In the last week of January, M23 rebels seized control of Goma, a border city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The ensuing violence and chaos of the situation have caused a humanitarian crisis, leaving people dead, displaced from their homes, and without basic necessities.
Love Justice has always been an organization dedicated to fighting the world’s greatest injustices, and also an organization that deeply believes in the power of prayer. Will you join us in praying for the situation in the DRC?
The situation in Goma
Since the rebel takeover, about 7,000 people have been killed, according to the DRC's Prime Minister. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes in a nation already sheltering many displaced people from prior conflicts.
This conflict is near to our hearts at Love Justice for another reason too—we were planning to launch a pilot transit monitoring station there just one week after the rebel takeover.
With poverty, instability, and displacement, many vulnerable populations are at risk of being trafficked into forced labor in the many mines of DRC’s mineral-rich land. Due to the recent takeover, it is too dangerous to proceed, and the pilot is paused for the time being.
The designated country champion (name withheld for security reasons) shared about the dire situation in a recent staff call. He was in a different part of the country at the time of the takeover, and since the rebels have seized the airport, he has no way of getting back home to Goma and to his family.
His family is among over 110,000 people who fled to nearby Bukavu, but even there they face danger from the rebel groups.
He shared what it’s like for people there right now—no access to clean water, food, or medicine. The banks have closed their doors, so even people with money are unable to retrieve it. There is no access to electricity or the internet.
“They are waiting and they are suffering,” he said.
He also told of some Christian organizations meeting and negotiating with the rebel groups, seeking to end the violence quickly.
“We still negotiate and see what God will do because God is the one who can fight injustice and He is the one who can bring peace,” he said. “Please pray for us, for Goma, for our families. It’s very bad. … I ask you, please pray for us so that God can change the situation.”
Update: The designated country champion was able to reunite with his family and they are all safe as of Feb 26.
Firsthand accounts of the suffering in Goma
Another Goma resident who would have helped pilot the new station said this:
“With borders closed, access to food and other goods has become a colossal challenge for residents. Tensions persist and the population lives in uncertainty, which makes daily life increasingly difficult. We hope that the situation will improve soon, but it is essential that the international community becomes aware of these difficulties and acts accordingly to help the affected populations. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.”
Here’s another update from that same resident, from Thursday, February 20:
“Every day, the city records new deaths—some due to robbery and others as acts of revenge. If someone had a conflict with a friend or another person, they use this period to settle scores by falsely accusing others, leading to their execution. The rebels do not have prisons to hold captives, so their only solution is to kill them. They are forcibly recruiting young people into their army without their consent. Just yesterday, they took young people from a school in Goma. Schools have reopened, but parents are afraid to send their children each morning because of this situation.
“Now, fighting has spread to South Kivu, in areas such as Uvira and Kamanyola, near the Burundi border. Last night, we slept to the sound of gunfire between robbers and rebels. Every house must now be registered, and residents are given a small paper that they must show whenever they leave their homes or move around town.”
As an organization on a mission to fight the world’s greatest injustices, we are deeply moved by the DRC’s plight and are in the process of sending some aid. We are working with local contacts to distribute food and basic supplies to 150 families in need. If you would like to support our ongoing efforts to fight injustice and protect the vulnerable in places like Goma, click the button at the bottom of this page to give.
We also want to call for prayer. We believe prayer is mighty and powerful, and we’ve seen tangible results from it. Will you join us in praying?
Prayer points:
- Comfort for the grieving: Pray for those who have lost loved ones and those injured in the conflict.
- Healing for the wounded: Physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for those receiving care in overwhelmed hospitals.
- Help for the displaced: Shelter, food, and safety for the hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
- Strength for aid workers: Protection, wisdom, and favor for those delivering humanitarian aid.
- Peace and stability: An end to the violence and a lasting resolution to the conflict.
- Justice and accountability: Pray for the international community to act against human rights violations and support lasting peace in the region.
Here’s a prayer from one of our staff members:
“Father, we want to pray for the team in Goma, DRC, and for their families. Lord, we ask you, ‘Would you bring peace?’ We ask for an end to these rebels coming in and creating violence and havoc and destroying homes and families’ lives. We ask for your miraculous intervention. Bring peace to this city and to Bukavu, Lord. As they move south to Bukavu, would you protect this nation from years of devastation and war? Lord, we ask for your provision for food and shelter and clothing and safety for the people of DRC. Lord God, would you watch over them? We plead with you; we ask you to provide a way for teams to get in, for humanitarian assistance, for NGOs to come in to support and to provide the necessary care. We pray for the governments of these nations, of Rwanda, of the DRC, of the region as they discuss these things; we ask that as they work together on a resolution, that you would give wisdom and a quick end to this conflict. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
Stand with us in prayer and giving
Join our prayer team or give at the link below to help us protect the vulnerable in Goma and beyond. Thank you, Love Justice family, for standing against injustice with us!
*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing. Names and specific locations excluded for privacy and security purposes.
Submit a Comment