Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) ― Ugandan rebel solders of the Lord's Resistance Army are threatening a repeat of last year's Christmas Day massacres in northeast Congo.
Sam Vinton with Grace Ministries Internationa says although they're not in the heart of the danger zone, they're taking the risk seriously. "The threats always concern any of us who are working in Congo because of how it spreads."
Caritas, the world's largest alliance of aid and development agencies, says a year after the massacres, the Christian community is still vulnerable. While Caritas has responded to meet emergency needs, many lack protection, food and basic healthcare.
The Security Council discusses a peacekeeping mandate renewal this month, and Caritas is calling for security reform.
Vinton says they're watching the tinderbox situation, which is even more a concern now that rebel soldiers recently attacked a village near a GMI outpost. "I just got word that some of them attacked a village not very far from our main center south of Bukavu. That is causing insecurity; it has meant that the teams that are out doing evangelism and going to our schools have all shut down, and everyone is returning back home to find out what has happened."
The violence is blamed on stragglers from the Hutu militia who fled Rwanda after the genocide in that country. They've been been in hiding in the forest in Congo.
Troops have been sent in to control the problem, and that's a whole other problem. Pray for the GMI team. The region is their largest and oldest ministry region.
Vinton adds, "We need to pray for people who are rulers and kings, whoever they are, so that we might live in peace. We enjoy it and forget that there are so many Christians who don't have that this Christmas."
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