Church Members Roll Up Their Sleeves to Help Others and Show Love for the Savior

Faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from many congregations across central Africa are conducting a wide variety of humanitarian projects in their home communities during December 2022. They are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and are supporting the global Light the World initiative. Their services range from providing critical supplies to orphanages, hospitals, and prisons to maintaining schools, public restrooms, and drainage systems.

These projects were planned and implemented by local church leaders and members in accordance with identified local needs. All labor was volunteered. Materials used in these projects were either donated or funded by tithes and offerings from faithful Church members.

Members of the Church strive to be good citizens of their communities and to demonstrate their love for the Savior by helping the needy without regard to religious affiliation, nationality, or social condition.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kinshasa area - church members spent three Saturdays cleaning, painting, and replacing broken plumbing, electrical fixtures, and toilets at a public restroom near the city’s main train station.

On another Saturday, Church members delivered more than 110 packages with essential food items to residents of a handicapped center. They also cleaned the common areas and painted an exterior wall.

Dieumerci Kalonji, counselor in the stake presidency, said “we serve those around us to celebrate the life of Christ during this Christmas season.” He invited all to join church members in sharing the light of Christ.

Yvette Katokwe, stake Relief Society president, said, “we are here to give relief, assistance, and comfort. Our mission is to help God’s children who are in need.”

Kisanga area - fifty members of the Kisanga Stake donated supplies and service at the Tshansasa Orphanage (60 orphans) and Annuarite Orphanage (70 orphans), near Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo on 4 December. The members will also provide needed supplies to the Boma Prison in Kipushi.

Ruashi area - members of the Ruashi Stake provided humanitarian service to the Jamaa Letu Homeless Center for Young Women in Ruashi, near Lubumbashi, DR Congo in December 2022. Run by the Methodist Church, this orphanage currently houses about 30 girls from Ruashi.

Some Church members cleaned the kitchen as others cleared weeds on the property. While they worked, youth from the Church taught the girls a couple of new dances.

Stake members donated 25 sacks of flour, 10 sacks of sugar, 10 jugs of palm oil, and other food items. They also donated a new freezer, clothing, shoes, and soap. Following a hymn and a prayer, they had lunch with the center’s occupants, who afterward expressed their sincere appreciation.

Kabusanga area - members of the Kabusanga Stake in Mbuji-Maji, Democratic Republic of the Congo, donated funds to four health clinics in their area. These will be used to help patients who cannot pay their hospital bills.

“We cannot remove all of your physical suffering or debt,” said Kabusanga Stake President Yamba Bukasa Donnat at a handover ceremony, “but we can help lighten the burden of hospital and medical bills.” He further remarked that, “it is the duty of all Church members to imitate Christ.”

A staff member of the clinic said, “today I understand the role of tithing when offered honestly and with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Republic of the Congo

Makélékélé area - members of this Stake, in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, donated mattresses and basic food items to an orphanage for homeless children sponsored by the Catholic Church.

Makélékélé Stake leader Augusin Nkondani led the effort. Orphanage director Adrien Missiri thanked the Church for its “significant gesture” of solidarity with society’s most vulnerable members.

Uganda

Jinja Stake - members of the Church visited the High-Level Early Childhood Center, one of the children’s homes in Namungalwe Village. Church leaders inspected the welfare of the children and facility conditions and consulted with center officials on how best to give assistance. They pledged the Church’s support and praised the progress of the center.

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During the visit, Church leaders donated over 750 kilograms of supplies in bulk, including posho (maize meal), rice, beans, salt, sugar, soap, and cooking oil.

Center Director Mugumya Eseza expressed sincere appreciation for these supplies because they are “seriously facing hunger because food prices are too high, and they are not in a position to buy enough food for the children.”

Cameroon

Douala District - members and missionaries of the Douala Branch cleaned public spaces, gutters, and ditches. This was important because of the frequent tropical monsoons that affect this coastal city which is home to more than 5 million.

In total, more than 50 projects will be completed by the year end in this region, while dozens of others are happening in other parts of Africa.