Fela Mbahibwe used to have a small house and a garden. Her children attended school. Then, last spring, everything went sideways.
Her village in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo was attacked by the M23 rebel militia. Her husband was killed.
“I lost my life just like that,” she said. “We just ran. We didn’t carry anything. No utensils, we just took the children. Others died while trying to run. We just continued running.”
Tied together by a rope to avoid separation, the family eventually arrived at a displacement camp near the city of Goma. That is where your compassion found her.
Fela with the cookstove she received thanks to your generosity.
“When we arrived here, we didn’t have anything,” Fela recalled. “We slept outside. We got rained on. We started building temporary shelters from shrubs that we collected, just to get a place to lie down.”
Yours is the only help Fela received
Thankfully, Lutheran World Relief has a long history of working in eastern Congo. Last year, despite ongoing violence and challenges, your faithful support brought desperately needed help to the crowded camps around Goma.
Your love for these neighbors looks like food, firewood, kitchen supplies and wash basins, soap and sanitary latrines to prevent the spread of disease. You ensured families had LWR Quilts & Kits to support their comfort and dignity.
You also helped people access savings and loan programs to open small businesses for income. Thanks to this support, Fela was able to open a small roadside stand to sell food for income.
Fela and her daughter Faye (right) operate the roadside stall together.
“Thank you for all the work you did for us,” Fela said. “We don’t have any other help. We only have you.”
The hardships are not over…
In January 2025, the situation worsened when M23 rebels captured the city of Goma, killing 3,000 people and attacking many women in the camp where Fela’s family was living.
This tragedy continues to unfold, but love prevails. Please join us in praying for Fela’s family and the many others who are caught up in this terrible situation.
That’s why our work together must continue
Eastern Congo is a volatile place. Goma was briefly overtaken by rebels in 2012. In 2019, an Ebola outbreak killed thousands. Currently, 4.6 million people are displaced. But for 25 years, your compassion has provided essential health care and other critical support to the precious children of God who live there.
And with your help, we will continue …
