Marriage is words—and affectionate practices

Lessons from Congo on enhancing sex in marriage

Authors

  • Sidonie Swana Tangiza Tenda
  • Sylvia Shirk Chalres

Keywords:

sexuality, congo, marriage

Abstract

This article was translated from French by Sylvia Shirk Charles, pastor of Manhattan (NY) Mennonite Fellowship, who is Mama Swana’s partner in a Sister Link program—coordinated by Mennonite Women USA and Mennonite World Conference—that connects African women theologians with counterparts in the U.S. The article is excerpted from an essay published in the book La petite fille, la femme, la religion et le VIH-SIDA en Afrique: Théologiennes à l’Epreuve des Beautés Africaines, by the Cercle des Théologiennes Africaines Engagées.

Author Biographies

Sidonie Swana Tangiza Tenda

Married in 1976, Sidonie Swana Tangiza Tenda (Falanga) and Leonard Falanga have raised four daughters, now ages 18 to 28. Mama Swana is chaplain at the Christian University of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) secondary school, president of  the Congolese Association of Protestant Women Theologians, secretary of the Association of Mennonite Women Theologians of Congo, and chaplain to the Mennonite Women’s Federation of Kinshasa. She is a member of the Congo Mennonite Church.

Sylvia Shirk Chalres

Sylvia Shirk Charles, pastor of Manhattan (NY) Mennonite Fellowship, is Mama Swana’s partner in a Sister
Link program—coordinated by Mennonite Women USA and Mennonite World
Conference—that connects African women theologians with counterparts in the U.S.

Published

2008-10-01