DR Congo: Ebola outbreak and response

Please continue to pray for people in DR Congo, where the government has recorded over 1,500 cases of Ebola, including over 500 deaths. The World Health Organization reports that treatment centres are at saturation point. Mission partner Martin Gordon, Bishop of Goma, reports that scepticism around whether the disease is real has led to attacks on healthcare centres and medical workers. Pray for the church to continue to be at the forefront of the Ebola response, loving its neighbours, providing hope and signposting to practical help, and for the rapid development of a treatment and vaccine for this strain of Ebola (Bundibugyo).

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Africa: Ebola

Please keep the Ebola outbreak in your prayers. As of 22 June, DR Congo has confirmed more than 1,000 cases and 20 cases have been counted in Uganda. Pray that everyone who needs medical assistance will be able to access it, and lift up people living in fear and families who are grieving the loss of loved ones. There is a chance to “connect and pray” for Africa on Saturday 27 June at 11am. We will be joined by mission partner Nicci Maxwell, giving a perspective from South Sudan. Book via churchmissionsociety.org/pray-africa

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DRC: Ebola

Please continue to pray for the Ebola crisis. Our local partner Rev Bisoke Balikenga reports from Bunia, asking our prayers for the many traumatised people. So far the virus has not got into the internally displaced people’s camps, but outside them the local population is suffering badly.

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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

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DR Congo: Ebola outbreak

CMS-Africa write, “Pray for God’s protection over communities affected by the recent Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo and surrounding areas. Pray for healthcare workers, government authorities, churches and humanitarian organisations responding to the outbreak. Ask God for wisdom, adequate resources and effective containment measures to prevent further spread of the disease and to bring healing to those who are sick, and comfort to those who have lost loved ones.”

Read on the CMS blog how the church is responding to Ebola.

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The Bishop of Goma, Martin Gordon, has joined Church leaders in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in calling for urgent international support and prayer as the country faces its 17th Ebola outbreak in 50 years.

Speaking from Goma, Bishop Martin, a Church Mission Society (CMS) mission partner, warned that the outbreak, officially declared by the Congolese government on 15 May, has already resulted in over 1,000 suspected cases and more than 200 deaths. The outbreak’s epicentre is in Ituri Province in the north of the country, with confirmed cases now reported in Uganda and in Goma itself, the largest city in eastern Congo.

Churches across DRC are now playing a critical role in the response. Through extensive networks of schools, clinics, and local congregations, churches remain among the few institutions trusted by communities. Bishop Martin explained, “The church is on the frontline. We are at the heart of every village and community, and we are one of the few institutions still trusted to tell the truth.”

Drawing on experience from the devastating 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, church leaders are already mobilising. The diocese of Goma has circulated pastoral guidance outlining Ebola symptoms and encouraging best practices for hygiene, physical contact and medical referrals. Plans are also underway to equip churches and schools with temperature screening equipment.

Adding to the challenge is widespread public mistrust of health authorities and treatment centres. Many communities remain sceptical about the existence of Ebola, while restrictions surrounding burials have intensified tensions. “During the last outbreak, there were nearly 500 attacks against health facilities and 25 frontline medical staff were killed,” Bishop Martin recalled. He continued, “Already, two Ebola treatment centres have been set on fire.”

A major awareness and mobilisation conference for clergy, evangelists, teachers, and church staff in Goma was scheduled, and there are plans to expand training efforts across the wider diocese in the coming months. Church leaders are also renewing partnerships with journalists and community leaders to combat misinformation and promote life-saving public health messaging.

Bishop Martin emphasised that financial support will be essential to sustain these efforts. “We need support to strengthen awareness raising, equip frontline churches and schools, and help communities respond effectively,” he said. “But above all, we ask people to pray – for rapid mobilisation of resources, protection for health workers, effective treatment development and for churches to continue to be voices of hope.”

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved treatment or cure. Researchers at the University of Oxford said a vaccine it was developing could enter clinical trials within two to three months. The crisis is unfolding amid severe humanitarian and political instability. Recent cuts to USAID have weakened health monitoring systems, while approximately 10 million people are living under the control of M23 rebel authorities in eastern DRC. Ongoing tensions between the Congolese government and M23 forces have also kept Goma and Bukavu airports closed, severely restricting access for medical supplies and personnel.

Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS, said; “Bishop Martin and other church leaders like him have shown extraordinary courage. When a health crisis of this magnitude strikes an area already experiencing socio-political vulnerability, the Church is often the primary safety net. They are not fleeing the danger; they are moving toward it with love, practical help and hope. We urgently ask the global community to lift them up in prayer, for protection over church workers, wisdom in stopping the spread, and for the necessary medical resources to reach the region swiftly.”

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DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda: Ebola

There have been 220 suspected deaths from Ebola since an outbreak was declared in DR Congo on 15 May. Pray for ongoing protection for CMS partner Bisoke Balikenga and his colleagues, and for those they minister to through a peace centre in Bunia.

Please also pray for mission partner Martin Gordon, Bishop of Goma, and local churches as they offer healthcare and support communities.

Uganda has now fully closed its border with DR Congo, putting South Sudan at higher risk from anyone wanting to leave DR Congo.

Pray for mission partner Nicci Maxwell, a doctor who focuses on paediatric and neonatal medical care in Juba, South Sudan, and her colleagues, as they handle whatever might come their way.

Pray for protection from Ebola across all three countries, and for the virus to be contained.

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DR Congo: Ebola

The World Health Organisation has declared a public health emergency in DR Congo due to an outbreak of a rare strain of the Ebola virus for which there is no vaccine. CMS partner Bisoke Balikenga shares that the city Bunia, where he runs a peace centre, is affected by the crisis and asks for prayer. Lift up all those who are caring for those who are ill. Pray for people to take wise precautions to help stop the spread of the virus. Ask God to protect Bisoke and his colleagues from the virus.  

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DR Congo: help and hope for a desperate nation

Mission partner Martin Gordon, Bishop of Goma, shares that the church is the one institution in DR Congo that people still trust. With a church at the heart of every community, Christians are well placed to offer help and hope to all those who are desperate for relief from the ongoing conflict. Pray for churches to be able to continue to offer hope and practical help.

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Try to imagine being a child in eastern DR Congo. Your whole life you’ve lived in the shadow of violence.

Think of the horrors you might have witnessed – armed robbery, murder, sexual assault.

And what if your parents had also never known an extended time of peace, so they had no words of comfort for you?

Who could you talk to? Who could your parents go to, to get help coping with their anxiety, grief or anger? Or would they just have to bottle it up inside?

A beacon of light for broken hearts

In 2013 The Guardian reported that DR Congo was undergoing a “mental health catastrophe” due to millions of people living with the stress of near-constant conflict for decades. Today, there are still only a few dozen trained neuro-psychiatrists in a population of over 65 million people.

In places like Goma, where CMS mission partner Martin Gordon serves as bishop, there are only a handful of mental health professionals for millions of people.

Suicide, addiction and domestic abuse are rampant in a population which has  known only violence for so long.

Enter the church.

Bishop Martin shares that local Christians are at the forefront of recognising the need for psychological and spiritual care if the cycle of violence is ever going to be broken in DRC. He also shares some glimmers of hope gleaned in the past year since the latest outbreak of violence.

On the ground in Goma

An update from Bishop Martin Gordon

The east of Congo has known conflict for nearly 35 years, and we’re still under occupation since the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized the city in January 2025. They had been taking over ever greater swathes of land around Goma for almost three years prior to the invasion.

The immediate aftermath of the occupation saw 8,500 deaths, a peak in sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, public beatings and executions, kidnappings and raids on hospitals. We count the number of internally displaced people and the number of children out of school in the hundreds of thousands.

Today, although the banks, the airport, the prison and the courts remain closed, there is now more of a sense of calm. But it is an uneasy calm. Violence can flare up at any moment.

Seeking solace in church

But for us as a diocese there has been some encouragement. The Church is still seen as the one remaining institution that can be trusted and in DRC there’s always a church at the heart of every village and community. 

After Goma fell to the rebels, we saw an increased attendance in several of our parishes. Those who don’t usually come to church came asking for prayer, and those on the fringes started coming more regularly. There is a spiritual hunger.

In the weeks following the fall of the city, through the generosity of Anglicans across the world, we were able to distribute emergency cash to 60 of our clergy, 50 diocesan staff and over 200 school teachers whose salaries were not able to be paid by the central government. And we were able to rebuild or repair eight out of our 109 schools ahead of the start of the academic year. So almost 3,000 pupils can study in better conditions than before.

Thousands turning to Jesus

And in the sadness, in the pain, in the suffering, there are some real signs of hope. Because most of the diocese is under M23 control, it means getting around is easier. We’ve been able to visit parishes that have been inaccessible for the last three years to see how they’re doing and to encourage them. Land purchase and construction are less heavily policed and in the last year we’ve been able to build 16 churches and have bought 22 plots of land for church planting.

In summer 2025, we were able to hold large scale evangelism campaigns in four of our secondary schools in the city, where over 6,000 children heard the gospel and a thousand came to faith and our school chaplains are now busy following them up.

We’re seeing particular fruit in Walikale which is our archdeaconry in the forest, two days away from Goma by motorbike. Here, God has given us an open door for the gospel. We’ve been busy training church leaders, buying land, building schools and a guest house, and planting churches.

Since 2024, the church in Walikale has gone from a handful of struggling groups of believers to 17 churches, each with their own land and church building. Nineteen leaders have already finished two or three years of theological training or are in the process of being trained.

We’ve heard some exciting stories of the power of God breaking into people’s lives through monthly evangelism campaigns in Walikale.

From hate to hope

The bigger picture for us as a diocese and part of our day-to-day calling as a church is to pursue peace and reconciliation in the midst of conflict. For four years, we’ve been working with all faith leaders across the city, issuing joint media statements to change the narrative of hate and suspicion, doing weekly radio broadcasts to millions of people, and organising inter-community cultural and sporting events.

At the heart of our peace work is training religious and community leaders in self transformation. Teaching them to find peace with God and with themselves and then being sent as peacemakers to bring peace and reconciliation to their families, churches, and communities.

Joining hands for peace

After one such peace training focusing on youth, leaders from four different ethnic groups, usually at each other’s throats, took to the stage, joined hands, and gave a public commitment that from now on they would work together to bring healing to the community.

Photo: schoolchildren form an enthusiastic crowd at an evangelism campaign

Mental health mission

Increasingly within this area of self-transformation, we’re focusing on trauma healing for pastors and for leaders. This latest conflict is just another layer on top of previous trauma. We believe that the pastors are much better able to help their own congregations if they themselves have experienced de-traumatisation or found some measure of healing from past trauma.

To date we have trained around 300 young people, women, pastors and evangelists to be able to offer support for others who are traumatised.

Adopted into the family!

I’ll end with a story of healing and reconciliation that has profoundly moved many of us.

Canon John, the Archdeacon of Goma, retired in 2025 after 49 years of ministry and 50 years of marriage.

The first 10 years of marriage were hard as his wife Providence fell ill and they couldn’t have children. Eventually, they did have two children, although they’d always wanted more.

Earlier this year, Canon John was with Mama Providence in a trauma healing seminar. There was another participant called Ansh who gave her testimony around the trauma of never knowing her father.

She was now in her 30s. She had six children, but she spoke of how she missed the father she’d never known. She also told of how her husband had abandoned her. Her tailoring business had been looted in the fighting.

Everyone sympathised with her situation. But Canon John did something different. Touched by her story, he had a whispered conversation with his wife. They approached Ansh to say that they’d always longed for more children and would love to adopt her as their own adult daughter. Ansh readily agreed and immediately took their family name and started calling them mom and dad. Their only son Samuel who was at seminar came forward publicly to embrace and welcome Ansh into the family.

You can imagine the reaction of the other participants. Canon John came to my office the following week to tell me that everyone in the community knew that they now had a new daughter and earlier this year she brought two of her children to the cathedral to be baptised.

Holding on to hope

I want to end simply by thanking you all for your prayers, your interest and your support. Times are still incredibly hard in Goma.

The recent invasion adds one more layer of trauma to more than 30 years of conflict.

And many still struggle to make ends meet.

But amid the suffering, we can testify daily to the faithfulness of God, and we continue to put our trust in him, knowing that he sees our suffering and is always at work.

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DR Congo: renewed violence

Pray for the residents of Goma, DR Congo following recent drone strikes on residential areas and the killing of humanitarian workers. Ask for God’s protection over vulnerable people and pray for the immediate, continuing de-escalation of the conflict between the army and rebel forces. Pray for wisdom for regional leaders, and for the Church and CMS people in mission to be strengthened as it provides trauma relief and essential care for hundreds of people.

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DR Congo: peace seminar

Local partner Bisoke Balikenga asks for prayer for a peace seminar taking place at the peace centre he leads in Bunia from 9–14 March. Pray for each person who comes to the seminar to have a powerful encounter with God and be encouraged to work towards unity across different church denominations and for resolution of conflict between people groups.

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