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After Desiré arrived as a refugee at Burundi’s Nyankanda Refugee Camp in 2019, he set to work on two goals: planting a church and starting a farm.
For Desiré, these plans didn’t come out of nowhere. Both were born out of a way of life he knew in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Like many Congolese refugees, Desiré once had a piece of land he called his own, raising crops for his wife and 12 children. He was also a pastor, bringing families in his community the hope of the gospel. For many years, Desiré held those vocations together, working in the soil and in the hearts of his neighbors.
But in 2019, everything changed. Desiré and his family were forced to leave their home. Because of ongoing conflict and violence in their community, he, his wife and his children’s lives were in danger. They fled to Burundi, where they made their way to Nyankanda.
DRC: Beyond the Crisis
DRC is home to one of the largest forced migration crises anywhere on earth. Decades of violent conflict, political upheaval, natural disasters and health crises have resulted in millions becoming displaced within DRC, across Africa and beyond. Recent disasters such as the Ebola outbreak have only worsened the country’s already-complicated situation.
In spite of the turmoil, however, the faith of the Congolese people shines through. Even after years of suffering and hardship, DRC still holds one of the highest populations of Christians of any place on earth, with 80-95% of the country’s 116 million people professing faith in Jesus Christ.
Families that have been forced to flee DRC aren’t leaving behind their faith. They carry it with them — through hardship, crises and disasters. Their belief in more carries them through to another day. And it’s this hope in the gospel that prompts them to serve their communities, even when they live in exile.
Desiré: Meeting Needs in Burundi
After he found himself in a refugee camp, Desiré knew: his circumstances may have changed, but his calling hadn’t.
Immediately, he set to work in his new community, gathering other refugees and Burundian families living nearby for worship. By God’s grace, Desiré’s work inside Nyankanda found immediate success. In a few months time, a church was born.
Eventually, Desiré’s rapport within the community grew, and soon he was able to construct a building for his newfound congregation. The relationships he built within the community paved the way for him to accomplish his next goal, as well: finding a place to farm. Soon after their church was built, Desiré began to rent 3 hectares of farmland from members of the surrounding community.
Desiré’s plans began to come together — until he encountered serious difficulties while growing his food.
“Most of the time here, when you don’t have fertilizer, it’s very hard to get a good harvest,” Desiré said. Without adequate fertilizer, his crops were not growing with any serious level of success. He was working hard, but he wasn’t getting everything he needed from the land.
Thankfully, that’s when Desiré got connected with World Relief. After joining World Relief’s local church network in Nyankanda, Desiré learned about World Relief’s agriculture programming taking place within the camp. Immediately, he signed up.
What he learned through World Relief’s Agricultural programming was, according to Desiré, life-changing. “I am so grateful for everything [World Relief] is doing,” Desiré shared. “I can see that [they] have been so helpful to me and even my future.”
After joining World Relief’s Agriculture for Life programming, Desiré received training on improved, sustainable farming practices, including how to create organic fertilizer and compost. In addition, Desiré was given 10 kilograms of improved maize seeds to help increase his farm’s production.
Now, Desiré looks at his fields with pride. “You can see how beautiful [the field] is, when you are there,” Desiré shared. “If you are hungry, you are no longer hungry after seeing it.”
With training and seeds in hand, Desiré quickly found success. Just this spring, he harvested approximately 600 kilograms of produce and flour — enough to feed his family of 14 and bring his harvest to market for income.
With more to go around, Desiré also gives produce and flour to any neighbors experiencing vulnerability. He says that because God has blessed him, he now wants to make sure those around him receive what they need.
“I can’t stop working for God,” Desiré said. “There are so many blessings while working for God.”
John: Building Community in the U.S.
Last year, some 7,000 miles away from Desiré, another pastor from DRC was beginning his first service at his new church in Greenville, South Carolina.
His journey to this moment had started several years before. At one time, he was a pastor and human rights advocate in DRC. But because he spoke out on behalf of the vulnerable and challenged those in power, a target was put on his back.
His life at risk, he escaped to Uganda in 2009. He spent 3 years separated from his family before they, too, fled and joined him.
John and his family waited and prayed for another decade before getting the good news — they were approved for resettlement.
In 2022, they were welcomed to South Carolina by World Relief. Though the road was difficult, staff, volunteers and local church partners helped the family navigate housing, employment and life in a new culture.
Now, John pastors a local church and supports other refugees in his community. “I got a new hope and reassurance that after many years of fear, pain, anxiety and depression, you can still thrive if you meet loving and caring people,” he said.
The Courage To Do More
John and Desiré are just two of thousands — even millions — who have been forced to flee their homes in DRC. But even in the suffering, they have carried their faith with them.
Desiré’s belief in the gospel encouraged him to do more than just survive. He responded to his calling: he started a church, began planting crops and now is sharing his surplus with those in need.
On the other side of the world, another pastor from DRC faced similar circumstances — a new home, a new country, and a new journey to rebuilding. But John’s faith gave him the courage to go beyond survival. Because he believed in more, families in South Carolina are receiving the gospel.
At World Relief, our work is to walk alongside these families, both here in the U.S. and around the world. We believe that more is possible — more churches started, more families fed, more refugees cared for.
It’s only with your support that we can make this future a reality. Will you walk alongside us as, together, we believe in more?
Samuel Heard serves as a content specialist at World Relief. His writing has appeared in a variety of outlets, including Baptist Press, Mere Orthodoxy, the Center for Faith and Culture and elsewhere. He lives in Upstate South Carolina with his wife and three children.