CONGO DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo (in French, RD Congo) is named after the Congo River, which is the second largest river in the world and the deepest river in the world. DR Congo is the second largest country in Africa and the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa. DR Congo has a population of about 105 million, with 250 different races, and is the most populous French-speaking country in the world. DR Congo was a Belgian colony from the 1870s to the 1920s. They began to teach the four national languages in elementary school, making it one of the few African countries with the ability to read and write in local languages during the European colonial period. At the same time, because of the Belgian colonization, Christianity was not discriminated against. About 40% of Christians and 50% of Catholics. Since 1994, the conflict between the country’s insurgent organizations and government forces has caused serious refugee problems, leading to deforestation, soil erosion and wildlife poaching. Another major issue is the mining of minerals, diamonds, gold, copper, and cobalt ore caused severe damage to the environment. DR Congo is known as the "most unstable country in Africa." Over the past few decades, its economic problems and government corruption have often required Western countries' intervention. According to data from the World Food Program, four out of ten people in DR Congo lack food. The United Nations Emergency Food Relief Agency has warned that millions of people may die from starvation after COVID-19 in the DR Congo. Pastor Corneille from River of Life Christian Church in Benin has always had a Page 3 | 6great burden on evangelism. He hopes to spread the gospel to French-speaking countries in Africa. Since 2019, he has made special preparations for missions and church planting in DR Congo. After several days of fasting and prayer in Benin and DR Congo, Pastor Corneille sent Pastor Bonzale to DR Congo for mission and church planting. He began family gathering activities in the capital Kinshasa on October 15, 2020, bringing God's blessings to the family to this region. After Pastor Bonzale started the family gathering, the mayor sent two agents to visit him and told him to come to the city government to apply for the documents for church establishment. On November 6, 2020, under the grace of God, Pastor Bonzale obtained the church license and officially became the first River of Life Christian Church in DR Congo. Both his wife and his daughter also serve in the church. By 2024, the number of people meeting each week has reached 430. Currently, they are continuing to renovate the branch church in the hope of providing a better environment for congregational gatherings. Pray that God will continue to protect the work at hand and continue to preach the gospel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2025, we will continue to strengthen the renovation of the branch church, hoping to attract more people to join the church.