Following months of escalating violence in Eastern DRC, a massacre in the Ruwensori Mountains, within North Kivu Diocese, has devastated two parishes. Bishop Isesomo today reports that the two parishes have emptied of people, mostly women and children fleeing for their lives.
Bishop Isesomo temporarily hosted over two thousand displaced people on the Cathedral compound in North Kivu's capital of Butembo, after a similar atrocity 15 months ago. Today he said that most people are fleeing over the border into Uganda and that he is receiving many calls for assistance with transport, a place to stay and food supplies.
Friends of CMSI living in Uganda, just 20kms from the border, have reported horrific details of the violence that has caused so many to leave their homes. They wrote:
This is human catastrophe. Please, pray.
And so we are asking you once more to stand with the people of Eastern Congo in prayer. As they must have grown weary of trauma upon trauma, violence upon violence, let us not grow weary in prayer. Our hearts and prayers are turned towards refugees in these days, please add these brothers and sisters to your prayers, and also the social and political context that results in their displacement.
CMSI will stand with North Kivu with funds from the DRC Emergency Appeal, as the Diocese responds to this humanitarian crisis.
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