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Karungu knows that he would not be where he is today without God walking alongside him.
“I have never seen the door of opportunities open without the facilitation of God,” said Karungu, who is a refugee and a Christian. “My life and my experience in its entirety, I have seen God at work.”
Born and raised in DR Congo, Karungu was 16 years old when war broke out around him. With danger surrounding his family and nowhere else to turn to, he and his older brothers were forced to flee to Uganda — leaving his parents behind.
The escape was devastating and perilous. As they were starting their route to Uganda, Karungu and his brothers encountered a militant rebel group. One of Karungu’s brothers was killed along the way.
“The rebels could shoot all of us, and all of us could [have died],” Karungu said.
By God’s grace, Karungu and two of his other brothers managed to escape the war. They arrived in Kampala, Uganda, where Karungu would spend the next 16 years.
“It was a very daring situation,” Karungu said. “But, thank God … I am here today.”
Life in Displacement
While living as a refugee in Kampala, Karungu made the most out of his difficult circumstances. He worked hard to learn English and started attending university, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in international relations and diplomatic studies. These opportunities paved the way for him to work with some of the top research institutions from around the world.
“The first one was the Northwestern University of Chicago,” Karungu said. “They had a doctoral researcher that was researching about refugees, understanding their rights in Uganda, and I was there to assist them.”
From there, he found opportunities to work with Harvard University, Stockholm University, York University, the World Bank and the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, providing interpretation and research assistance. “I understood a lot about the lives of refugees,” Karungu said.
But not everything was going well for him during this time. Karungu experienced illegal detentions and witnessed injustices against fellow refugees — including fraud, extortion, sexual exploitation, illegal arrests, abuse and discrimination.
“I experienced very many bad things, and illegal things, and inhuman things,” Karungu shared. He was eager to find a new home.
That opportunity would eventually arrive. In 2017, Karungu was identified for refugee resettlement through the UNHCR, and in 2018, his case was submitted to the U.S.
For seven years, Karungu waited.
Then, in 2024, he found out he had been approved for placement in the United States. On Nov. 25, World Relief Triad welcomed Karungu, his wife and his twin infants to his new home in North Carolina.
“I was very excited,” Karungu said.
A Global Crisis
Across the world, millions of people like Karungu have lost their homes — places to belong, communities they love. As global conflict, climate disasters and poverty continue to escalate at a rapid rate, an increasing number of women, men and children find themselves caught in the largest displacement crisis in human history. Today, that number exceeds 122 million.
We also know that many within this displaced population are Christians, followers of Jesus who have been forced to flee their homes on account of their faith. Every year, persecuted Christians around the world must make an impossible decision: stay at home, and risk torture, imprisonment and death — or leave, and walk away from everything they know.
Even in the midst of this crisis, we are confident that God has positioned the church to be his instrument of peace, restoration and healing. He calls each of us to respond — not only in our gifts and advocacy but also in prayer.
Praying for Refugees — Together
Today, as Karungu works hard to start his new life here in the U.S., he aspires to advance his education and work for a humanitarian organization in the future. But more than that, Karungu prays for a day when refugees like him can find safety and security through a revitalized refugee resettlement program.
“Each and every day, I pray for the resettlement procedures to be resumed for refugees,” Karungu said. “Many people think that people aspire (for) resettlement in order to achieve a better life. But it’s absolutely wrong. Many people aspire (for) resettlement for the sake of a safe environment, for the sake of somewhere their lives will be safe.”
As a refugee himself, and as one who has worked with refugees for years, Karungu knows what people facing displacement need. He understands that the journey toward safety, hope and healing is not one refugees can take alone. Above all, they need the voice of the church joining alongside them, lifting up prayers on their behalf.
In the paragraphs below, read a prayer shared by Karungu himself. As the church continues to lift up its voice for refugees around the world, consider making this your prayer today.
Dear Lord, Father of Heaven, the creator of the universe and the heavens, I pray at this moment and I request from you:
I know that you are a loving Father. Dear Lord, I pray that you watch over all the refugees and the IDPs and the forced displaced people in the entire world. Not only in my country, Congo, where there is war, not only in Uganda, where I come from. But I pray that you protect and watch over all refugees in the entire world — in Venezuela, in Asia, in Europe, in every continent and every country.
Dear Lord, I pray for the United States. For very many years, the United States has been there for refugees. For very many years, the United States has been supportive — even now, dear Lord, despite the challenges. But I know that they are still supporting and I know they’re still going to support.
God, dear Lord, I pray that you soften the hearts of the authorities that might want to hinder or disrupt the resettlement process. Dear Lord, I pray that you touch their hearts. Show them the importance of the resettlement program. Show them the importance and the hope that all of these refugees have in the program of resettlement, not only resettlement to the USA but also to Canada, to Scandinavia, to Australia and to other countries that take refugees in the program of resettlement.
God, I pray that you make this process easy. As you’re making it easy, dear Lord, I pray to bless the USA Bless all the countries that receive refugees. Bless all the agencies like World Relief and all the others that welcome refugees in their respective country.
Dear Lord, I know that you are a very good father whose child will never ask for bread and you give them a stone. Your child will never ask for a fish and you give them a snake. God, I pray that you make this easy. I pray that you watch over the refugee. I pray that you also bless the USA and other resettlement countries that receive these people.
In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray and believe so. Amen.
Will you stand with Karungu and voice your support for refugees today?
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 two children.