Background

 Over 100 years ago, U.S. missionaries founded the Community of Disciples of Christ in Congo (CDCC) in what today is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire.  The church has been affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States since 1899 and is a longstanding partner of Global Ministries.  It has 324 congregations with 650,000 members.

     The Democratic Republic of Congo lies astride the equator, and virtually all of the country is part of the vast Congo River drainage basin.  The DRC is made up of a large plateau, forests, swamps, and mountains and is divided into ten provinces. 

     The population of the Congo includes approximately 200 ethnic groups.  The official language is French with indigenous dialects.  

     The DRC still struggles after many years of civil war and dictatorship. There is still much suffering from poverty, malnutrition, disease, and hunger.  While the economic situation seems to be slowly improving, the United Nations Development Program on Human Development Index ranks the DRC as 168 out of 177 countries in the world.  In spite of the difficulties faced, the church has remained the center of daily life for the people.

     The transportation systems are in very poor condition and travel is inaccessible in some areas.

     The communication infrastructure in the CDCC area has been nearly totally obliterated due to years of war. The CDCC has many different church posts located in provinces and cities around the country.  The distances between these posts can be as large as 1,000 miles.  Travel is usually on foot or by boat and can take nearly a month to complete.  Letters are sent back and forth but may take over a month to receive.  Many times the event mentioned in the letter has already passed and required some action to be taken weeks before the letter arrived.

     The operations of the CDCC are greatly hampered because of the lack of communication.  Better communication between the posts would help the CDCC to accomplish its goals and complete the important work that needs to be done.  Communication can be improved using several different means.

     Better communication can be achieved between the posts with the acquisition and use of new short-wave radios.  Short-wave radios were purchased for all of the posts in 1985 but their twelve to fifteen year lifespan has long since passed.  Short-wave radios, antennas, solar panels, batteries, and related equipment are needed for twenty-five (25) posts.  Funds are needed not only to buy the materials, but for transportation to the various posts and to train selected individuals from each community which will receive a shortwave communications set.  This will allow each community to more readily install, maintain, and if necessary make basic repairs to different parts of the station it receives.

How DARF/U-CAN is assisting

• DARF introduced shortwave communications into the area in the 1960's. These were stations available for Missionary personnel.
•  In 1985, a 17 station system was established at the supervisory posts.  DARF designed and installed the system in consultation with the CDCC.
• A team from DARF/U-CAN met with CDCC leadership in 2006 to survey the current need and make recomendations. The survey resulted in a proposal for 25 Solar powered HF Stations at the supervisory posts of the CDCC.
• In 2009, DARF/U-CAN provided funding for the purchase of 7 complete stations.  CDCC applied for and received a community development grant from the US State Department for 4 additional stations. All the stations were purchased and delivered to the CDCC Secretariate in Mbandaka. 

• Make a contribution. Send your check to DARF/U-CAN Congo Project, c/o Edward Jones,123 F Street, Salida, CO 81201. Use "Congo Project" in the memo line of the check.
• Ask your church's men's group, women's group, or youth group to make a special contribution.
• Would you consider being part of our speakers bureau? Send an Email to our President to indicate your interest. Click here to see that abundance of presentation helps.
• Begin contributing 10% of your cell phone bill every month, as a way of expressing solidarity with the people of the CDCC. Did you know that the conflict in the eastern part of the DRC is fueled in part by the illegal mining and smuggling of Coltan, an ore for tantalum, which is needed for cell phone miniturization?