Families who have fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are receiving basic necessities.
Doug Anderson is the Samaritan’s Purse country director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
January, 2013—My position here in the Democratic Republic of the Congo requires me to spend much time at our office in Bunia behind a desk and in meetings. But the best days are when I get out to visit our teams on the front lines as they compassionately serve the people of this needy nation.
Recently, in the village of Bwanasura, our team helped 1,200 families fleeing violent conflict. Each family received essential household items (pots and pans, blankets, and water containers), enabling them to take care of themselves in their new temporary homes. It was a moving experience to watch mothers with babies on their backs, hoisting the heavy sacks onto their heads and walking off home down the muddy road.
Women who came to collect the necessities impressively lifted the heavy items onto their heads while carrying their babies.
One of those we helped is Kaswera Kaghumira, a farming woman with five children. She told us that all her life she had few resources to provide for her children. She became a Christian at a young age, and recently, after many years of praying, her husband also came to faith.
Sadly, rebels raided their village and took her husband, and she had to flee to Bwanasura. She came on this day to receive blankets, cooking utensils, a water filter, a hygiene kit and some clothes.
“What a blessing!” she said. “My life has been very hard. My sister let me sleep in a little hut with only a banana leaf to cover me. Now I have a real blanket! You have given me joy that I hadn’t known before!”
Our hardworking teams are developing new strategies with local churches to help these people not only with their pressing physical needs but also with their spiritual needs. I’m so privileged to serve here with the Samaritan’s Purse family. I pray that God uses us to draw multitudes to Himself.
