Mennonite World Conference has called its member agencies to work together to address the urgent humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As a global community of faith that exists to facilitate relationships between Anabaptist-related churches worldwide, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) takes the initiative to call its members together for interdependent action when crisis strikes to avoid duplication and ensure cooperation. MWC is currently calling Anabaptist agencies to collaborate in response to the urgent humanitarian crisis in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“We are deprived of the Bibles, water, soaps and even food,” wrote a representative of the youth organization of a congregation of the Communauté des Églises de Frères Mennonites au Congo (Mennonite Brethren Church of Congo) in Bukavu. “We are soliciting the accompaniment of your prayers and materials.”
On Feb. 27, MWC convened an inter-Anabaptist task force that also includes Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM), Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Mennonite Church Canada International Witness, Mennonite Mission Network and Multiply, the mission agency of Mennonite Brethren churches in Canada and the United States. These agencies reached a consensus that MCC will take the lead in the response, leveraging their expertise in relief and development. All Anabaptist agencies working in the region are invited to join the coordinated response, said César García, MWC general secretary.
“We invite your donations to any of our partners to support their response to this urgent need,” García said.
Sibonokuhle Ncube, Mission Network director for Africa and Europe, affirmed the collaborative approach.
“Effective inter-agency coordination is crucial during humanitarian responses, as it enables a unified, efficient, and impactful shalom-oriented response to complex crises, ultimately saving lives, reducing suffering, and promoting durable solutions for and with affected populations,” Ncube said.
The Mennonite Brethren Church of Congo, an MWC member church, has 34 congregations with more than 4 000 members in the region. At time of writing, church leaders report that 600 families from their congregations have been displaced.
Some of the people fleeing the violence are staying in camps in the region. Some have fled to other parts of the country where the three Mennonite denominations are offering assistance. Others have evacuated to Mennonite communities in nearby countries such as Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.
“The situation requires an urgent response but also a multi-year plan,” said Annie Loewen, MCC’s interim disaster response director. Food, shelter and hygiene supplies are critical needs now. Over the longer term, trauma healing resources and supplies to restore households will be needed, she said.
“We want to react swiftly to the needs of people in the region, but our response must be coordinated with other partners, to build on each other’s strengths and create synergies,” said Doug Hiebert, Multiply Regional Team Leader for Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Interdependent coordination between international agencies and local churches is crucial for long-term peacebuilding,” said Tigist Tesfaye, of the Meserete Kristos Church of Ethiopia and the MWC Deacons Commission secretary. “Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters. Our solidarity in prayer is a key part of our response as an Anabaptist family.”
- Read the pastoral letter to DRC churches and add your own prayerful messages.
MWC calls to interdependent action in past crises
Starting in 2017, MWC facilitated collaborative Anabaptist response to disasters around the world. When catastrophic flooding affected 11 Mennonite Brethren congregations in Peru, several Anabaptist agencies were ready to provide assistance. MWC convened a six-month collaborative Anabaptist response between MCC, MWC and the Mennonite Brethren mission agency (now Multiply).
About the same time, MWC brought together seven Anabaptist partners from Europe and North America to coordinate interdependent response to the crisis in the Kasaï region of DRC.
https://mwc-cmm.org/en/stories/anabaptists-respond-violence-and-displacement-dr-congo/ (2017)
https://mwc-cmm.org/en/stories/out-horror-kasai-survivors-rebuild-lives/ (2019)
Also in 2017, monsoon floods washed through Nepal and parts of Bangladesh and India. MCC and Brethren in Community Welfare Society helped families recover their livelihoods and provided shelter materials and supported repairs to homes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mennonite World Conference formed a task force with the support of more than 10 global Anabaptist agencies to respond to the needs arising from the pandemic in the Global South.
