Merry Christmas 2018

Dear friends,

Dear supporters of the Association Kongo Social-Care e. V.,

We live in a time of uncertainty in the world! No one really knows how it will go on and what the future will bring. We feel concern and burden and feel our responsibility for the incidents in many parts of the world. For example, in Africa, and especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, brutal sexual violence, great insecurity, dissatisfaction prevail. Sexual violence is used as a weapon of war in Congo-Kinshasa.

On the third Sunday of Advent, which since the 1st millennium means "Gaudete" - "rejoice" - we are called to joy: "Rejoice in the Lord at always! Again I will say: Rejoice! The Lord is near "(Phil. 4: 4.5). We have reason to rejoice in the promise: God has come close to us in Jesus, he is in the midst of us, he is walking the path with us.

Despite the chronic and catastrophic, political and social problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is always cause for joy: The Congolese doctor, Professor Dr. med. Denis Mukwege, received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on December 10, 2018. The Congolese gynaecologist is specialised in the plastic reconstruction of female genitalia, which are often completely destroyed with iron bars or rifle barrels. In his address at the Nobel Prize Ceremony, Dr. Mukwege urged to fight the violence and war crimes in the Congo and to work for peace: "With this Nobel Peace Prize, I call on the international community to testify, and I urge you to stop the sufferings that shame our common humanity. [...] To act is to deny indifference. If war is to be waged, it is the war against the indifference that destroys our societies."

Since 2004 the Association Kongo Social-Care e. V. guarantees medical assistance to needy people who have no access to health care. And this happens regardless of their ethnic origin and their religious or political beliefs. Health care is a human right. We stand for this right, let's stand up for this.

Thanks to your generous donations, it has been possible to improve the living conditions of needy people and five godchildren in Congo-Kinshasa. We were also able to procure medicines and equipment for the laboratory for our health stations and clinic.

Our Association Kongo Social-Care e. V. (KSC) works closely with the Congolese Association ADEBES (2007 - Action for Development and Social Well-being). We look after four health stations: Klinik Brauhardt, Djabir, Ingo Dammer and Lenvo. Our health stations employ 22 workers and two doctors. In the period from October 2017 to September 2018, 250 children saw the light of day, including three pairs of twins.