Bolobo

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Bolobo is a town on the Congo River in Mai-Ndombe Province, in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 31,366.[1] It was visited by Henry Morton Stanley on his trip down the Congo river in the 19th century. Pioneering missionary work was carried out by members of the Baptist Missionary Society, including George Grenfell operating from the steamer "Peace". Another pioneering missionary was A.N. Whitehead [known as "Moteyi Nkasa" in Bobangi], who was responsible for the production of a Grammar and Dictionary in that language. The predominant tribe is that of the Banunu, who originate from upriver and whose language Bobangi was the former trade language for the area and is used in worship in the two Protestant Churches Ngamakala and Ncasa; there are also smaller prayer chapels in the various wards of the town that are used for early morning prayers and for special services in the week during Holy Week. Lingala, the main lingua franca of the Republic of the Congo, is now used for trading and inter-tribal communication. Other local tribal groupings include the Bateke and Basengele, who have their own Bantu languages. The Baptist Missionary Society established a Hospital, Primary and Secondary Schools, a printing press, and a Bible Institute for training Pastors. It was served by ex-patriate personnel from Britain and some Peace Corps workers from the USA until economic and political conditions deteriorated in the 1990's. The Baptist churches are part of the Communauté Baptiste du Fleuve Congo [CBFC], a constituent member of the Eglise du Christ au Congo [ECC]. There is also a Catholic Church that was established by European missionary priests and sisters, including from Belgium, the former colonial power.