05/01/2023
Getting Ready for a Visit in 2023
It is hard to believe it is eight years since we embarked on our first trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)! We were invited to visit an indigenous evangelical church organisation back in 2014. In the first months of our initial visit, we were overwhelmed by the needs (both spiritual and physical), but our Congolese friends guided us in regard to possible ways to assist them going forward. We were unable to travel in 2019 due to illness, nor from 2021-2022 due to COVID restrictions. We are really looking forward to being able to partner once again, in person, with the great team in Lubumbashi called CDLA (an indigenous NGO) in 2023.
Humanitarian Work
A huge need in DRC is in the sphere of health. This is especially true in rural areas (most of the country!), where hospitals are often hundreds of km apart (400-500km is not uncommon). CDLA is involved in 12 hospitals at the present time, overseeing, equipping and financing much of the work done. CDLA also has a programme of medical and surgical development, where Christian medical students are given scholarships in order to cover the cost of training.
When we arrived some eight years ago, only one of these hospitals had mains electricity. As a result of generous support from New Zealand, we have been able to design and install solar powered mains electricity in four more hospitals. We have done this while working alongside CDLA staff, who are increasingly capable of installing systems themselves. In 2023 we will also be involved in a new hospital install just outside Lubumbashi.
