Mennonite Weekly Review

War in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters over the past 12 years. Now, as the country’s situation deteriorates again, Congolese and North American Mennonites are building paths of peace and cooperation.

These efforts come in two parts: 1) bringing material aid and doing peace work in the war zone, and 2) forming closer relationships between U.S. and Congolese Mennonite churches.

Congo’s problems are longstanding, complex and severe. War fueled by ethnic rivalry and competition for mineral resources has plagued the eastern part of the country for more than a decade. The violence has claimed more than 5 million lives since 1996. For five years, ending in 2003, nine nations fought in Congo. Now fears of a new regional war are growing.

In September, after a peace agreement broke down, rebel leader Laurent Nkunda launched an offensive against government forces. Human rights observers say atrocities by both sides against civilians are on the rise again. Tens of thousands of refugees around the city of Goma are vulnerable to robbery, rape and murder. A United Nations’ peacekeeping force of 17,000 has been ineffective.

International media reports find few hopeful signs in Congo. The country’s plight remains virtually unknown to most North Americans. This is all the more reason why Mennonites should not neglect Congo’s great needs. Our own agencies, and members of our wider Mennonite circle of faith in Congo, need our support to shine the light of Christ.

Mennonite Central Committee is providing $280,000 in food aid to displaced people in eastern Congo. It is also assisting the relief and peace work of Congolese Mennonites. These efforts included a trip by four church leaders to displacement camps in the east. Congolese Mennonites — who number 216,000, second only to the United States on the Anabaptist membership list — live mostly in the western part of the country. MCC also is supporting the Church of Christ in Congo to help Rwandan militants disarm and leave eastern Congo.

Another initiative involving North American Mennonites is a four-member Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation scheduled to arrive in Congo in early December.

Perhaps Christian relief and peace projects such as these can show how to solve problems in ways that governments and armed forces cannot.

Here in North America, our connections with Congo are not limited to crisis assistance. Members of Mennonite Church USA can affirm closer relations between their denomination and two conferences of Mennonites in Congo. Two MC USA leaders traveled to Congo last month, following up on a 2007 visit that began a process of seeking unity, cooperation and the sharing of spiritual and material gifts.

Those who try to make peace, ease suffering and build relationships in Congo take on huge challenges. Congo’s plight is beyond our solving, but we trust God will bless these attempts. With our sister churches there, we accept a calling not to let Congo be forgotten.