Racism (1998)

Excerpt from the draft of “Apostle to the Pygmies – The Doctor Jerry Galloway Story”

An incident occurred in school. A Botoa boy answered the teacher's questions correctly, and an Ekonda boy was jealous. He told the Botoa boy, "We have had enough of Brother Jerry's Pygmies." The Botoa boy called him a racist. After class, the Ekonda boy threatened to beat up the Botoa boy. The Botoa boy knocked him down with a right uppercut punch. The Ekonda boy sustained a small scratch on his face. His parents took the Botoa boy to court. Since all the judges were Ekonda, they made the Botoa boy's family pay a hefty fine.

Afterward, 40 Botoa boys wanted to quit high school. I had a long talk with them. I convinced them their education was too important to allow the Ekonda to ruin their future. Then, we prayed for patience and courage in the face of these acts of racism. Afterward, many Ekonda boys told me they sided with the Botoa boy, and did not think the fine was fair.

Later, the boarding home director told me the boys again planned to return home. The principal and some teachers admonished a group of Botoa students who they thought were proud and arrogant. They told the Botoa students that if they thought their education would change their social status, they were dreaming. They said the Botoa were inferior to the Bantu, and would always be servants, even if they had an education. The boys decided there was no point in school if the principal and teachers were against them. I was furious. I went to the boarding home and told the students that no one could keep them from advancing. I urged them not to quit just because some people were jealous. As I tried to sleep, I reminded myself to keep the faith.