Population: 55,000,000 Christian 95%, African Traditional 2.5%, Muslim 1% (evangelicals 19%) General Conference
Origins Numerous Free Methodist schools were established throughout the conference on both elementary and high school levels. A hospital was built at Nundu near Lake Tanganyika. A rural health network was established, expanding to include 38 health centers. Workers trained at the hospital nursing school staffed many of these health centres. In 1989 DRC became a Provisional General Conference electing Reverend Jason Bya’Ene as bishop. It became a full General Conference in 1995. In September 1991, as the economy collapsed and the country became politically unstable, Free Methodist missionaries were withdrawn. One missionary returned in 1994 and was joined by two couples in 1996 only to evacuate several months later as ethnic tensions increased and turned into full-scale war. Thousands of Free Methodist families fled to neighboring Tanzania or were displaced within the country. Present Ministries
The medical work has been increasingly compromised, but essential urgent care is provided by those nurses who remain in this war zone. In spite of the many difficulties of recent years, two new health centers have been constructed.
The church is suffering yet triumphant and growing. The Free Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest General Conference in the world.
Canadian Involvement |
Country Ministry | Canadian Dollars * |
Missionary Support (Linda Stryker) | $44,711* |