Excerpt from draft of "Apostle to the Pygmies – The Doctor Jerry Galloway Story”
We left for Lofokoloko (yes, that is the actual name) on July 18th, the most difficult destination to reach on our trip. We could only take the jeep as far as Tweya, and then had to go on foot for four hours through the dense forest. We stayed in Lofokoloko for two nights to recuperate for the return trip. The Ekonda there were much more prejudiced toward the Batwa than in the other places we had been. When we arrived in the village, the people gathered to shake hands. A group of young men shook my hand and then Mfutu’s hand. When Luba extended his hand, they all withdrew theirs. I turned toward Luba, whose face was full of anger, and then a few tears tumbled down his cheek.
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Kango motema (have courage, hang in there),” I told him kindly. I then gave him a cigarette, took out some matches and lit it for him. The Ekonda were astonished. I did this as a small sign to show them that this white man regards the Batwa as his equal and that Christ came to serve all people.
Luba and I went off to the nearest Batwa village for the day. I told the people living there that in God’s eyes everyone was equal, and they were all children of the God who created all. The people yelled and shouted with joy after hearing that, then proceeded to tell me their woes and problems that they had with the Ekonda. Luba prayed for the Ekonda, that God would change their hearts, and he also forgave them for insulting and slighting him.
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