Elaine Aitken
Missionary to The Congo
Elaine Aitken
In 1942, when I was ten, I began to attend Holbrooks Sunday school and in 1947 I became a Christian.
I did my teacher training at Ripon and taught for two years in a Junior School in Coventry. During that time I was involved in most of the church activities.
I trained for missionary work at the WEC College in Glasgow and was accepted by WEC International for the then Belgian Congo in 1958. A year’s French course in Brussels followed and I arrived at Ibambi in the north east of Congo in December 1959.
I taught Primary and then Secondary School pupils until the end of 1964 when we were caught up in a rebellion and were finally rescued by Mike Hoare’s mercenaries.
In 1966 I started a teacher training school at Ibambi and taught there until 1977. In 1978 I inspected our church schools and in 1979 I became school co-ordinator. From early 1975 I cycled out into the surrounding area in my free time to do evangelism.
In 1983 I returned home to care for my father and did supply teaching in Coventry Primary Schools.
After my father’s death early 1995 I was able to return to Ibambi where I directed and taught in a Bible School. During that time we were evacuated twice due to the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I retired in July 2004.
I continue to attend Holbrooks Evangelical Church where I am Missionary Secretary and Church Representative for Open Doors. I keep in touch with Congolese friends and help where I can. I am a ‘retiree’ in WEC International and so keep in touch for prayer with what is happening in the countries where WEC is working.
Elaine