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'He's close to us': Wheelchair users in Africa await pope

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Paul Mitemberezi, a market vendor who has been disabled since he was 3 because of polio, leaves his house for the North Kivu Paralympic League, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tuesday January 17, 2023. [Courtesy of AP]

When Pope Francis arrives in Congo and South Sudan next week, thousands of people will take special note of a gesture more grounded than the sign of the cross. Watching from their wheelchairs, they will relate to the way he uses his.

The pope, who began using a wheelchair last year, is visiting two countries where years of conflict have disabled many, and yet they are among the world's most difficult places to find accessibility and understanding. His visit is heartening Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

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