At This writing the Democratic Republic of Congo is in the midst of a major humanitarian crisis. More than 250,000 people have been driven from their homes, and others have been raped or brutally murdered in the clashes between the Tutsi-dominated rebel movement (CNDP), led by renegade General Laurent Nkunda, and the government. As when "In the News" last convered the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): the Kivu provinces are still the focus for the war ("The Kivu provinces: Finding peace when war is at your back door, February 18, 2008). Then, as now, these provinces continue to be convenient for cross-border incursions by rebels and by those who participated in the Rwandan genocide. The rebels are also eager to hold on to this area because it is rich in valuable resources.

United Nations troops in the country are outnumbered and have been hindered by lack of a clear sense of mission among the European foreign ministers. Corruption and ineptitude in the national government have also been obstacles.

On the surface, the argument is that Nkunda's army is there to protect the Congolese Tutsi minority from the Rwandan Hutu militia who found refuge in the DRC after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Its real purpose, however, is to destablize the legally elected government and constitution chosen by the people, and to reshape it so that Tutsis have a leading role. With all of these issues in mind, in addition to the humanitarian aspects of the situation, prayer is urgently needed.

FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND HELPLESSNESS

How does one begin to pray about this situation?

The first need is to address the fear and helplessness with which so many people are struggling. The Psalmist, who was no stranger to danger, wrote: "Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust" (Ps. 56:2-4). In another verse he pleaded, "For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God" (Ps. 38:15).

These ideas can be part of our prayers for the ordinary citizens whose lives have been disrupted or endangered. No one needs to be "swallowed up" by the enemy or placed in a condition where a right sense of activity and home are impossible to establish. Families who have been disrupted by the murder of loved ones need to be able to at least gain a feeling of strength so that they can do what is necessary to continue with their lives and to support each other.

If the focus is on all the human players, it may seem impossible to get everyone to come together in harmony. But looking in this direction won't lead us to a long-term, permanent solution. Rather, we need to claim that there is only one Mind, God. There are not many minds, all with their own opinions and ambitions. Nor are there many gods, with conflicting purposes. There is just one God, one intelligence, where there is no room for mad ambition, discrimination, abuse of power, corruption, lawlessness, or stubbornness.

Our prayers can recognize that divine Love is present with each one, strengthening and nurturing in them the discernment they need for taking their next steps. Each individual is in the care of God, divine Mind, and so everyone has the intelligence, wisdom, and foresight to make good decisions. Each one can trust God's guidance, because He would never send evil to anyone.

WHO IS THE REAL ENEMY?

As we pray, it can also be helpful to be clear about who the enemy actually is. It may seem that the opponents are other human beings, but what we are really fighting against are mental forces—greed, dishonesty, willfulness, hatred, malice, revenge, mad ambition. People may accept those feelings and let themselves be motivated by them, but they are no part of the man and woman of God's creating. And this means that these individuals can be set free from such behavior, as we recognize their spirituality and relation to God. And even if they are unwilling to give up these actions, our prayers can help heal this unnatural disposition.

A mortal sense of life as material and supported by physical power and brutality doesn't represent divine Spirit. While it may seem that these individuals are in control, the fact is that they have yielded control to destructive tendencies that have no long-term relation to anything good. Aggressive as they may seem, if we are willing to persist in prayer, these conditions cannot continue to plague us.

GOVERNMENT AND THE RULE OF LAW

In his second letter to the Christian church at Corinth, St. Paul wrote, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (10: 3-5). That goes along with the right sense of government, which includes responsibility and accountability.

To bring our thoughts into obedience to Christ, is to support law and order in the best possible way because then we aren't favoring one person or system over another. What we're yielding to is the will of God, which is always for peace, honesty, goodness. This supports the addressing of grievances through the proper legal channels, and not by massacring innocent villagers and children who don't know anything about politics and are powerless to resolve these kinds of issues.

War can never bring about a real healing solution. Mary Baker Eddy wrote: "The pent-up elements of mortal mind need no terrible detonation to free them. Envy, rivalry, hate need no temporary indulgence that they be destroyed through suffering; they should be stifled from lack of air and freedom" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 356). Our prayers can help defuse these destructive elements, eliminate the belief that indulging them will bring lasting peace, and also remove the false hope that allowing them to "detonate" will do anything but bring about further suffering for my people. Persistent, sincere prayer is what will help my country find peace. css