Hope from the Edges
Watch the latest stories of what God is doing in DR Congo, Brazil and the UK.
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Video transcript
Hello everyone and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, CEO for CMS.
In the next few minutes, we’ll bring you inspiring updates from three different edges of our world, stories of resilience, transformation and hope that your gifts and prayers are making directly possible.
First, we go to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where local church leaders are stepping onto the front lines of a critical health crisis. Then we cross the ocean to Brazil. For a mission story that happens to be very close to my heart. And finally, we’ll return to the UK to celebrate a remarkable story of community resilience and a grand reopening in Carlisle.
We begin today with a sobering situation unfolding in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The country is currently facing its 17th Ebola outbreak in 50 years, with over 1,000 suspected cases. And more than 200 tragic deaths already officially reported. The epicentre is in Ituri province, but confirmed cases have reached the major city of Goma and crossed borders into Uganda.
If you’ve kept up with CMS mission efforts in DRC, you’ll know this crisis is compounding severe humanitarian and political instability. Over 10 million people are currently living under the control of M23 rebel authorities. An ongoing conflict has forced the closure of local airports, severely restricting the flow of vital medical supplies and response teams. In these incredibly vulnerable, volatile spaces, the Church is proving to be a primary safety net and lifeline.
CMS mission partner Martin Gordon, the Bishop of Goma, reports that local churches are uniquely positioned to respond because they remain among the very few institutions truly trusted by the community. This local trust is a matter of life and death. Widespread public mistrust of health authorities has unfortunately fueled scepticism about the virus’s existence, even leading to two treatment centres being set on fire.
Drawing on their hard-worn experience, the Diocese of Goma is mobilising rapidly. They’ve already circulated vital pastoral guidance on tracking symptoms, introducing strict hygiene and sanitation standards. And managing medical referrals safely. Plans are also underway to equip local schools and churches with temperature screening equipment, launch awareness conferences for clergy and teachers, and partner with local journalists to actively combat misinformation. Because this involves a rare strain of Ebola, for which there’s currently no approved vaccine or cure, containment through community education is our most critical line of defence.
Bishop Martin is calling for urgent prayer for protection over health workers and wisdom for church leaders. To learn more and to stand with them, please visit our website.
Now let’s travel to Brazil for a story close to my heart about how the posture of mission is changing and the beautiful fruit of local leadership.
Many years ago my wife Rose, who is from Brazil, and I felt a call on our hearts to help protect vulnerable girls from exploitation. We founded Revive International. Now, when I had first arrived in Brazil as an 18-year-old gap year volunteer, a young local woman named Elise became my translator. She also joined our dining room table prayer meetings and eventually became Revive’s very first paid employee.
When the time came for Rose and I to move to the UK after 15 years, we faced a choice. Rather than bringing in another foreign leader. We chose to step back and entrust Revive entirely into the hands of Elise and the local Brazilian team. We wanted to intentionally dismantle the mindset that subtly implies that leadership must come from the outside. And when we told them, they burst into tears. Under Elise’s leadership, Revive has thrived. The team have listened to where the Holy Spirit has been moving, bravely transitioning the work away from large residential institutions or safe houses, toward pioneering a growing fostering service. It is a living testament to Psalm 68, which reminds us that God sets the lonely in families.
The same shift towards collaborative, locally rooted mission is beautifully reflected in story of CMS mission partners Stu and Rosie Bayford. During the seven years serving alongside Revive, they partnered with a local church to pioneer a community market in an underserved neighbourhood. Rejecting a dependency-heavy handout model, they built a system where local families could buy food at deeply reduced rates, preserving agency and dignity. The market grew into a thriving community hub, a space for shared prayer, parenting workshops and other seminars. Through these relationships, three local sisters came to faith and were recently baptised.
And just like Rose and I did years ago, as Stu and Rosie now return to the UK, they have handed full ownership of this market over to a dedicated team from the local church.
This is mission at its best, where all parties are listened to, working in genuine partnership, building up each other’s gifts, and stepping away so local leaders can flourish.
Finally, let’s return to the UK to see this exact same pattern of local empowerment and resilience at work. In Cumbria, the Carlisle Community Shed, a project involving CMS mission partner Gary Ion, has been a vital lifeline, connecting with people on the margins who are navigating loneliness or mental health challenges. Through practical, hands-on workshops, the shed provided a safe space for people to find community and purpose. And to explore faith in Jesus too.
However, in October 2025, the project hit a major financial roadblock and was forced to close its doors. The tools were packed away, the contents were moved into a storage unit, and the doors were locked. But the story didn’t end there. What followed was an incredible outpouring from the local community, refusing to let the space of hope disappear.
A powerful local outcry sparked a special fundraising campaign. Thanks to that local determination and prayer, the Shed recently celebrated a grand reopening. Gary shares that the new location is even better than before, featuring a spacious workshop, a dedicated social area with sofas and an indoor game space.
Thank you so much for joining me for these updates from the Edges. And for the prayerful and financial support that makes these breakthroughs possible.
Please consider sharing this video with your church, small group, or anyone who needs a reminder of how God is moving in our world today. Until next time, we are so deeply grateful for your partnership as together we follow Jesus.
With Jesus
With each other
To the edges
ENDS
Be sure to receive Hope from the Edges every time!
