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Congo News Archive

2007 

Boat Carrying Congo Youth Choir Capsizes, at Least 17 Dead
KINSHASA, CONGO (May 23, 2007) – At least 17 members of the Congo Covenant Church (CEUM) drowned Sunday on a rain-swollen river when their dugout canoe capsized. They were returning from a celebration that featured youth choirs from around the Wasolo region...Read more...

Japan Student Raises Money for Congo Girls Project
TOKYO, JAPAN (May 16, 2007) – A high school freshman at the Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ) recently raised more than $525 for the Educate the Girls program in Congo, sponsored by Women Ministries of the Evangelical Covenant Church...Read more...

Tense Moments Leaving Congo Can Now Be Told
CHICAGO, IL (May 4, 2007) – Editor’s note: at the same time in March that Curt Peterson and Roger Thorpe were caught in the midst of a military upheaval in Kinshasa, Congo, another story was unfolding in the northwestern part of Congo, a story that at the time was intentionally withheld until those involved had safely left the country...Read more...

Congo: Previously Published Stories
CHICAGO, IL (May 4, 2007) - Following are previously published stories on the close call experienced in Congo in mid-March by Curt Peterson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and Dr. Roger Thorpe, a retired Covenant medical missionary...Read more...

Hope Proves Key Theme of Congo Pastors Conference
KARAWA, CONGO (April 24, 2007) – Last month’s violence that trapped Evangelical Covenant Church missionaries in Congo’s capital city of Kinshasa was a somber reminder of the dangers that still face the country...Read more...

Congo Pastors Conference
KARAWA, CONGO (April 24, 2007) - Following are scenes from the March pastors conference attended by 1,400 pastors and spouses...Read more...

Mission Pics
MATADI, CONGO (April 10, 2007) - The three-day celebration in Matadi included many special moments, as reflected in these additional photos from that event...Read more...

Special Weekend Marks 125th Anniversary of Congo Mission
MATADI, CONGO (April 10, 2007) – The introduction of the gospel message in 1881 and the subsequent growth of the mission outreach in the Democratic Republic of Congo was celebrated during a special 125th anniversary celebration that included a host of dignitaries representing various church and mission organizations and the Swedish ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo...Read more...

Safe Return from Congo Tops ‘Most Read’ List
CHICAGO, IL (April 5, 2007) – Readers of the Evangelical Covenant Church online news report closely followed stories about the harrowing ordeal of Curt Peterson and Roger Thorpe in Congo, as evidenced from Covenant website activity reports. The Congo stories were three of the 10 most popular in March...Read more...

Peterson Recounts Harrowing Hours in Congo Conflict
CHICAGO, IL (March 29, 2007) – Editor’s note: Following is a letter released today by Curt Peterson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church. Peterson and retired Covenant medical missionary Roger Thorpe unexpectedly found themselves caught in the crossfire of a military confrontation last week in Kinshasa, Congo. In his letter, Peterson recounts those harrowing hours and just how dangerously close they came to losing their own lives in the conflict. To read earlier online stories detailing the conflict, please see Covenanters Reported Safe and Safe Return Home...Read more...

Peterson, Thorpe Return Home Safely
CHICAGO, IL (March 25, 2007) – Covenanters Dr. Roger Thorpe and Curt Peterson arrived in Chicago this afternoon following several harrowing days in the midst of military conflict in the capital city of Kinshasa...Read more...

Thorpe, Peterson Prepare for Return Home
KINSHASA, CONGO (March 24, 2007) – An uneasy sense of calm following days of fighting was enough to allow Covenanters Dr. Roger Thorpe and Curt Peterson to slip out of the compound where they had sought refuge and make their way to a nearby hotel to try and secure airline tickets for a flight out of the capital, possibly as soon as this evening (Saturday)...Read more...

Congo Unrest: Readers Share Their Thoughts
CHICAGO, IL (March 24, 2007) – Covenanters have followed with interest the plight of Dr. Roger Thorpe and Curt Peterson, both caught in the midst of military upheaval in Kinshasa, Congo, the past few days...Read more...

Scripture Comforts Those Awaiting Rescue
KINSHASA, CONGO (March 23, 2007) – Huddled inside a compound awaiting evacuation by United Nations peacekeepers, Curt Peterson and Dr. Roger Thorpe ponder the terrible night caught in the middle of fierce fighting and the close calls they encountered over the past 24 hours...Read more...

Covenanters Reported Safe Amid Congo Violence
KINSHASA, CONGO (March 23, 2007) – Two Evangelical Covenant Church representatives were reported safe early this morning as violence continued to wreak havoc in the capital city following the government’s issuance of an arrest warrant for opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba...Read more...

Service Set for Fellow Captive of Dr. Paul Carlson
PORTLAND, OR (March 7, 2007) – Funeral services for one of Dr. Paul Carlson’s fellow captives, Jon Snyder, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Portland Mennonite Church. Snyder died Sunday from injuries he suffered in a car accident February 28. He was 65...Read more...

Gustafsons Accept New Missionary Role with Congo
LYNWOOD, WA (February 26, 2007) - Keith and Florence Gustafson, longtime Evangelical Covenant Church missionaries to the Democratic Republic of Congo, have accepted a new position with the Department of World Mission that will allow them to continue serving as missionaries to the African nation while living in the United States...Read more...

2006 

Online Relief Fund Created to Aid Bumba Residents
BUMBA, CONGO (December 19, 2006) – Covenant World Relief (CWR) is partnering with the Covenant Church of Congo (CEUM) to deliver assistance to residents of this community that has been devastated by heavy rains over the past few days...Read more...

Heavy Rain Devastates Congo Community
BUMBA, CONGO (December 18, 2006) - As many as 3,600 people in this city long served by Evangelical Covenant Church missionaries have been left homeless because of heavy rains...Read more...

Meeting of Congo Leaders Bodes Well for Peace
CHICAGO, IL (December 7, 2006) – A recent meeting between Joseph Kabila, the president-elect of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his chief political rival, Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, provides an opportunity for peace, says Bob Thornbloom, Covenant missionary to the African nation...Read more...

Bemba Concedes Election, Vows Continued Reform Effort
KINSHASA, CONGO (November 30, 2006) – Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, the runner-up in the October presidential election, has conceded his loss to Joseph Kabila and urged his followers not to engage in violent protests over the election results...Read more...

2006 Congo Christmas Card, Ornament Now Available
CHICAGO, IL (November 22, 2006) – The Christmas in Congo initiative of the Paul Carlson Partnership has a unique pair of items now available for those wanting not only something unique to send to family and friends this Christmas, but something that also helps financially support ministry to the people of Congo...Read more...

Congo Election Results Set for Release in November
KINSHASA, CONGO (October 31, 2006) – Results of the second round of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo probably won’t be known for several weeks, but the October 29 balloting was generally peaceful throughout a country that still is trying to rebound from years of civil war, according to news reports...Read more...

New Playground Proves Too Popular for Congo Kids
GEMENA, CONGO (October 26, 2006) – The children in Bokonzo, a neighborhood of Gemena, had never seen a playground, so they couldn’t wait to get on the new equipment built by members of Kent Covenant Church in Kent, Washington, and local workers...Read more...

A ‘Weighty’ Gift to Help School Kids in Congo
IRON MOUNTAIN, MI (September 6, 2006) - A light competition brought in weighty gains during First Covenant Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) when the children raised $876.54 to donate to Covenant World Relief’s “School Supplies for Congo Kids” project...Read more...

 Fragile Ceasefire Quells Violence in Congo
KINSHASA, CONGO (August 24, 2006) - What some describe as a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding following several days of violence between security guards loyal to President Joseph Kabila and security forces protecting Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba, both contenders in the July 30 presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)...Read more...

Efforts Under Way to Contain Violence in Congo
KINSHASA, CONGO (August 22, 2006) - Efforts are under way to contain an outbreak of violence in this capital city following the release of election results that declared no winner in the July 30 balloting for president...Read more...

Run-Off Election in Congo Set for October 29
KINSHASA, CONGO (August 21, 2006) - A run-off election between incumbent President Joseph Kabila and Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba will be conducted October 29 after neither of the candidates received a majority of votes cast for the office of president during the July 30 election...Read more...

Congolese Eager to Learn Election Results
CHICAGO, IL (August 9, 2006) - Citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo are excited about being able to vote in the recent election, but also concerned that the delay in results could lead to...Read more...

Electricity Flowing Once Again to Karawa Hospital
KARAWA, CONGO (August 3) - Electricity from the Zulu Hydrodam Plant is once again flowing to the hospital in Karawa, thanks to a joint generator rebuilding project by the Covenant Church of Congo...Read more...

Sanguma: Spirit Must Guide Efforts to Bear Witness
GRAND RAPIDS, MI (June 14) - The "do not leave" command of Jesus to his disciples is as important as his commission to "go into all the world," Dr. Mossai Sanguma told attendees during the opening worship service of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church...Read more...

Sunday School Class Buys Six Cows for Paul Carlson
MERCER, ISLAND, WA (June 2) - The fifth grade girls Sunday school class at Mercer Island Covenant Church hoped to raise $350 to buy a cow and calf for the Paul Carlson Partnership by selling homemade crafts and coffee cake...Read more...