The Christian and Free Methodist Response
BY Norman Wetterau MD
(Written in October 2024)
Image courtesy of GlobalPost
For the past 25 years the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the site of constant civil war, starvation, poverty, and death. In addition, rape is used as a weapon of war, with hundreds of thousands of woman having been victimized. The Free Methodists have a heavy presence in the area with over 150,000 members, churches, hospitals and medical clinics. Attempts to bring things under control through the United Nations, as well as other nations have been a failure.
Yet despite the continued problems, there are beacons of hope. Dr. Denis Mukwege is a Christian doctor in Eastern Congo who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his work in helping women who were victims of sexual violence. This work includes counseling, medical support, and surgery. He also has spoken out internationally on this issue.
Dr. Mukwege is a strong Christian who believes in prayer, but also in surgery, psychotherapy, and speaking out politically to ask for justice. In some ways he is a modern-day prophet. In May 2024, he was given the Aurora Prize, a one-million-dollar contribution to his work. According to Dr. Mukwege, this prize is a mixed blessing in that the war and and sexual violence have not decreased– it has gone on for 30 years and everyone looks the other way. Still, his Christian hospital and practice treats thousands of women.
The Nundu Deaconess Hospital and other Free Methodist Hospitals and clinics are 100 miles south of his hospital, the Panzi Hospital in Eastern Congo. Our hospitals and clinics also see many women who have been victims of this sexual violence: some psychological but in many cases physical. Soldiers on both sides use this as one way to terrorize the population. Nundu Deaconess Hospital plans to have a fully trained physician in obstetrics and gynecology there this year. The hospital’s general physicians also provide physical and psychological care.
Recently Dr. Marx, the medical director of the Free Methodist Nundu Deaconess Hospital has started a counseling program for any victims of psychological and physical trauma. Nurses and others are being trained to provide this in village clinics. In addition, many of the hospital staff have suffered vicarious psychological trauma trying to help others through this ongoing war, so the help is being offered to those members of the hospital staff. No one there has totally escaped.
We as American Free Methodist Christians cannot solve this problem, nor can the US government or the United Nations, but we can pray and consider supporting our medical and healing work there. Someday God will bring about peace, but He often allows men to continue their evil. In the face of evil, God calls on us to pray for peace, provide help to those who are suffering, and to try to be peacemakers. There are other stories of people being saved, and soldiers who did not participate in this sexual violence. There are congregations and medical providers who speak out against what is happening and help as they are able.
Eastern DRC seems far away but those there are our Christian brothers. Jesus said that when we help those who are suffering we are helping Jesus Himself. Stay informed, pray, and assist as you are able.
For further information or to help, go to www.congohealth.org