Arizona sun., 1962-08-09
COngo's Gentle Soldier
By Robert L. Niklads


al court of Belgium. from a
meek child to a beribboned army
officer. from answering faith
in Christ to sudden entrance into
the presence of his Saviour-this
was the path taken by African JUS
tim N'Kokolo, a lieutenant colonel
in the Congolese army who died in
November 1860.
Col. N'Kokolo would have ranked
high in any army He was a calm
and wise, leader in the midst of
Congo's chaotic civil war, and an
honest and peaceful man in a tide
of corruption and brutality. To
his good friends, it was plain that
faith had produced his greatness,
and that his God had strategically
planned his life from his surprise
entry into the army to the final
military tribute at his grave.
Justin N'KokOlo was born into
Christian home in 1918. His father
was a deacon and later a pastor
of Christian and Missionary Al
lance Church in Congo. Even JUS
tins boyhood was characterized
by gentleness and sensitive re-
straint. He stood quietly by and
rofnped out of childhood.
His spiritual crisis was also quiet
His father could not recall when
Justin had his personal encounter
with Jesus Christ, but there was
no doubt that he had met God. He
joined the church and was jealous
in serving the Lord. Justin and
his father became a familiar team
on the circuit of quarterly meet
ings. In time Justin began sub
stituting in the pulpit when his
certain Justin N'Kokolo was head
ed for the ministry.
But in 1886 the village chief was
ordered by the local administrator
to provide two strong young men
fer the army. The canny chief
knew, better than to ask for vol
unteers. Instead, he picked two
promising youths and sent them
to the state post at Tshela for
road work" Justin was one of
the two chosen. q
Not till the. physical examina-
tion was over and the order signed
did the two realize the trick. Then
it was too late. At the age of %,
young N'Kokolo was sworn into La
Force Publique, the French-su-
pervised army. w 'as
No'o1e seemed more untitled and
unprepared for the brutal rigorS
of army life than Justin. He was
gentle, retiring, and he wanted
to preach. These qualities are ro-
dinarily unknown to men paid 20
fight and kin. 1t seemed BUT al
matter of time before N'Kokola's
Christian integrity would choke I'M
the dust of army sordidness.
Boot camp did not dim N'Kokola
testimony What it did do was to
stir a hidden quality in him
courage, the protective big broth
er of his sensitive nature. Because
of his qtiiet fearlessness, men
took him seriously and his teStiI
mony continued vigorous and unsoilI
ed.
Justin emerged from training AM
excellent soldier He surpassed his
fellows, in Workmanship. Officers
were impressed with his'diligence|
in following orders. A military
journal remarked: For him; pro-
fessional and religious obligations
were sacred. " The pattern of his
life was set; courage in duty;
gentlenesS in character
Congo, as Belgian colony, was
sucked into the holocaust of World
War II when Hitler Overran Europe
and La Force Publique was sent
to haraSS Italy'S troops in Ethiopia.
The marching columns wound out
of Congo and pushed northward
until they drew up before the Ita
liam lines. Three sharp campaigns
followed, and the Italians were
sent reeling from their positions
and fleeing in terror.
One story concerning N'Kokoio
was circulated soon after. he was
assigned to an artillery unit The
battery was sending salvo after
Salvo screaming after the enemy
Then one of the guns jammed. The
battery officer drew the men a.
round him. Someone, he said, had
to unlock the jammed breech and
remove the shell. Its tricky busi-
ness he warned, land whoever
tries it may be killed"
He then asked for a volunteer.
NlOkOlD stepped forward. The
other soldiers melted away from
the gun and he set about delicate
ly to disarm the menacing weapon.
Time held its breath as the 0ung
soldier tinkered with death. Then
the breech swung open and the
shell slid smoothly out.