Rosemary Walker: Quebec Mobiliser for AIM and missionary to Comoro Islands, Kenya, Reunion Island, the DRC (Congo), and Tanzania, now retired and living in Montreal.
How a teacher in Quebec City ended up being a Rambling Rose.
Well, of course it didn’t hurt that I had an excellent, handsome French teacher from France at Forest Hill Collegiate, Toronto! ? Mr. Destiveau had the whole class speaking French by the time we graduated, and I continued with French at the U. of T. The summer before my last year of studies, I got a job at Simpson’s in down-town Montreal, right on Ste Catherine Street. I had a wonderful summer working, practising French, attending Expo ‘67, savouring fresh croissants and attending Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship with students from all over North America. That summer, I fell in love with Montreal.
The next fall, the Lord granted my prayer for a job in Montreal, and I taught French to English-speaking children in Dorval. The following year, through a contact made at Inter-Varsity’s Student Mission Conference at Urbana, Illinois, I found myself teaching English to French-speaking high school students in Fort-Lamy, Chad, fully supported by my home church, Knox Presbyterian, Toronto. These first two years of teaching in Montreal and Chad set the die for my life. I’ve spent most of my working days since on two tracks – missions (at home and abroad), and working in English and French.
In March, 1976, I was drawing towards the end of my fifth year teaching in Quebec City when the phone rang in my basement apartment in Sainte-Foy.. It was the director of Africa Inland Mission (AIM), Rev. Peter Stam; who was looking for French-speaking teachers and medical personnel to serve in the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros. He explained that these three small islands in the Indian Ocean had recently declared their independence from France. Stunned, I answered, “Sir, I don’t even know where the Comoro Islands are – but I’ll pray about it.” As I prayed, the Lord spoke to my heart through verses such as Matthew 9:6, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” I figured, “If my neighbour across the road were sick, I should take him some soup. Comorians need teachers and the Gospel, so I should probably try to go.” I also realised that, while secondary schools in Comoros were not functioning at that point, my school probably wouldn’t collapse if I resigned.
So, I sent in my application praying that God would open all the doors and provide the support if He wanted me to go to the Comoros – and close them if He didn’t! I quit my teaching position for the following year, and sent out my first prayer letter. By the fall, I had my answer. The Lord had given me the support team I’d need for a two-year mission – two churches, family and friends. On November 16th, 1976, bidding my parents farewell at Toronto International Airport, I was off to Moroni, Grande-Comoro. I had no idea that a 44-year adventure with AIM had begun!
My first assignment was on Grande-Comore as secretary to the Director of Education in the Comoros. When, a year later, our team was thrown out of the Comoros for being too free in our witness to the young people, I finished my term as secretary to the principal of Pwani Bible Institute in Mombasa, Kenya. Returning home, I applied for long-time service, and since then, I’ve taught English in Bunia (DRC/Democratic Republic of Congo), Tanzania, Montreal, Toronto and Stoney Creek; and had the first English club in Bunia. From 1979 through 1990, and again from 1999 through 2015, as Quebec Mobiliser for Africa Inland Mission, I visited many churches, some as far away as Val d’Or, the Gaspé, and Acadia, NB, inviting believers to pray for Africa and to consider serving there.
In the ‘80s, six Quebeckers went out as long-term missionaries to Uganda, Zaïre and the Central African Republic. In 1999, based in Toronto to be near my aged parents, I started up an international Bible class which is still going strong today at Knox Church. As Quebec Mobiliser, I took summer teams to Reunion Island, Kenya, Chad and the DRC; and during my 29 years in that position, more than 40 Quebeckers went on short-term missions to Reunion Island, Kenya, Congo, Chad and Madagascar. I later got back into overseas ministries in the DRC, South Korea and Tanzania, my last assignment before retiring in December, 2020, was in Montreal, preparing texts for AIM’s new French web-site.
Serving with AIM has brought its surprises. When I arrived for the first time in Nairobi, Kenya, en route to the Comoros, no one met me at the airport! When I finally got to the Comoros, the director of education decided he needed a secretary; so I worked in the Department of Education instead of teaching. In 1977, when on Grande-Comoro, I witnessed lava flowing from a rare volcanic eruption- a huge molten river sliding slowly down the side of a mountain into the sea, destroying a village, but killing no one. A year after my arrival in Comoros, our team, composed of medical professionals and teachers, was put out of the “Perfume Islands” with one week’s notice, due to what was considered our bad influence on their young people. Later, in 1996, I was teaching at the English-teacher training college in Bunia when Laurent Kabila invaded the country from Rwanda and deposed the dictator, President Mobutu. We missionaries had to evacuate the country, crossing over into Uganda by car. In 1998, we again had to evacuate Bunia due to civil unrest and violent inter-tribal conflict. This time, AIM-AIR pilots came to our rescue at a small airstrip in a nearby village and flew us to Nairobi, Kenya, where I worked for a few months before returning home to Canada in time for Christmas with my family.
I still remember my aged parents sitting quietly near the door I was to come through at Toronto’s International Airport in December, 1998, waiting for their daughter to find them. Dad and Mom had never complained about my leaving them through the years, and they were my faithful prayer partners and supporters from first to last.. Still, I was very glad, after this second evacuation from the Congo, to again be assigned as Quebec Mobiliser; this meant that I was able to live in Toronto near Dad and Mom, and make safaris to Quebec.
During my forty-four years with AIM, I experienced three unexpected evacuations – from the Comoros in 1978, and twice from Bunia due to war in the Congo. In 1996, I lost almost every single thing I owned in Bunia – books, furniture, pictures, clothes, my 12-string guitar et al; but I remember being grateful that I hadn’t suffered a scratch during that stressful time of displacement. Then there was the unexpected, sudden departure from Bulima, Tanzania due to Covid. Each time. God, the AIM leadership, my supporters and prayer partners saw me through and helped me adapt to new circumstances and move on. I thank the Lord for enabling me to take the road less travelled, supported by the godly leadership of AIM and the love, prayers and financial support of my dear family and many beloved friends.
I have found these verses from the Psalms, given me when I was leaving for Comoros, to be true: Though I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me. I have also experienced the truth of our Lord’s teaching that it is more blessed to give than to receive. From knowing no one when I first went to Africa; I have been enriched by knowing, loving and working with countless missionaries and nationals, and I trust that I have been able to make some small difference in the lives of some of those with whom I’ve had the privilege of working.
Yes, I can only thank the Lord for that phone call back in 1976!
Posted June 2022
Related Projects
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Dear Friends, I’m now retired, but my “Cup of Cold Water” Project remains open with Africa Inland Mission Canada (AIM). I still hear of needs for practical help in Africa, and am grateful that AIM remains willing to accept funds for such worthy causes in Africa.
When on the ground in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania, I assisted individuals directly with school fees for adults and children, medical and dental fees, eyeglasses, an operation and stay in hospital, travel to get to the burial of a family member, food, a “gas bomb,” and Christian books for children, etc. Now back in Montreal, I’ve been focusing more on assisting students with academic fees (sent by AIM directly to the educational institute concerned), living expenses and the purchase of computers. As funds become available, I’d like to continue supporting such worthy causes and others that may arise in Africa. Thank you!
