As the northern Democratic Republic of Congo endures an incursion of LRA rebels, the crisis in the east of the country remains equally acute.
Here months of fighting between Congolese rebels and government forces have created a humanitarian disaster zone.
Tearfund is supporting the work of three partners who are bringing aid and basic services to more than 250,000 displaced people.
One of these much needed services is counselling for those affected by sexual violence.
Partner PPSSP has staff working in communities such as the town of Beni with girls and women of all ages who have been raped and attacked.
While your support for the local church is helping more than 75,000 desperate men, women and children, need outstrips supply.
A Tearfund assessment team recently went to a camp called Mugunga which is `home’ to 14,000 displaced souls, with 60 per cent of the families there headed by women.
The camp offers a semblance of safety but there are few home comforts for people who have had to up-sticks quickly and now have little in the way of possessions.
Our team found people there without shoes, struggling to cope with the uneven, sharp and hard ground made up of volcanic rock.
Two old ladies, one of whom has malaria, were finding it hard to walk to a health centre in the camp.
The path to peace in DRC remains equally rocky. This week talks between rebels and the government were scheduled to restart after they stalled before Christmas.
- Please pray that peace talks will bring positive results.
- Pray for those who have suffered in the fighting and for the success of aid efforts to bring comfort to them.