Church supports Congolese refugees in Burundi

Key points:

• The United Methodist Church, with funding from UMCOR, is providing humanitarian aid and vital infrastructure to more than 22,000 refugees from Congo living at the Musenyi camp in Burundi.
• In addition to food, the church distributed reusable feminine hygiene kits, medicine and clothing. Four new water fountains also were installed.
• 12 United Methodist bishops visited the camp and encouraged the refugees not to lose hope. They helped deliver food and medicine to the health center, and witnessed the inauguration of solar streetlights.

As humanitarian crises continue to rock Burundi’s Great Lakes region, The United Methodist Church is aiding people displaced by war.

In mid-March, United Methodist bishops from across Africa visited the Musenyi camp to deliver vital aid and inaugurate essential infrastructure for refugees from eastern Congo seeking shelter in Burundi. The outreach was supported by the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

Located in Bururi Province in southeastern Burundi, Musenyi hosts a major integrated refugee site, officially inaugurated in August 2024 by the Burundian government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“As servants of God, we are called to support others, especially those going through difficult situations, such as these refugees,” said Bishop Emmanuel Sinzohagera, who leads the Burundi-Rwanda Episcopal Area.

Sinzohagera started the project in December. Now in its second phase, the initiative distributes food and focuses on health, hygiene, nighttime security and access to drinking water. It is coordinated by Abro Patrick, a missionary with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, and Godelieve Maranakiza, director of the church’s humanitarian works in Burundi.

The emergency humanitarian aid comes as the region faces a complex crisis that continues to worsen along Burundi’s borders. As the country receives an influx of families fleeing armed groups in eastern Congo, the Musenyi camp has become a symbol of extreme vulnerability, with its population doubling to 20,000 in just a few months.

UMCOR, the humanitarian aid and development arm of The United Methodist Church, released emergency funds to purchase food and non-food items.

In addition, reusable feminine hygiene kits, medicine and clothing were provided. Four new water fountains ensure vital access to drinking water. Roofing materials cover homes. The initiative also transformed the camp with the creation of play areas for children.

For Patrick, this logistical work is simply an extension of a deeper spiritual message. “God is always there,” he said. “We must not lose hope, no matter what situation we are going through. God … comforts and strengthens.”

A highlight is the installation of solar streetlights, a strategic measure to combat gender-based violence.

“It’s an extraordinary initiative,” said Nathanaël, a refugee representative at the site. “The light now allows women and girls to walk to the restrooms at night without the constant fear of being attacked or raped. Since the lighting was installed, especially near the storage containers, thefts have dropped drastically. We finally feel safe.”

At the camp’s health center, the situation was critical before the arrival of the United Methodist aid workers.

“We were completely out of stock,” recalled Dr. Clémentine, the facility’s director. She praised the church’s approach. “What made the difference was collaboration,” she said. “The team consulted with us to identify our actual needs before making any purchases. Today, we have the medications necessary to continue treating our patients.”

The delivery of aid to people displaced by war coincided with the continental roundtable of African bishops with a delegation from The United Methodist Church’s Commission on Religion and Race, led by Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and the commission’s top staff executive, the Rev. Giovanni Arroyo. The roundtable addressed tribalism and its implications for social cohesion — a theme intricately linked to the realities faced by many displaced populations.

During their March visit, 12 United Methodist bishops and the commission delegation saw firsthand the realities faced by the refugees. They prayed and encouraged the refugees not to lose hope, delivered food and medicine to the health center, and witnessed the inauguration of solar streetlights.

In addition to Sinzohagera and Moore-Koikoi, Bishops Mande Muyombo, Daniel Lunge, Mujinga Kashala, Antoine Tambwe Kalema, João Filimone Sambo, Gaspar Domingos, Moisés Bernardo Jungo, Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, Ande Emmanuel and James Boye-Caulker visited the camp. 

Muyombo, president of the Africa Colleges of Bishops, called for peace, addressing the warring parties directly. “Do not harden your hearts,” he said. “Open your hearts, sit down at the table and find a solution. Peace is possible.”

Citing the examples of Sierra Leone, Angola, Zimbabwe, Burundi and Mozambique — countries where war has ended — he insisted, “The war in the Congo must end.”

Kalema, whose episcopal region of East Congo is the conflict’s epicenter, was visibly moved. After praying for families during the distribution, he shared a heart-wrenching moment.

“Children came to me, saying, ‘Father, help us. Here, I have neither father nor mother,’” he recalled. “I had nothing to give them at that very moment. It was a deep pain.”

Kazadi, whose daughter suffers from health issues, sees the aid as an answer to prayer.

“Seeing the bishops of Congo and Burundi come all the way to us to bring us medicine and pray with us is a huge comfort,” he said. “Leaving the camp to go to an outside health center is a very complex administrative process. Knowing that I can treat my children right here lifts a huge weight off our shoulders.”

Muyombo said dialogue and consultation are the only paths to conflict resolution. “This is the essential condition for these people to return home with dignity.”

Sinzohagera expressed deep gratitude to the Burundi government for its hospitality and commitment to the refugees, as well as to UMCOR, whose support made the initiative possible. He also thanked the bishops present for their solidarity and active involvement.

Lives are being transformed, thanks to reusable feminine hygiene kits and new water fountains. Alice emotionally shared the challenges faced by women in this remote area of Kiniga and Guiaro.

“Before the UMCOR project arrived,” she said, “experiencing menstruation here was a source of shame. Lacking the means to buy sanitary products, many young girls were forced to use straw and stay locked up at home. Receiving these sustainable kits is a true blessing. Thanks to the demonstrations, we know how to use them over the long term. This allows us to regain our dignity.”

Ngoy and his wife, Rachel, are among those benefiting from the four new water fountains. “I praise the Lord,” Ngoy said, “because water is now accessible at any time in our neighborhood.”

“Having water right next to us changes everything,” Rachel added. “We no longer need to walk long distances to bring back what is vital for our household.”

Beyond material aid, for Sinzohagera, the initiative aims to raise collective awareness. He called on all stakeholders — partners, institutions and individuals — to continue supporting refugees through prayer and concrete actions aimed at improving living conditions.

Igiraneza is the communications officer for the bishop’s office in the Burundi-Rwanda Episcopal Area. Londe is a UM News correspondent based in Congo.

News media contact: Julie Dwyer at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.