The New Commander - Part 2 of 2 (2001)

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

I have been so busy I did not put out my simple Christmas decorations until Christmas Eve. The temperatures have been in the mid-90s all month with horrendous humidity. I cannot remember a hotter December.

I made rounds on Saturday and went to the office to help Richard. The new, young commander from Kiri arrived with a male army nurse and wanted to buy some medicines for its dispensary. The commander asked me how the new group of six soldiers behaved. When I had met with him in Kiri, I gave the commander a litany of complaints about how badly the soldiers treated the people. I recalled the commander's response, saying, "things will be different."

The new group of soldiers was no better. They became drunk every night, stole ducks and chickens, and raped the young girls. I told the commander everything and said, "Your soldiers do not deserve to be called CAF – Congolese Armed Forces, but should be called CAB – Congolese Armed Brigands." The commander did not laugh. "Why are your soldiers here?" I continued. "To protect you," was his response.

I laughed. "Those drunks could not protect me. Ten Botoa hunters could eliminate them with their poison arrows in a matter of minutes." The commander did not laugh at that remark, either. "May I buy some medicines?" he asked with a solemn face. "Sure, but only if you replace the six drunkards with five soldiers who do not drink." He conceded, "I don't think I can find five such soldiers, but I will try."