Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed large grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to the church’s mission in South Sudan and to provide relief for Congolese refugees in Burundi and families continuing to be affected by violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A grant of $75,000 supports a three-month (February through April) relief effort for Congolese refugees in Burundi and impacted families still in the DRC. These communities have been affected by violence occurring over the past two years as the M23 rebel group has mounted a sweeping offensive across North and South Kivu Provinces of the DRC. Beginning with the fall of Goma in early 2025 and followed soon after by the capture of Bukavu, M23 has entrenched itself across vast stretches of both provinces, establishing parallel administrative structures and exerting direct control over people’s lives. The rebels’ continued expansion fueled by regional geopolitical tensions and alleged external backing has intensified the suffering of already vulnerable communities. As of early February 2026, the eastern DRC stands at a critical juncture that could expand into a regional war.
Prior to the invasion, Goma Center Church of the Brethren helped plant a new church near the camps for displaced people, called the Wugunga Church of the Brethren. Since the invasion, members have been sheltering in Goma or have fled to Burundi. While there is no reported loss of life among the Brethren, there is limited access to food and loss of many jobs.
A grant of $213,000 supports staff of the Church of the Brethren Mission in South Sudan in providing humanitarian relief for families affected by escalating violence, as the country verges on another civil war, and to help build a new church headquarters closer to Juba. Since late December 2025, the conflict has seen a sharp escalation in fighting between government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition. Reports include the use of airstrikes, mass displacement, and daily civilian casualties, even as humanitarian operations are attacked and looted leaving communities without food, shelter, or access to aid. The Church of the Brethren Global Mission has a long history of service in South Sudan, resulting in the planting of four churches and other preaching points.
Planning for 2026 is built around Brethren Disaster Ministries working closely with Global Mission staff, both in the US and South Sudan, to plan and coordinate programing, while sharing expenses. The grant request will cover operational expenses necessary to implement humanitarian relief programming in conjunction with the South Sudan mission program. The programming for 2026 will continue focused on the communities of Mayom, Mangateen, and Torit. The plan will focus on helping families address the trauma they have experienced, reducing intracommunity conflict, and targeting relief in areas where congregations are being developed.
To donate to the EDF and support these grants financially, go to https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/bdm
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