Every now and then the amazing missionary organization Iris Global releases their video newsletters on Youtube. This week’s video covered their ministry in DR Congo, and I was just wrecked by it. So much pain. So much suffering. And yet so much love, dance and passionate worship. Not to speak about the amazing signs and wonders they experience.
I’ve written about Congo before, it’s a country the Lord has put on my heart. It began several years ago when I got so upset hearing about that our cell phones and computers have financed the devastating Congolese war that has killed 6 million people. Thousands of women have been raped, and every day aroung 1500 people die because of the malnutrition and diseases the war produces – half of them children. What does the Kingdom of Christ means in such a horrible situation?
Well, it means everything.
Worship at Iris Bukavu, DR Congo. Photo: Iris Global
The worship in the video above is amazing. The passion, the love, the zeal – it makes me breathless. Many of these people have experienced things that are unimaginable for me. And yet they do not question the goodness of God, instead they seek it more intensely.
Rolland Baker, one of the leaders of Iris Global, shares in the video of how Iris’ Congolese partners shares many testimonies about miracles: legs growing out, arms growing out and people getting supernaturally transported out of burning houses. It reminds me of some articles I read a couple fo years ago by Jesus Army about the Congolese revival in the mid 1900’s, during the war for independence. Again, there was unimaginable suffering but also amazing glory – people getting radically baptized in the Spirit, speaking in languages they do not know, healings and other forms of miracles.
I find it interesting that while many Western non-believers use humanitarian crises as arguments against God, people in developing nations who experience these crises just seek Him more passionately and experience even more of His signs and wonders. To walk with Christ is a walk of persecution and suffering mixed with glory and miracles. We serve both a crucified and exalted God. Let us pray for, give to and learn from our Congolese brothers and sisters. Please go to the Iris Global website and make a generous gift to their ministry in Congo. Blessings!
Related articles
- The Whoredom of the Church (hannahinthecongo.wordpress.com)
- Adoption to the Glory of God Pt. 2 (aarontetzlaff.wordpress.com)
- EU missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo extended (appablog.wordpress.com)
- Congo, Rwanda presidents meet in Uganda over rebels in eastern Congo amid lull in fighting (congoayuk.wordpress.com)
Charismactivism 
Fantastic!
My heart goes out for Goma, DRC. May God help and bless them.
[…] A month ago, I wrote about the mix of tears and joy, suffering and glory that Iris Ministries in the Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing. While people are losing their children and the women are raped by soldiers; miracles are abundant and the church has a burning passion for God. This paradoxal relationship between the cross and the glory may be hard for Western people to understand, but it is very real. Today I want to introduce you to a missionary who also experienced this in the Congo – but 50 years ago. Her name is Helen Roseveare. […]
[…] A month ago, I wrote about the mix of tears and joy, suffering and glory that Iris Ministries in the Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing. While people are losing their children and the women are raped by soldiers; miracles are abundant and the church has a burning passion for God. This paradoxal relationship between the cross and the glory may be hard for Western people to understand, but it is very real. Today I want to introduce you to a missionary who also experienced this in the Congo – but 50 years ago. Her name is Helen Roseveare. […]