SPICMA - Special Projects In Christian Missionary Areas

Mt Nyiragongo erupted dramatically on 22nd May. It’s next to Goma, a city of 650,000 on the border with Rwanda. Fr Dennis Pam, the Assistant Provincial of the Missionaries of Africa (formerly known as The White Fathers), was in Goma training first year missionaries. As the rivers of lava flowed towards the city, the population attempted to flee. The lava stopped short of the main city and many people returned, including Fr Dennis. However, he wrote to SPICMA on Thursday:

“The situation in Goma went from bad to worse since the volcanic eruption on Saturday night. The tremors are increasing in frequency and intensity. Houses are falling on the residents, roads are cracking, people are panicking and sleeping outside for fear of entering into their homes. And finally last night the governor asked the population to evacuate the town with immediate effect. To where? Some don’t have anywhere to go but they have to leave because we are expecting another eruption either in town or from Lake Kivu, and it might affect the whole town. I sent away our confrères and students to Bukavu, but I stayed back with those in the parish to see how to help.

The situation is quite catastrophic. It is an exodus. We are counting about 129,000 internally displaced people without shelter, water, food, health services, not even to talk of security. We don’t even know the way forward. Just pray for us.“

Whatever you send will go in full towards helping the people of Goma caught up in this disaster.

N.B. Many of you supported our appeal for Mingana Hospital last year, so you may remember Fr Dennis.