  DRC (Formerly Zaire) Africa Geography Area: 2,345,410 sq km Congo contains most of the Congo River system and much of the vast Central African rainforest. Population: 67,827,495 Annual Growth: 2.8% Capital: Kinshasa Urbanites: 35.2% Peoples Some 239 ethno-linguistic groups and numerous sub-groups. An uncountable number of refugees and displaced peoples have moved back and forth between the DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, and Tanzania in the last 20 years. (>2% unreached) Unreached Peoples in DRC: Arab Population: 24,000 Main Language: Arabic, North Levantine S Main Religion: Islam Bible in their language: Portions Status: Least-Reached Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2% South Asian, general Population: 171,000 Main Language: Hindi Main Religion: Hinduism Bible in their language: Complete Status: Least-Reached Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2% Swahili, Central Population: 48,000 Main Language: Swahili Main Religion: Islam Bible in their language: Complete Status: Least-Reached Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2% More information about peoples Literacy 89.8% (officially) This is greatly reduced by the collapse of the education system. Languages Official language: French Trade languages: Lingala/Bangala in north and northwest, Swahili in east and south, Tshiluba in center and Kikongo/Kituba in west Total languages: 217 Religion Largest Religion: Christianity Christians: 62,503,037 (92.15% of population) Evangelicals: 12,688,720 (18.7% of population) Politics For centuries, DRC has suffered the depredations of Arab slavers, Western exploitation and in recent years, exploitation by Africans. A Belgian colony for 60 years, the precipitate granting of independence to an unprepared people led to years of violence, anarchy and secessionist wars, culminating in a military coup in 1965. The Great Lakes War in Rwanda and Burundi spilled over into eastern Congo, leading to new rulers who were also erratic and autocratic. Further war led to invasions by Uganda and Rwanda, requiring intervention by Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, as well as U.N. peace keeping forces. All foreign forces had withdrawn by 2003. The country had its first free elections in 2007 with turnout of more than 70%. Rebel militias in the east and from Rwanda still operate with relative impunity. This conflict has led to more deaths than any other since WWII. Challenges for Prayer The Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) was a conglomeration forced by government edict in 1970, which artificially bonded conservative Protestants, Pentecostals/charismatics, and syncretistic African Initiated Churches, sixty-five denominations in all. Most evangelical leaders are now in favor of their membership in the ECC. Positive benefits include a reduction of tribalism in the Church, a reduction of unnecessary competition, rationalized administration, and increased cooperation in training schemes and media. But today, restructuring, change and renewal are imperative in order to face the daunting challenges that exist. Pray for nominal Christians to find new life in Christ. Nominalism is a major problem. Large numbers have no clear grasp of repentance and faith in Christ nor of salvation by grace and not works. Much nominalism is due to inadequate preaching of the gospel, satisfaction with a superficial response, and failure to follow up with those touched by the preaching. There is a notable lack of Biblical knowledge in most churches; pray that the Bible would be read, used, and applied in churches in the DRC. Pray for "revival churches" which are growing rapidly. Their spiritual liveliness and strong faith are positive, but many lack Biblical teaching and are often led by charlatans who use their pastoral position for personal gain rather than to serve the faithful. Prosperity theology runs strong through these churches and draws many with its promises of wealth for a population in desperate economic straits. Pray for syncretism, witchcraft, and false teachings to be rooted out of the Church. Animistic thought patterns, occult influences, and fear of witchcraft are major problems present in the underlying culture, polluting the faith of millions. Such continued spiritual ties oppress Christians and stymie their spiritual growth. Many are falsely accused and subject to cruel "exorcism" rituals. Jehovah's Witnesses with glossy literature and cheap Bibles are making rapid inroads. Pray for Biblical leadership patterns. The cultural tendency toward centralized leadership has sometimes harmed the local congregational life and initiative. It has stimulated hierarchical structures and has increased power seeking, pride of position, and misuse of funds. It has compromised the Church's prophetic role. Changes must come, but not at the expense of unity, fellowship, and cooperation. Pray for vision for the future. The DRC needs a complete re-evangelization. Colonial comity agreements and formation of the ECC served well in earlier eras, but they imposed rigid geographical boundaries on any outreach activity. This left many areas devoid of an evangelical witness and hindered cross-cultural outreach. There is great freedom to minister the gospel in many ways, but lack of vision, resources, and stability hampers potential outreach. The work of the Holy Spirit in some areas has led to increased love for God's Word, prayer movements, mobilization of youth and a new indigenous hymnody. Pray for new initiatives in research. After radical change prompted by the past chaos, destruction, and displacement, a nationwide survey is desperately needed to reveal the state of the Church and the needs of the nation. Before strategies can be developed and implemented, the real situation in this vast, populous and complex nation must be understood. Pray for a team of capable researchers, supported by the national churches, to undertake this daunting task. Pray for new starts in evangelism and church work. The trauma experienced in the DRC betrays the failure of discipleship. But out of the ashes, new models of minsitry -- holistic in approach, community-based, discipleship-focused, and sustainable in nature -- can be devloped. Pray that this opportunity for fresh ministry might be seized by believers, both indigenous and expatriate. -Most of this information is taken from Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation - 7th Edition, by Jason Mandryk FM World Missions in DRC Music and singing from the Nundu Free Methodist Church, 2014  HDN - Nundu Deaconess Hospital - directed by Congolese physicians with a long history of partnership with FM World Missions - now hosting a church, accredited nursing program, and 21 outpatient clinics
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