Democratic Republic of Congo Tragedy - 2/16/22

On Thursday evening, February 3, 2022, 127 Congolese men, women, and children were killed by armed rebels during ethnic unrest in the Ituri province of DRC near Bunia. Two of the men killed were actively involved in translating Scripture for their language group. All of these 127 families are devastated, and living as refugees--internally displaced in their own country. Serve the Global Church is responding in partnership with the Union of Baptist Churches in Congo to meet the urgent physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. You can support our response through our Emergency 911 Fund on our Giving page.

Update 2/7/22 - Our church partners in DRC are requesting assistance with basic needs: 1. 1 bag of rice = $25 2. 3 bombas of beans= 15×3= 45$ 3. 3 mattresses= 30$×3=90$ 4. 1 can of oil= 40$ 5. 5 pieces of soap= 10$ 6. 5 packets of salt = $10 7. 6 masks = $6 8. 5 blanquets= $30×5= $150 9. 2 pairs of pans= 15×2= $30 10. 5 cups= 3×5=$15 11. 5 seedlings= 3×5 = $15 12. 1 tarp = $35 Total= $471 × 100 households = $47,100. Serve the Global Church is sending $10,357 (emptying our Emergency 911 Fund today) toward these needs. Obviously this falls far short of the needs. If you would like to help, please select Emergency 911 Fund from the dropdown menu on our Giving page. 100% of all funds designated for this purpose will go to the families in DR Congo. I'll update this page as I have more information.

Update 2/16/22 - Our initial response was sufficient to assist 27 families. Additional response will enable us to assist 25 more families this week. I am also aware of another ministry that is responding to this tragedy with compassionate assistance.  Church leaders and Christians in Bunia are ministering personally to the bereaved refugees, and report that the flow of additional refugees into Bunia from surrounding battlefields is continuing. Thank you for remembering these dear brothers and sisters in prayer and through your stewardship.

Update 3/18/22 - So far, our partnership has assisted 57 families. See the photos of assistance at the bottom of this page. Here is a message from our partners in DRC, "The situation is still continue in bad way , all weeks, all days they are killing people in increasing numbers. The government is not helping those who fled from village to town for their safety . So in town now we have four big camps of displaced people. Children are begging in streets, other are become the streets children, other pregnant mother are giving birth in very bad conditions and other are dying because of lacking help. Other mothers are feeding their children with mud because of lacking of bread. Most thing we are asking from all our friends is to pray for this situations because only God can stop all this."

Update 3/28/22 - 14 killed last week. 18 more killed this week. Every week they have to dig another mass grave. Heartbreaking! Pray for God's mercy and intervention.

Update 5/10/22 - 159 reported killed yesterday in Mungwalu. Hard to imagine living amid this rampant violence. May God give them hope and rescue.