Our College Student: A Changing Life

My name is Kasongo Essai, and I'm 40 years old. I'm a college student living in the Village of 316, and I go to a church called the Church of 316. I used to be a pastor at a different church called ADINEX, which means "with God we will do great things." Back then, I didn’t really understand what it meant to serve God. I read the Bible, but I didn’t realize how important it was to be "born again." I was preaching to others, but I didn’t see that I myself was was lost.

When I went back to my village, a friend who had just been baptized invited me to talk with him about the gospel. I thanked him for getting baptized, and then he asked me if I was a child of God. I told him I thought I was because of the good things I did. But he explained to me that it’s not about good works—it’s about salvation through Jesus Christ. That made me think. As I pondered this, I decided to repent and ask Jesus to forgive me. Since that day, I’ve been so happy to be a child of God.

The next Sunday, my friend took me to meet his pastor. The pastor shared some Bible verses with me, including Hebrews 10:8-10, this encouraged me. That’s when I decided to go to college to learn more about my faith. I’m really grateful for all of this!

Kasongo Essai

The US is actively engaged in efforts to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), specifically focusing on the conflict with Rwanda.

A key initiative is a US-brokered deal between the DRC and Rwanda, aimed at halting military support to non-state armed groups and establishing a path towards peace and economic development. This includes pushing for a peace accord, potentially accompanied by mineral deals, to bring investment and economic opportunities to the region.