Central African Republic

Our Partners in Hope!

It is our hope that every congregation will find some way of supporting the Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EEL-RCA).

Each year, our synod sends funds to support a variety of ministries of the ELC-CAR. Below are some of the current programs.  Contributions may be sent to the synod designated for a specific program or sent to the CAR General Fund.  The synod committee will allocate monies from the general fund, based on need.

• Emmanuel Health Center at Gallo – Mostly an out-patient clinic, but also has some hospital beds.  Treats injuries and illnesses such as malaria, delivers babies and provides maternal and infant care, gives vaccinations.
• PASE – A water development project which builds and maintains spring boxes for purifying spring water.
• Sunday School Translation – Pays for translation of materials from the Southern African Communion for students and teachers from English into French and Sango.
• University Scholarships – Helps students with living and academic expenses at the university in Bangui.
• Young Women’s Scholarships – A project of the women’s association of the ELC-CAR (Women for Christ) which pays for vocational or academic training of young women.
• Village Permanent School Fund – Pays for construction of permanent school buildings for the church’s Village Education Program, to replace the thatched roof shelters which parents must repair annually.
• Visits and Communications – Funds used for official visits to and from the church in the Central African Republic, when such travel is possible, or for sponsoring CAR youth to attend the ELCA Youth Gathering.

The Lutheran Church is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world, yet its resources are limited. We support our companions with our prayer, our offerings, our awareness, our faith, and by visiting and receiving visitors, when possible.

During the civil war in the Central African Republic, the Lutheran church there has been a strong leader and promoter of dialogue and reconciliation to change hearts and lives, to rebuild, and to bring hope to local people. The ministries of the EEL-RCA have been ongoing, in spite of many challenges.