Congo-Kinshasa (MNN)–Polling booths on Sunday saw queues hundreds long as nearly half the population in the Democratic Republic of Congo turned out to pick new leadership from a field of over 30 presidential candidates.
Violence was kept to a minimum during the polling process, but the outbreaks and deaths that did occur pointed to an underlying current of tension that threatens to upset a tentative peace. Counting is underway, but a final tally could be weeks away.
It is hoped, by many, that the eventual outcome puts a final end to 32 years of autocratic rule and brutal civil war that claimed over four million lives. From that tragedy comes a residual humanitarian disaster than claims thousands a week.
World Vision’s Rory Anderson says they’re trying to meet present and future development needs. “These elections are very important because it helps transition the Congo from an autocracy and instability from war to a legitimate government and paves the way for development.”
WVI has been working in the Eastern and Western parts of the country since the mid-80s. They’ve focused on emergency relief, food distribution, water and sanitation, as well as providing psychological and medical assistance. Within the last decade, WVI added agricultural developement programs to help address food security issues.
Anderson says their teams continue to share the hope of Christ through their projects because: “It is really a joy to be able to do the work of the Lord by serving those who have often times been forgotten by the international community, but we know that all the children of the Congo and the parents of the Congo matter to Jesus.”
If you want to help World Vision reach the Congolese, go to: http://www.worldvision.org.
