DR Congo: What in the World is Partnership?

Today “partnership” is an overly used term meaning everything and anything, but for UWM it means advancing national leaders, churches, organizations, and movements by bringing together necessary components to see something “audacious” happen. I like the word “audacious” because it’s literary means, “showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.”

One bold risk was the establishment of a new effort to transform a generation who suffered genocide, government corruption, and unfathomable atrocities. In the early 2000s Dr. David Kaswera told his wife, Kaswera, “God’s telling me to move home”. Puzzled Kaswera replied, “but we are home.” Dr. David Kasali was president of Nairobi Evangelical Seminary by Extension in Kenya, but David being Congolese responded, “No, home to Congo.”

Now you have to understand at that time the war in Congo was not over and the government didn’t have control of the country. More than Five Million people were murdered within five years as roving militia terrorized the people, robbing, killing, raping, and exploiting people in ways that were indescribable to the world.

By being audacious, trusting God, and bringing together like-minded churches, people, and organizations Congo Initiative emerged as light to this beleaguered nation. Transforming a new generation so they can transform their nation is the goal so through education in several practicums, student community service, and heart transformation a new transformed generation of people is entering every stratum of society, and change is taking place.

This all takes bringing those of like mind together, or “partnership.”

Years ago we found this message scrawled on the wall of one dorm. I think it says it all, “ils n’avaient pas d’avenir mais ils ont reussi. il n’y a pas d’accident” translated; “They had no future but they succeeded. This was no accident!”

By: Mark Szymanski, Director of Strategic Partnerships Africa, Latin World, Brazil & The United States