John B Franz

Congo Shadows John B Franz

Nick Warren is desperate to find his ex-missionary father, separated from him during Congo's volatile independence four years earlier. Missing his father and homesick for Africa, Nick returns to search for him during a dangerous time of civil war in the young nation: the 1964 Simba rebellion. Two friends from his childhood plus a Mennonite volunteer worker join the former MK in his risky quest. Their trek exposes them to the rigors of rural Africa and ultimately to the horrors of civil war, challenging the young adults' resilience and core beliefs. Like Congo itself, Nick and his companions are faced with moral dilemmas, dark shadows in need of illumination. The perilous journey concludes with the historic Stanleyville rescue by Belgian paratroopers of 1,600 expatriates held captive for 111 days. What began as a quest for relationship ends with surprises and new spiritual benefits. Author_Bio: John Franz spent four years living and working in Congo/Zaire as a young adult. He taught American dependents, managed a dorm for missionary children, learned to speak Lingala and absorbed many stories of Congo's early days. These experiences inform his writing, as do insights from graduate degrees he holds in social work and psychology. Dr. Franz is retired from a career as a university professor and counselor. His two memoirs (Congo Dawn & The Mango Bloom, Outskirts Press) describe his Congo adventures. He resides in Clovis, California with his wife, BJ, a former MK from Congo. They have two grown daughters. He enjoys cycling, travel, nature photography and his four grandchildren. Keywords: DRC Congo, Congo civil war, Stanleyville, hostage rescue, reconciliation, forgiveness, pacifism, Third Culture Kids, mercenaries, missionaries