11/1/2024 DRC (International Christian Concern) — Decades of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have forced many Christians to flee their homes in search of safety and a more promising life.

Among them is Paluku Jacques, whose story exemplifies Christians’ struggles in the DRC. International Christian Concern (ICC) helped Jacques start his life over after he fled the violent Jihadist Allied Democratic Front (ADF).

“I am so grateful to ICC because they never abandoned me during the most difficult period in my life as a refugee living in Uganda,” Jacques said. “Besides giving me the opportunity and means to get land and build a home, I can also say it has brought back my dignity and self-worth. Holding the keys to my own house is one of those things that have come true, and I can now feel that I can envision a brighter future for myself. Thank you for believing in me and helping me rebuild my life.”

Jacques fled his village in 2021 when the ADF attacked it. He ended up in Uganda’s Kasese district, overwhelmed by having to start over.

“Our days in Uganda as refugees were marred by uncertainty; we woke up each morning not knowing where our next meal would come from,” his daughter said.

Amid the hopelessness, ICC intervened, providing Jacques and his family with utensils, food, bedding, and funds to buy land and the materials necessary to build a home. The home is a shelter for Jacques and his family and a temporary home for other refugees with nowhere to go.

“It was during the construction of this house that his life’s most important turning point came,” said Bitswatswa, Jacques’ neighbor. “The house was more than just physical shelter; it symbolized stability and security that he had desired all along.”

To read more news stories, visit the ICC Newsroom. For interviews, please email [email protected].