Conflict in the DRC

I work at the Center for Reconciliation, where my main project is planning a gathering in Bujumbura, Burundi, that will bring together Christian leaders from the African Great Lakes region (Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo) to talk about tribalism, ethnicity, and identity from a Christian vision. Over the past four or five years conflict and reconciliation have been some of the key issues that I have studied and sought to understand in the Church. For that reason, this job was a great opportunity to pursue those things more. For the first few weeks, I was captured by what I was learning and the chance to correspond with leaders in that region.

Nonetheless, over the last couple weeks, as the conflict in the DRC has become increasingly intensified, my theoretical “interest” in conflict and reconciliation has become a paralyzing reality. I knew before that violence is not merely theoretical – in fact seeing its impact on America with the 9/11 and the war in Iraq, and reading about the conflicts around the world, made me want to understand it better and eventually give my hand in the journey to peace in some way or another. But now that I’m communicating with people who are dealing with the consequences of the violence right now, I have paused a bit more than I do when I’m reading the news.

A couple days ago I had to correspond with pastor, Manasse Mbusa, from Goma, DRC, to ask him about transportation. After I had already sent the email, I realized that a question about conference logistics would be a bit trivial, to say the least, in light of the increase in violence. I still told him that we were praying for them at the Center for Reconciliation. The next day I was shocked to find a long email in my inbox from him. He told me that just yesterday rebels invaded Goma, looting shops, buses, and vehicles, and creating panic in the city. Mbusa and his people were hiding indoors while all this was happening. The NGO’s had fled the town for safety, and the UN troops may not be there for long, and there is a threat of humanitarian crisis, because there is very little food in the city.

Throughout this turmoil, Mbusa said he is asking the question “God, what will you have for me at home, in the street, at work, in my church, etc.?” He praying that God will provide food, and he is trying to mobilize the Church to minister to the people in the city. It is amazing to see his faith and the way that God is using him and the Church to be God’s presence amidst the violence.

I couldn’t believe that Mbusa emailed me back, but it made me realize that he wants people to know about what is going on. He wants us to pray for them. It’s amazing that we in the United States can, at least in very small degree, bear their burdens with them through our prayers. It shows how the body of Christ is global – how Christ’s body cannot experience something in Africa that doesn’t affect the rest of his body around the world. If we are not affected by that experience, we are not being Christ’s body.

We cannot deny that our experience as intercessors in the US does not compare with the trouble that the people in the DRC are experiencing. We must not romanticize what is happening there. What we can do here is have compassion for them, and pray for them. We can empathize with their pain and fear, and participate through our prayers and encouragement.