Last year I had the privilege of touring Goma (search Congo 0r Goma or DRC in my search engine above) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is a city on the northern edge of Lake Kivu and on the border with Rwanda. Residents of Goma (and all of the displaced persons) have known much tragedy, especially since 1994 when the genocide in Rwanda spilled over into the DRC. There have been African multicountry wars, ethnic conflicts, rampant poverty, corruption, an ineffective central government…and now, today, it has fallen into the hands of a relatively small band of rebels called M23.
If you are like most, you find the regions somewhat confusing. You’ve heard about the area being deemed the rape capitol of the world. You’ve heard it is an area rich in minerals. You may have heard recently that Rwanda has been accused of supporting the M23 group. But, you probably find it hard to keep the various acronyms clear in your mind and the situation in Gaza and Israel get most of the conflict attention these days.
Please pray for those in the DRC. Pray for rescue. Pray that the international community will care about them and put proper pressure on the various parties. Pray for the restraint of evil. And if you would like more information, read this link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/11/20/a-guide-to-understanding-whats-happening-in-congo/
Musings on Faith and Psychology 
How do you deal with the burden of so much evil in the world?
I am comforted by knowing that it will be defeated and that my hope is not in this world. May sound trite but Evil reminds me of why we need God. Still, it IS burdansome and we groan.
International Childcare Ministires (Free Methodist) posted the following on FB earlier today: “Please join us in prayers for protection for individuals and families who have taken refuge on the grounds of our school in the City of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), from encroaching armed groups. This situation is critical and fluid.”