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In 2002, a man in the Democratic Republic of Congo contacted his friend Leon Mukendi, Congolese Pastor of French Speaking ministry at New City Fellowship, St. Louis. He wrote to inform Leon of the dire needs of brothers and sisters in Congo. Because of the widespread devastation and prolonged political upheaval in the DRC, there were very few ways to earn any income and families were in great distress. According to the CIA World Factbook:

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from war, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html

Many people in Congo (DRC) were having deep struggles and were in despair because of the effects of this political & economic turmoil. The New City Fellowship community began with a small step–sending money to feed forty families with basic supplies of rice & fish. There was a leadership group in DRC that dispersed the food and supplies to the people in need.

A team from NCF St. Louis formed because others felt called by God to join together to partner there, see the needs, and see where the larger NCF community could become more deeply involved in helping brothers and sisters.

The first NCF Congo Bridge Team trip was one week of working with different churches and mercy ministries visiting the homes of Congolese believers. They visited various Congolese-operated non-government organizations, including CEFOREA and La Grace de Dieu to build relationships, assess needs and see where NCF, St. Louis might partner with Congolese believers in support of these mercy ministries.

This trip and subsequent visits to Congo (DRC) began to deepen the already growing realization and call for New City to partner with the churches and orphanages they visited to contribute to providing for the basic needs of orphans and our brothers and sisters in the churches there.

Another primary part of the connection in Congo (DRC) is leadership development and building relationship with the church leaders, and seeking out more mercy ministry opportunities through their churches. The vision is for us to grow together as the global body of Christ in seeing God’s Kingdom in each of our congregations and in the lives of individuals who are touched by the justice, mercy and compassion of his Kingdom.