By Pastor Ongasa Thomas, the South Kivu Field President for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ellen G. White says that
“When an interest is aroused in any town or city, that interest should be followed up. The place should be thoroughly worked, until a humble house of worship stands as a sign, a memorial of God’s Sabbath a light amid moral darkness. These memorials are to stand in many places as witness to the truth. God in his mercy has provided that the messengers of the gospel shall go to all countries, tongues, and people, until the standard of truth shall be established in all the parts of the inhabited world. Whenever a company of believers is raised up, a house of worship should be built. Let not the workers leave the place without accomplishing this. In many places where the message has been preached, those who have accepted it are in limited circumstances, and can do but little toward securing advantages that would give character to the work. Often this renders it difficult to extend the work. As persons become interested in the truth, they are told by the ministers of other churches,-and these words are echoed by the church-members, -‘these people have no church, and you have no place of worship. You are a small company, poor and unlearned. In a short time the minister will go away, and the interest will die down. Then you will give up all these new ideas which you have received.’ Can we suppose that this will not bring strong temptation to those who see the reasons of our faith and are convicted by the Spirit of God in regard to present truth? It has to be repeated, that from a small beginning large interest may grow. If wisdom and sanctified judgment and skilful generalship are manifested by us in building up the interests of our Redeemer’s kingdom, we shall do all in our power to assure the people of the stability of our work. Humble sanctuaries will be erected, where those who accept the truth may find a place to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.1
Early History
Bukavu is one of major cities in the Eastern borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Seventh-day Adventist message reached the city in 1969. In 1973, a small church was organized with 100 members and a small sanctuary was built in the city center to serve those believers as a worship place. The growth process has been very slow, until 2007, there was only one church in Bukavu with 300 believers within a period of 39 years from 1969, a growth average of 7.7 baptisms per year.
1 Ellen G. White, “Gospel Workers, 431” in Spirit of Prophecy Library (Hagerstown MD: Review and Herald Graphics), 1875-1876.
Recent History
A new breath brought a special evangelical energy to the Bukavu church under the leadership of Pastor Bashwira (2006-2008), the South kivu Field president at that time. The membership grew from 300 to 396 from a population of one million residents in Bukavu. There were 96 new members added within 3 years, an average of 32 baptisms per year.
Two new churches were organized in 2007: Tumaini SDA church on the hills of Karhale with 30 believers; the second one, Eben Ezer SDA church was also organized with 66 members at Major Vangu. Donations helped to erect two humble worship places.
The Devil has never been happy with the progress of the gospel ministry. A crisis rose in the church and the growth process was slowed and nearly halted until 2010 when the Union decided to bring in new leadership.
The Holy Spirit aroused a new interest for the mission in Bukavu. On July 2010, a three week evangelism campaign was organized at one site and 43 people were baptized. This encouraged the church leadership to knock at every door looking for help for an aggressive outreach program in Bukavu city.
On May 2011, the south Kivu Field committee voted a project called “Bukavu July Outreach Program” set to organize three big campaigns in Bukavu on July 2012, July 2013 and July 2014. The church came together in prayer and fasting on July 31, 2011, pleading for a revival for missions.
In Matthew 18:19, Jesus said that “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” We agreed, we prayed and our Father in heaven did deliver; our prayers were answered.
On July 2011, was contacted for an invitation to conduct evangelistic campaigns. Blessings began to overflow, agreed to come with 20 speakers. Bukavu hosted 11 speakers, while six others went to Goma, and 4 other speakers went out to Kisangani.
As leaders identified an ongoing need for ministry and outreach, bible workers were contacted for a pre-campaign Bible Studies and a follow up program after the campaign in order to keep the flame burning.
On May 2012, Bantu Hope Ministries started a new chapter in Congo-Bukavu, temporarily supporting several Bible workers in order to prepare for the event. After one month of Bible studies on a daily basis, Bible workers reported that 14 people were ready for baptism.
From July 20th to August 04th, 2012 blew the gospel trumpet in Bukavu at 11 different sites. Bible Workers were responsible for the management of 7 out of the 11 evangelism sites. There were 238 people baptized by the end of meetings and 418 others accepted Jesus and requested for further Bible studies.
Just after the campaign ended, 10 of the 11 sites were turned into Sabbath keeping worship groups and ten (10) Bible Workers kept the flame burning by supervising and nurturing the new spiritual babies. All the ten groups are located in Bukavu as follow:
1. Bagira: 47 members, and 17 kids attending
2. Bisengimana/Karhale: 36 members and 16 kids attending
3. Bizimana/Essence: 29 members, and 8 kids attending
4. Ciriri: 52 members, and 10 kids attendind
5. Funu/Kadutu I: 42 members, and 11 kids attending
6. Cercle/Kadutu II: 57 members, and 12 kids attending
7. La Voix/EDAP: 21 members, and 23 kids attending
8. Panzi: 63 members and 20 kids attending
9. Nguba: 40 members and 13 kids attending
10. Labote: 18 members attending.
A total of 405 members and 130 children are now attending every Sabbath. We need to notice that 8 of these groups are renting worship places for $ 667 USD per month, except Panzi and Ciriri where the church owns two pieces of land. Acts 2:47 presents the humble beginning of the Christian church by saying that: “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
In Bukavu, we are now experiencing a weekly increase of members; I mean that in Bukavu, the Holy Spirit is adding weekly new believers to the church, we have baptism every Sabbath.
Since completed and left, 95 new members have been baptized as a result of the work of God’s Spirit using dedicated Bible workers. This growth has created an urgent need for a new humble church building to be erected as a memorial of Sabbath keeping in Bukavu.
The South Kivu Field, supported by Bible Workers and others have developed a building project called “Physical development”. This project focuses on building some shops as a permanent financial resource to support the projects in the future.
A two (2) story building serving as Conference headquarters office, Ibanda Central church, with a conference hall on the top level. A humble church building project is also provided to serve as a sanctuary for the new believers. Designs and budgets for these projects are provided below.
- 1. Humble SanctuariesA new church can serve 150 members to worship God inside of the building rather than relying on good weather conditions to meet outside under a tree. The total budget is $ 15,000 USD. By god’s grace, we have planned to erect two churches of this size at Panzi and Ciriri by July 2012.
- 2. Office/Church/Conference Hall building
- a. The design of the Office, Church and Conference Hall has been completed.b. This Long Term five (5) year project is estimated to cost around $ 300,000 USD, $ 52,000 USD has been raised locally, and an additional $ 47,000 USD has already been invested. Notice that this Building will not only serve as Office/Church but the conference hall will become also an income generator resource supporting the church projects in the South Kivu.
- 3. ShopsWe hope to build shops on the main boulevard within Bukavu. This is also a Long Term five (5) year project. These shops will help our members become self supporting and bring in income to our Church through Tithes and Offerings.If the Holy Spirit touches your heart to support one of the projects above, please take action now and contact us by clicking on the Contact link. Or you may write to us at the addresses below.Do not be discouraged by the figures or budgets above, we are open to any kind of contribution and will pray the Lord to bless you for your donation, even one cent is valuable if donated by love.
- Contact Us – Click Here
- Send Mail to us: Fish 4 A Lifetime, C/O K. Leonard, P.O. Box 642, Fletcher, NC 28732 USA
