Please help us build 3 churches for displaced believers in the camps around Goma

Last week we gathered the Anglican pastors who are working in the camps in the outskirts of Goma. We wanted to hear how they were and how we could better help them. 

These camps house many of the 700,000 internally displaced people who have fled the fighting in the last 2 years. The three camps where we as a diocese support the church are : Lushgala, Rusayo and Bulengo. Each church has around 100 people. The majority in these camps have come from the frontline in Masisi which is the worst affecrted by the fighting and where more than 10 of our parishes have emptied in the last 6 months. Those from the same villages and churches often find themselves next to each other and naturally meet together to pray and worship.

For food and shelter they rely on the larger internatinoal aid agencies. But the pastors wanted to be able to gather all of the believers together for worship, to teach and encourage them. Each church asked for Bibles, prayer books, song books and drums. And we were able to find some for each church in time for last Sunday. Above are the believers in Rusayo meeting together. 

The urgent need to build 3 churches

But the believers also want to build churches. In Lushagala when they were provided with $45 each from a partner organisation, many gave $2-3 to buy tarpaulin sheets so they could have a covered space to meet for prayer. But these sheets wear out very quickly. 

Each of the 3 pastors has already managed to get the agreement of the head of camp to provide them with a space to meet and to put up a church building if they are able to find the resources. And each of them came to us with the request for us to help them build a more solid building, even if temporary. We want to be able to build 3 churches to last a number of years, but also to be able to dismantle them and use the materials elsewhere when needed. Each 5m x 7m church, made of wooden planks and corrugated iron roofing, will cost $1,250 / £1,000. And could fit 150 people on makeshift wooden benches. 

Could you help us build three churches for those who have been discplaced? We would love to be able to do this as soon as possible. If you can give, please click here. 

Thank you

Thank you as always to all who read the updates, take time to respond, and who pray and give to the work in Goma.

Martin, Anthea, Silas, Zachary and Imogen