NHC Updates

Every day our hearts are broken as we witness the devastating destruction and displacement taking place in Ukraine. Yet over 3800 miles from Kyiv, in South Kivu, Congolese men, women, and children are bravely enduring similar daily tragedies. Though bombs from a superpower do not rain from the Congo sky, the havoc created by unchecked warring tribal factions within the country results in the same devastation and loss. The people of both regions are engaged in a struggle to maintain hope in the face of great adversity. As followers of Jesus, we long to make a difference!

Dear BelPres family and friends,

We are excited to share how your donations are bringing health and hope in East Congo. THANK YOU for your amazing generosity with the congregation’s gift last May of over $300,000 to help with food relief and reconciliation efforts in this war-torn region. Together we have made a difference thanks to the dedicated work of our multi-tribal Congolese reconciliation team on the ground. Our unique multi-tribal approach is bringing hope and reconciliation to warring tribes. All tribes are treated equally, and all are represented on the leadership team.

New Hope Congo’s food distribution in Minembwe continues in the new year, assisting the vulnerable people affected by ongoing conflicts and regular displacements. Distribution is done in an equitable way among the Bafuliru, Banyindu, Banyamulenge and Babembe tribes. This work continues to foster reconciliation and unity that is contributing to the prevention of tribal divisions and violence. The local communities are very thankful to the donors and New Hope staff and local authorities for the assistance.

We’ve learned a lot in our first year of building the New Hope Reconciliation Center (NHRC) in Minembwe and thought you would enjoy these interesting tidbits.

• Bricks are made on the construction site from available soils. Laborers made 200,000 bricks to construct the Main Hall and Sanitary and the bricks were ‘burned’ in two kilns that were built on-site.
• Stones needed to construct the foundations were dug and moved about 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) by hand. Locals stepped in to carry the stones on their heads and backs because of a lack of vehicles or suitable roads.
• There are 94 local laborers – in addition to craftsmen – who have been hired to work on the project. By employing local labor, we are helping to provide much needed cash employment to the communities.
• It is customary after hard labor to provide soft drinks to the staff. One of the most popular brands in our area and in nearby Rwanda is Fanta – in fact, soft drinks are universally known there as Fanta.
• The African hoe is the ubiquitous tool used universally to dig – both for agriculture and construction. Look for people using hoes in our pictures.
• The construction season is year-round in our area of Minembwe but the transportation season is limited to June to September. During the other months roads are impassable due to significant rains.
• There are sufficient people and resources available in our area to complete all projected construction in a single season if we receive adequate funding.

We are finishing the building of a community hall to provide a common space for gathering, worshipping, and learning. The center is being built on land donated by the Minembwe community leaders in anticipation of having a common gathering place. The building will be complete by 2022.

Hope is a precious gift. It is fragile. Adrien’s mother and Aimable’s parents, strong, faithful people who have been born and raised in South Kivu but forced to flee to another East African country, are finding fresh hope that they may be able to return to their homeland Minembwe one day in the near future. This “new hope” is fueled by what they hear from their sons here at New Hope Revival – that the Bel Pres ministry, New Hope Congo, sees their need and is responding. Adrien and Aimable are both members of the new Bel Pres New Hope Congo ministry.

Once again Alice fears for her life and those of her children in East Congo. In just a little over two years, Alice’s life has been devastated by loss, violence, and fear. In March 2018 she lost her husband to illness, brought on by the trauma the family suffered in South Kivu during attacks by rebel troops. She was forced to flee from her village to Minembwe with her five children, one still a baby. After a period of instability where food was scarce and housing was a day-to-day struggle, Alice found a new home in Minembwe with her children, moving into a 3-bedroom home, housing multiple families, sometimes with as many as 29 people finding haven.

A near-famine crisis level of hunger-severe malnutrition exists in East Congo.

According to the UN's World Food Program, decades of armed conflict are causing the crisis. Crops are burned, livestock stolen, homes are burned displacing many persons. New Hope Congo has the vision that God's shalom of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation will bring future peace. However, our reconciliation efforts by our in-Congo team are impacted until hunger and severe malnutrition are mitigated. Physical and spiritual needs are being addressed simultaneously.