Congo (MNN) — The European Union hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking military action in the Democratic Republic of Congo as rebel troops have shattered peace in that beleaguered nation.
Rebels in the eastern part of the country say they'll overthrow the government if it refuses direct talks to the Congolese government. Those loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkunda want one-on-one negotiations with the government over the protection of their Tutsi ethnic group.
Two months of army/rebel fighting has forced 250,000 people from their homes, according to the United Nations. Nkunda says he's defending Congo's Tutsi minority from a mainly Rwandan Hutu militia, whose leaders allegedly took part in neighboring Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
Pete Howard is the relief coordinator with Food for the Hungry. He says the city of Goma has been adversely affected. "Civilians have been having to flee out into the wilderness just to get away from the troops. The civilians are out of their homes and trying to forage for whatever they can find — grubs [and] berries."
Food for the Hungry is doing all they can to help the victims. Howard says, "Food for the Hungry is currently in the process of shipping 275,000 family meals into Eastern Congo, just south of where the fighting is taking place."
He says this kind of relief is important to seeing the Gospel spread. "Our staff [is] trained to work with people and share their faith and to bring the love of Christ, even as they're bringing in food or doing agriculture training or health training. When people are in crisis, they're much more open to hearing the Gospel."
Food for the Hungry staff members have been evacuated several times, says Howard. "Right now our staff has been able to move back in. We're doing a road building program to try to get supplies into areas where people have had to flee."
Howard is asking Christians to pray "both for the international staff that are there as well as the national Congolese staff who are in fear both for their lives and the lives of their families. They're working and trying to work as normal, but they have their bags backed so they can leave at a moment's notice if the rebels get any closer."
While prayer is needed for safety, Howard is also asking Christians to pray for the rebels. "It's conflict between people over ethnic or political strife, and we believe that the principles of Christ and the love and compassion of the message that we have can help with that. And that's one reason why we're staying there even though there is conflict."
