Visitors seek resources for fast-growing church in Congo

(AIMM/Mennonite Mission Network) The quest to learn more about how Mennonite Church USA congregations and agencies find resources for their ministries brought Macaire Kilambo Kabanga and Roussel Kumakamba, lay leaders in Communauté Mennonite au Congo (Mennonite Church of Congo), on a month-long tour of the United States.

“Our church is growing,” said Kumakamba, who is a national director of Congo’s social security network. “How will we find the resources to support this growth?”

Midway through their exploratory trip that is taking them to Indiana, Kansas, and the state of Washington, the two Congolese leaders said they were impressed with how individuals give generously and voluntarily to church infrastructure and ministries.

“This sets a beautiful example for our congregations,” Kumakamba said. “However, so many of our members live in poverty that what they give is only sufficient to maintain the most basic infrastructure.”

Kilambo, who owns a trucking business based in Congo’s capital city of Kinshasa, said that if resources were available, Mennonite Church of Congo would have more influence to transform lives within the country and in surrounding nations.

“We would have grown beyond Congo into neighboring countries, because Congolese Mennonites have a strong missionary spirit,” Kilambo said.

Sandy Miller, Mennonite Mission Network director of church relations, admires the vision that inspired Congolese Mennonites to send Kilambo and Kumakamba to Mennonite Church USA. She said that while Kilambo and Kumakamba are appreciative of the good foundation that North American mission workers laid for the church and its education and health institutions, they wonder how to sustain these ministries with the resources they have.

“I heard them saying over and over, ‘You gave us fish, but you didn’t teach us to fish. Help us learn to fish,’” Miller said.  

Kilambo and Kumakamba brainstormed about areas of development that could benefit the Mennonite Church of Congo: agricultural projects, animal husbandry, fish ponds, public transportation, building construction, and the manufacture of furniture from Congo’s bountiful forests.

“I’m convinced that if we bring together the innovations of North America and those of Congo, we will end up with good results,” Kilambo said.

Kilambo and Kumakamba paid for their travel expenses to the United States from personal funds. Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, a Mennonite Mission Network partner, is hosting their stay with help from Mennonite Church USA congregations and agencies. 

This is a great opportunity for the North American Mennonite business community to partner with the growing church in the Congo to explore ways of creating local resources for ministry, said James Krabill, Mission Network’s senior executive for Global Ministries.

“We heard the message clearly: This is the most important way we can strengthen ministry potential in the next chapter of our walk with our Congolese sisters and brothers,” Krabill said.

Mennonite Mission Network has century-deep roots in Congo through Commission on Overseas Mission, the former mission agency of the General Conference Mennonite Church.

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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.