Church Plant

 Pastor Raha, the one on the left, is standing in front of the newest Church Plant in the eastern region of the D.R. Congo.

The people of the region have had no church in their area for 7 years! 

They are so welcoming for this New Life church coming close enough to reach their children and community!

The Amsterdam Declaration:

"We pledge ourselves to work so that all persons on earth may have the opportunity to hear the Gospel in the language they understand, near where they live. We further pledge to establish healthy, reproducing, indigenous churches among every people, in every place, that will seek to bring to spiritual maturity those who respond to the Gospel message."

Forgive me for the long silence. We have had a few issues with our last distribution. 

All was resolved last week and 1,040 people received one month’s food aid for their families!

We are so thankful to God for making this possible!

Perhaps we will have stories to share in the next few weeks?

For now, here are the photos of people receiving food supplies….

People waiting to take food aid home. You have never met them, and yet it is your provision sitting at their feet, going home to feed their families!

There have been 1,040 people identified for aid. They bring in a small group at a time, the others remain outside the gates. It took two days to distribute everything.

Together Building Africa and all its supporters want to send our deepest appreciation to Pastor Raha, first of all, for his powerful leadership, and all the skills he has to organize something of this magnitude!!

He formed a capable team, located a place for distribution, obtained all the supplies, and had everything guarded safely. Thank you Pastor Raha, may God reward you!

For all the team who worked together to make this happen, TBA sends its thanks and applause for your excellent support. You were being the hands of Jesus to the people He loves! 

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire 

           and the power to do what pleases Him.

We send our love, and thanks to our brothers and sisters in the Congo!

It has been the privilege of Together Buiding Africa to help widows survive and gain dignity. Our program operates under the able leadership of Mapendo, the one whose vision motivated us to respond to this great need.

The senior widows are often invisible and excluded in society, leading to serious economic hardship. The program is called Tupende Wazee (Swahili for 'loving our seniors'). Since its inception, these women have been fed and cared for, found friendship, and become visible. They testify to restored health and strength. 

These are the faces of the lives you have changed!

Thanks to our supporters!!

 

 Dear Friends;

We have been able to send further aid for food and water. 

Added to the crushing urgency of keeping people alive, our team members are dealing with the loss of family members, resulting in a delay in organizing the distribution. However, we expect to hear reports in a few days. 

The suffering and needs of thousands of displaced people and their children are beyond what we can imagine! This remains a staggering humanitarian crisis!

They continue to need our prayers!

 

June 24, update

 Here is the latest report from Pastor Raha Muzibao, in Bukavu, D.R. Congo;

Many people from Goma fled 180km south to Bukavu seeking safety and shelter.

Their situation remains critical. Millions of displaced people are starving, face hunger and hardship. 

There are thousands of families living in unfinished buildings with their children without food, drinking water and their life condition deteriorates daily.

We are so thankful for the assistance from local and international organizations as well as our Congolese government, but the reality is that the needs are so immense, beyond human imagination! 

These displaced people and their children are facing a great humanitarian crisis due to severe hunger and lack of proper sanitation.

——————-

Suzan’s testimony

My name is Suzan, I am 43, a mother of 6 children, a widow my husband died in civil war in North Kivu.

May 22, 2021 as the radio announced that Nyiragongo volcano erupted, people must immediately leave their homes and evacuate the areas.

I didn’t know what would happen to me and my family. I was out of my mind with fear. I left my poor home carried out with me my 6 children. We left empty-handed.

Imagine, following thousands of people running away to save their lives. One day of walking, and we were very exhausted out of energy. A miracle took place as I saw an old lorry headed to Bukavu. I took courage and jumped in together with the children. It’s all that I can remember. We sat down..... there were no benches, just an empty lorry.

 I arrived in Bukavu with my 6 children and other displaced people. I now have nowhere to go, I am staying in an unfinished building without beds, chairs, and other basic necessities

It is true that the volcano eruption brought a lot of discomfort and loss of any hope (especially in going back to Goma…. to nothing! Our houses are now unrecognizable and in a stone shape.)

The love that people have shown is overwhelming but the question remains on how to survive in a new environment with no job and nothing to stand on, children in need, and many other necessities. 

Unimaginable suffering! All we can do is ask for help from people with charitable hearts who are willing to assist. 

We believe that it is only if we hold hands and pray that we the affected community of Goma can find hope again and be able to move forward. But before that happens we need you to walk with us and hold our hands. 

Raha Muzibao 

Wezesha Foundation DRC

update June 17.....

This report is from Pastor Raha, Bukau, DRC

Together Building Africa has quickly responded positively to the need working together with Wezesha Foundation (a micro-finance program) to assist thousands of displaced families who have reached the city of Bukavu. Pastor Raha Muzibao and the team worked urgently on the following; 

1. Identification of displaced people: more than 400 hundred needy families children included were identified for immediate basic needs such as food, water, and bedsheets 
2. Registration of needy families; the most vulnerable families were registered and given a green card in order to access food distribution the next day
3. Procurement of food: it was supplied locally by local sellers  
4. Distributions: Our distributions were conducted on the church’s ground just in front. Distributions events were open to the public for transparency and fair distribution to all. 155 families got food packages. According to displaced testimonies, our food packages were so enough to feed a family for a month. 
5. Beneficiaries: 155 families, 1240 indirect beneficiaries received food with great success. 

The situation remains so bad and overwhelming, Goma’s displace families still present an urgent humanitarian need. So many individuals are needing food, water, shelter, and medical supplies.

displaced people lined up to receive aid;