At the 2017 Midwinter conference, Evangelical Covenant Church President Gary Walter made a big announcement about Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision. CKC has surpassed our goal of 10,000 sponsorships, which includes acquired sponsorships and cash equivalencies.
“What’s happening on the ground is truly remarkable,” Walter said. “Clean water for thousands and thousands of people. Schools that have been built and refurbished. Medical clinics that are being stocked. Nutritional programs that are saving the lives of children. Microenterprise opportunities, especially for women, that are creating income where there had been such scarcity previously.”
And yet, there is still so much to be done to help build a brighter future alongside the people of Congo, who are leading the way of this partnership. While the progress made over the past few years has been stunning, the reality is that the Democratic Republic of the Congo still ranks near the bottom of the UNDP human development index, and northwest Congo remains one of the most remote areas of the world, where childhood deaths related to waterborne illness and malnutrition are very common. That’s why Covenant Kids Congo is now entering the second phase of the program.
“This isn’t, ‘Okay, now we rest,’” Walter said. “It means, ‘No, we push forward for every last child.’ We’re going to actually hit the ground on Phase 2. So if you haven’t yet been able to have a Hope Sunday, or if your church is ready for another round of Hope Sundays, let God speak to your heart.”
Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision is a long-term, 15- to 20-year community development program located in the city of Gemena in northwest Congo, where the Covenant Church of Congo (CEUM) has been active for about 80 years. As CKC enters Phase 2 of the program, there are about 3,000 children who are currently waiting to be sponsored, and there is a great need to drill more deep wells to provide clean water. Thanks to the progress made, over 24,000 more people have access to clean water who didn’t before, but another estimated 250,000+ people still lack access to clean water.
Help Covenant Kids Congo rise to these challenges. Here’s what you can do!
Get Involved in Covenant Kids Congo Phase 2
1. Keep sponsoring children. If you sponsor a child through Covenant Kids Congo, please continue sponsoring him or her. Your monthly gifts are sustaining this program, blessing not only your sponsored child, but all the children who live in the city of Gemena. If you can, consider sponsoring another child! Sign up to sponsor a child here.
2. Have a Hope Sunday at your church. The only way that Covenant Kids Congo can get another 3,000 children sponsored is through many more Hope Sundays! CKC needs Covenant churches to host a Hope Sunday every two years. Contact us if you’re interested in hosting a Hope Sunday, or volunteer to help run a Hope Sunday at your church. Sign up to host a Hope Sunday here.
3. Do Team World Vision at your church to fundraise for clean water in Congo. Did you know that you can run a 6k or a marathon/half-marathon and fundraise for clean water through Covenant Kids Congo? You and others at your church can run these races through Team World Vision, and the funds you raise will be designated to the CKC Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene project. Learn more here, and then contact us.
Covenant Kids Congo is immensely grateful for all Covenanters who have sponsored a child, helped run a Hope Sunday, or ran for Team World Vision. Because of your faithfulness, the future is bright. As Gary Walter said, “We’re very grateful for all that God is doing to change the future of so many children and families in the Equateur Province.”
