An porn issue of Jehova’s Witnesses’ magazine.

It was a first for me, living in a society where people don’t read. And the result is quite stunning. People’s facts are rumors, beliefs and witchcraft. There are almost no books or other form of literature made available or affordable for most Congolese.

If they can read, they will. For example, in Kinshasa, people sell photocopied newspapers cheaper than their originals. Or you’ll see groups of men reading the headlines of papers laid out on the street. A dollar a newspaper is simply too expensive for the average income of two bucks a day.

If it's free, they will read. The Bible is widely available and even more so is Réveillez-vous!, the French edition of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Watchtower. The country is littered with the Witnesses’ propaganda.

An easier read than the Old Testament, Réveillez-vous! combines simple articles with color photos. For example, you see a black guy with a white kid petting a lion in paradise. The person in the background effortlessly picks up fruits from a tree. Everybody is smiling and radiates with serene happiness. Except for the conservative clothing, paradise looks awesome.

The content covers ethical questions, people’s successful miracle recoveries, do’s and don’ts and cataclysmic scenarios. It takes real questions head on: how to deal with porn, depression, how to keep your job, links science to religion, how to be happy in your marriage, etc.

Be reminded, Hell exists but it’s never too late to save yourself. The road to heavens is paved with free literature. Not bad of a deal for a country with nothing to read.