After years of civil war in Congo kept Adventists separated from pastoral visits, a four-week evangelistic outreach held by the Voice of Prophecy "brought much-needed hope to the church members," said Pastor Jules K K Lumbu, who led the effort.
After years of civil war in Congo kept Adventists separated from pastoral visits, a four-week evangelistic outreach held by the Voice of Prophecy “brought much-needed hope to the church members,” said Pastor Jules K K Lumbu, who led the effort.
This outreach by VOP’s East and Central Africa regional director resulted in 668 new Seventh-day Adventist church members and the return of a former Adventist pastor to the church.
The evangelistic meetings were planned and financed by Adventist churches in the area as well as the East and Central Africa church region, in the southeastern city of Kolongo May 13 to June 5. Many came to the meetings from far-away districts such as Lengwe, Bigobo, Mbulula and Kikamba. They traveled from 16 to 55 miles (26 to 90 kilometers) to attend, while some church leaders from Wamaza, Kasongo and Kindu rode bicycles over distances of more than 186 miles (over 300 km) to participate.
The city of Kongolo, some 660 miles (1,000 km) from the regional center of Lumumbashi, was the main center of the campaign and the location where nightly meetings were held. Nine other districts around the Kongolo region were also organized into meeting places, and as baptismal class centers. Of the 668 people baptized, 224 were from Kongolo and 444 from the surrounding area.
Among those who attended the meetings was Mugalu wa Mutundu, a former Adventist pastor who joined another group. After the meetings, he decided to come back and rejoin the Adventist Church, and his reinstatement as a pastor is being considered, Lumbu said.
This outreach has inspired local church members and leaders. After the public meetings, the Kongolo Central Church congregation resolved to finish the church building it started to construct several years ago. Construction was stopped due to war.
Church leaders say that outside support may be needed to finish the job. “Because of the adverse situation that developed due to several years of war and the limited financial capability of the members, the church may not be completed in due time,” said Pastor Muhiya Alingunde, evangelism director for the church in East Congo.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church began its work in the Kongolo region in 1924 when missionaries moved from Katanga Mission to Songa Mission and then to the Kikamba area. Because of heath problems and other reasons, the pioneers moved again and founded the Bigobo Mission in 1930. The church developed by establishing schools, churches and clinics, but during the last seven years the recent war devastated some of the infrastructures established by the church. An estimated 470,000 Adventist members meet weekly in 1400 congregations throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
