DR Congo: Faith And the Word Give Voice to Orphans of Terror
Beni, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a devastated region where more than 17,000 people have been killed since 2014, thousands of orphaned children are the invisible victims of a brutal conflict. With their families wiped out, they are left alone, vulnerable to violence and despair. With their families wiped out, they are left alone, vulnerable to violence and despair. It is here that glimmers of hope are emerging, carried by the courage of individuals and the transformative power of a faith-based resilience program.
Hélène's Refuge: a Haven of Peace in the Face of Horror
The story begins in 2014. Hélène, a woman of unwavering courage, meets orphans during a retreat. “They cried to leave with me,” she recalls. That day, her destiny changed. She opened her door and her heart, now housing 17 children and seeking sponsors for others.
Her work is a constant challenge.
“Living with these children is a passion and a great challenge,” she confides. “And the greatest challenge is knowing how to transform hearts that have been wounded by the children's dark past.”
Some children, who returned after months of abduction, were forced to endure horror. She remembers Kambale (not his real name), 9, who eventually disappeared to take part in a massacre after living under her roof.
Isaac's Story: Silence Broken by the Word
Among the unspeakable stories, that of Isaac (not his real name) is emblematic. His mother hid him and his brother under a bed while rebels attacked the village. “No matter what happens, don't talk and don't scream,” she ordered them before being executed on the spot, using them as human shields.
Isaac was wounded and fled. His little brother, Arsène, remained silent, covered in his mother's blood. Taken to the mortuary because he was believed to be dead, he obeyed his mother's last command.
“After three months, Isaac still wasn't talking. He had followed his mother's advice to ‘not speak,’” says Hélène. For over a year, the child remained silent.
The healing came in 2021, during a World Vision training session on reporting gender-based violence. “During the training, Isaac smiled for the very first time, and that was the beginning of him starting to talk.” Today, thanks to Bible studies, Isaac has a future again. “He can read the Bible, discuss biblical topics, and share his story. He is in high school and now has hope.”
The contribution of this program, in partnership with the League for Bible Reading, is fundamental and multidimensional.
The Crucial Contribution of the Let The Children Come (LCC) Program: a Holistic Healing Program
LCC provides the essential structural framework and technical support that enables local heroes like Hélène to act effectively. Thanks to its efforts, more than 2,500 Bibles have been distributed and 120 reading clubs formed, providing a solid spiritual foundation for hundreds of children. Its concrete psychosocial support is evident in the organization of community outreach activities, such as the one that brought together 513 children in a moment of praise and identity rediscovery. World Vision also provides active protection against violence towards these children and bases their inner reconstruction on a holistic program that is material, psychological, and spiritual, which is essential for transforming an emergency shelter into a real springboard to the future for thousands of orphans.
A call to action: the emergency continues despite these efforts, the needs behind the killing of more than 17,000 people are immense and continue to grow.
“The efforts are worthy of praise, but they are still far from meeting the needs that are being felt. Thousands of children abandoned in the wake of the massacres continue to increase in number,” warns Hélène.
Every child like Isaac who regains the ability to speak is a victory. But for every story of healing, hundreds more are still waiting for a helping hand, a Bible, and a safe haven. This program is a lifeline offering hope rooted in faith.