Bunia university is making a difference in their war-torn country

Shalom University of Bunia (SUB) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was founded in 1961. The interdenominational school of 450 graduates offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Eastern Congo.

War, ethnic strife and disease have riddled the Congo with an estimated 5.4 million deaths in the last 10 years. SUB is playing a major role in their war-torn country’s peace and reconciliation process. Students are getting more involved in reactivating churches closed due to war, and SUB has student ministries in many churches, including taking meals and the Gospel to over 700 prisoners. The university also has engaged in outreach to the thousands of UN troops, many from Bangladesh, Morocco and Pakistan, now in the country.

To reflect contextual realities, courses on HIV/AIDS and Islam were added to the curriculum. The new Master’s programs in Missiology and Bible translation are also in response to church needs, and SUB recently opened four new training programs, including Development, Management and Environment.

Graduate Lotsima Njonjo serves at Tchabi, a former mission station in the Equatorial Forest. With the war’s destruction, poor economic condition and spiritual weakness, Lotsima is putting into practice all he learned at SUB. As the assistant church pastor, high school chaplain and Bible institute teacher, he is the only one in Tchabi with theological training. He also established a weekly Bible study and started a community garden, while his wife reorganized the Sunday school. He is working to integrate former militiamen back into the Church and society.

Read more about SUB’s Center for the Renewal of the Church.