo were the happiest, most fulfilling of his life. Bishop Phillip Nkiere, CICM called Dr. Galloway the “Apostle of the Pygmies” – a name well deserved.

Kent has a BS in Accounting, CPA certificate, and MBA. He recently retired as the CFO of The ICEE Company, and serves on the Board for Creative Hope International. Dr. Jerry Galloway was Kent’s second cousin. In 2009, Kent received all the letters that Jerry wrote home during his 27 years in the Congo serving as a doctor and missionary. After reading the letters, Kent knew he must write Jerry’s story. Kent has participated in mission trips to Uganda and Zimbabwe. These trips have given him some insight on what Jerry encountered in the Congo. Kent has done additional research on the Pygmies and has communicated with those who knew Jerry in the Peace Corps and in the Congo. These ongoing contacts will provide more “back story” to the letters. It is Kent’s desire that all net proceeds from future sales of the book go to support the Pygmies.