Democratic Republic of Congo Emergency Response

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has worked in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo for many years. It has an ongoing, long-term commitment to support the work of The United Methodist Church there as it ministers to the needs of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in their country. Partnering with Action by Churches Together (ACT) and private donors, UMCOR helps provide scholarships, mentoring and educational support to 1500 primary school girls unable to pay school fees.

You can support UMCOR's ministries in the Democratic Republic of Congo by giving to Advance #198400. One hundred percent of your gift goes to this emergency. The generous giving of United Methodists to the One Great Hour of Sharing supplements the cost of Advance gifts. Give through your local United Methodist church or send financial contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation..

Photo: UMCOR has distributed seeds for crops such as lettuce, maize, beans, groundnuts, rice, soybean and cabbage to farmers in the region around Pweto in Katanga province. Programs such as this are of vital importance in a country which has seen such widespread and prolonged conflict. Many people have lost everything they possessed so it is imperative that they receive assistance which will enable them to provide for themselves and their families. Credit: UMCOR/DR Congo, October 2003.

News

• "Thank You, Methodists": A Bishop Solidifies the Peace in Democratic Republic of Congo, UMCOR, December 3, 2004.
• Democratic Republic of Congo, UMCOR NGO: Current Programs.
• UMCOR Hotline, June 22, 2004.
• UMCOR Hotline, June 15, 2004.
• UMCOR Hotline, June 8, 2004.
• United Methodist Bishops Meet, Pray, with President of Congo, UMNS, November 7, 2003.
• Photos from UMCOR DRC Projects in Katanga Province, November 2003.
• UMCOR Hotline, October 10, 2003.
• Reminders of God's love in the Democratic Republic of Congo by David and Lori Persons, GBGM missionaries, April 14, 2003.
• Missionaries Rely on Faith Amid Dangers by Steve Smith, United Methodist Reporter, January 31, 2003.
• UMCOR Hotline, October 4, 2002.
• UMCOR Hotline, July 26, 2002.
• UMCOR Hotline, March 15, 2002.
• Schools and Homes Top Priority in Devastated Goma, ACT, January 30, 2002.
• Churches Offer Shelter in Goma, ACT, January 28, 2002.
• United Methodists in Congo, Rwanda Suffer from Volcano, UMNS, January 23, 2002.
• ACT members Ready to Help, but Safety Worries Linger, ACT, January 22, 2002.
• Congolese Return to Goma Despite Fears for Their Safety, ACT, January 21, 2002.
• The Ravages of War and Challenges of Recovery in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, UMCOR Inasmuch Update, Fall 2001

  Peace Initiative Archives
  

• Congo Bishop Asks U.S. Churches to Make Peace a Priority, UMNS, July 28, 2000
• Congolese Church Leaders and the Peace Negotiations by Brenda Wilkinson, GBGM, June 16, 2000
• Final Declaration, Kinshasa, March 11, 2000
• Final Recommendations, Kinshasa, March 11, 2000
• Congo Religious Leaders Work for Peace by Linda Bloom, UMNS, January 27, 2000
• Congolese Religious Leaders' Position on the War, January 25, 2000
  A substantial position statement concerning the religious leaders' stance.

News Archives


• DR Congo, GBGM News.
• DR Congo/Zaire News Archives (1996-1999).

Offsite News

• Bush Targets Illicit Diamonds, BBC, April 26, 2003.
• Mortality in the DR Congo: Results from a nationwide survey, International Rescue Committee, April 8, 2003.
• War Adds 1.7 Million Deaths in Eastern Congo, Study Finds, New York Times, June 9, 2000
• CHAOS IN CONGO: A primer, Armies Ravage a Rich Land, Creating Africa's 'First World War,' The New York Times, February 6, 2000.
  An excellent, in-depth overview of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  Ongoing News

• Africa News Service Congo (Kinshasa)
• Yahoo Full Coverage: Democratic Republic of Congo
• Relief Web: Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). When a disaster strikes, it features news from UMCOR and other relief agencies.
  

Backgrounders and Church Resources

• You Can Help Disaster Victims, More about UMCOR
• For the Healing of the Nations, a worship service from UMCOR to celebrate churches in solidarity with uprooted peoples
• Immigrants and Refugees: To Love the Sojourner, A resolution of The United Methodist Church with Biblical bases
• Rape: A Weapon of War, An Opinion Article by Mulegwa Zihindula, GBGM
  When one thinks of weapons used in war, little or no thought is given to the fact that rape is another weapon used in warfare. This paper focuses on conflicts in Africa.
• Rape in Times of Conflict and War, The United Methodist Church
  A denominational statement about mass rape being used increasingly as a weapon of war.