People in Goma are “hungrier than ever for the basic truths of the Christian faith” a year on from attacks by M23 rebels on Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Rwandan-backed force invaded the city in January 2025, leaving around 3,000 dead and 700,000 displaced. However, Martin Gordo, the Bishop of Goma, has revealed to the Church Mission Society (CMS) that a spiritual awakening has captured the area amidst the negative headlines, with thousands exploring matters of faith and becoming Christians.
Gordon revealed that he and his fellow workers have recently had access to areas which they had not previously been able to visit for three years, and that church attendance figures across his archdeaconry doubled last year, while thousands of children are attending church-run events. He believes this points to a widespread desire for spiritual understanding, partly due to the church being the “one institution that is still trusted in DRC”.
He told CMS: “[The church] is at the heart of every village and community. When war came, people looked to the churches for every kind of help, as well as for hope. They were used as shelters and distribution centres and we saw an increased attendance in many of our parishes that were not displaced. Those who didn’t usually attend started coming for prayer. Those who were more sporadic started attending more regularly.
“We’ve seen people hungrier than ever for the basic truths of the Christian faith and as I’ve been doing the rounds of the churches in the Archdeaconry of Goma, we are seeing a greater number of candidates for baptism and confirmation.”
Despite all that is positive about these developments, Gordon is aware that the situation in Goma is still “incredibly hard”. He said: “Amidst the suffering, we testify daily to God’s faithfulness, and we continue to put our trust in Him, as the One who will ultimately bring about peace.”
