Faith leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) are trusted, respected figures in their communities. Churches play a vital role in helping people spiritually and physically, and are often seen as the only trusted institution to provide care. That’s why American Leprosy Missions and our Christian partner, IME Kimpese Hospital, have launched the Faith Leaders project. This ambitious initiative in the DR Congo empowering pastors and congregations to provide early detection, self-care training, and spiritual and emotional care for people who are affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Thanks to your compassionate support, we’ve already trained 362 pastors and lay leaders on how to correctly identify common NTDs and how to mentally and spiritually support the people affected in their communities. These leaders are training people affected on self-care practices and sharing the love of Christ through ongoing care. Through these activities in their communities, they are reaching 29,000 people across remote areas of the DR Congo with health and hope.

Thanks to your generous giving, these pastors are now better equipped to help people like 12-year-old Nzuzi Nsengi. Nzuzi struggles with disability caused by the flesh-eating disease, Buruli ulcer. When an ulcer first appeared on her left arm, she was eight years old. Her parents struggled to find someone who could identify and treat the disease. Sadly, now her arm is permanently bent. Since she’s left-handed, everyday chores and even school assignments have been difficult. “Everything was normal,” Nzuzi says of her daily life before the ulcers. “I went to school, I did the housework.” Nzuzi’s pastor is a participant in the Faith Leaders Program, and he encourages her to learn new skills to overcome her challenges. “He teaches me to write and work with my right hand so that I will go back to school next year. The pastor always tells me to count on God because he is capable of anything. I hope God will help me regain movement in my upper left arm.” Because pastors and other church leaders are already trusted in their communities, they are powerful allies to fight diseases like leprosy and Buruli ulcer. With additional training to identify these diseases and provide spiritual and emotional care, these leaders are replacing messages of fear with hope. Thank you for your faithful partnership with us and these local leaders to end neglected tropical diseases, bringing healing and hope in Jesus’ name.