In a country where the average annual income is less than $500 and many people live off the land, $12 is a big deal. But each United Methodist member is being asked to contribute $1 each month toward rebuilding efforts in the Eastern Congo Episcopal Area.
Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda launched the initiative to allow all of the faithful to nurture this young episcopal region, which was created by the 2012 General Conference.
Between 1994 and 2003, civil wars destroyed many United Methodist buildings in the Congo. Violence and political turmoil still prevail in some areas. Undaunted, leaders turned to Nehemiah 2:18 for inspiration and came up with a plan. Their vision — “Let’s lift up and build” — focuses on building and rebuilding churches.
Unda said the idea of inviting each member to contribute a dollar per month — $12 a year — encourages self-care and participation in the effort.
“We found that all the infrastructure of The United Methodist Church had been destroyed by wars and armed conflicts that bruised eastern Congo for several years,” the bishop said. “We have set, since 2012, the goal of rebuilding the infrastructure of the church.”
Envisioning a future in which the church in his region will be self-supporting, Unda continued, “We are already thinking of taking care of ourselves to promote the work of God.”
Paul Wembo Okoko, a member of the Tunda United Methodist Church, agreed.
“There are things for which we can receive funding, but not everything,” he said. “We must mobilize the funds to take care of certain emergencies of our annual conferences, districts and local churches (and) for the advancement of the work of God.
“We are on the road to self-care,” Okoko added. “We do not know the future of the church. We will, perhaps, one day be called to finance our church to 100 percent, and the contribution of $1 per faithful per month will … allow us to … continue the evangelization.”
According to data reported to the church’s finance agency, the General Council on Finance and Administration, there are more than 267,000 professing members in the Eastern Congo Episcopal Area, home to three annual conferences: Oriental and Equator, East Congo, and Kivu.
Frederic Yemba is president of the evangelical choir at Cité Salama United Methodist Church. He said the congregation supports the initiative and strives to make monthly contributions.
“It is still difficult,” he admitted, “for some of the faithful to understand the country's economic situation.” He expressed confidence that the vision would “allow us to move forward without the need for outside help. If the $1 contribution is supported by all the faithful …, we may be able to take care of ourselves without the help of external funding.”
“To succeed in raising enough funds and to achieve a great project,” said the Rev. Alimasi Mwania Willy, superintendent of the Kisangani I District, “the delegates of the Oriental and Equator Annual Conference have decided to put the funds collected into a bank account” until they determine how to spend the money.
The East Congo Conference is saving its funds to buy a large vehicle. The Kivu Conference will use 60 percent of its contributions to finance construction projects in the Uvira District and 40 percent to assist churches in the Beni District.
George Howard, director of connectional engagement for United Methodist Global Ministries, praised the effort during his visit to the East Congo Conference in July.
“It is up to the bishop and the superintendents to set priorities” and to be transparent about how the money is used, he said.
“I like the fact that each secretary has lists of faithful who have contributed the money. This way of proceeding and this transparency surprised me a lot.”
Londe is a communicator for the East Congo Conference.
News media contact: Vicki Brown, Nashville, Tennessee, (615) 742-5470 or [email protected].
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