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North Kivu Field office, Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo courtesy of North East Congo Union Mission. North Kivu Field MUHINDO KYUSA Muhindo Kyusa The North Kivu Field (formerly known as North Kivu Association) is located in the eastern part of North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It occupies the two territories of Lubero and Beni. Its headquarters is in Kyaghala, Butembo City. A large part of the region is populated by the Nande tribe. The field has a common border to the east with Uganda, to the north with the province of Ituri, to the south with the territory of Rutshuru and to the west with the territory of Walikale. The territory of Lubero covers an area of 18,096 square kilometers and includes four communities (chiefdoms) while the territory of Beni covers an area of 7,484 square kilometers and also includes four communities (chiefdoms). There are two major cities in the region, Beni and Butembo. The average altitude of this region is around 1,500 meters but varies from 850 meters or a slope of 4,000 meters. The North Kivu Field was originally organized as the North Congo Field in 1954.1 It was known as the North Zaire Field from 1971 to 1995.2 From 1995 to 2018, it was known as the North Kivu Association.3 Demographics The population of the North Kivu Field is characterized by an attachment to the land. Ethnically, the population is homogeneous (especially in Lubero), made up predominantly of the Nande ethnic group. This homogeneity means that people know each other, sharing origins, social customs, professional memberships, religion, and networks which engender trust. It is through these networks that economic, social, and religious activities are carried out. In 2014, the civil registry office estimated the population of the city of Beni at 311,723 inhabitants and the city of Butembo at 1,000,000 inhabitants. The population of the Beni Territory was estimated at 1,154,349 inhabitants and that of Lubero Territory at 1,238,265 inhabitants.4 The North Kivu Field, which is divided into fourteen church stations, has a membership of 57,279 members in 320 churches and 198 companies. It employs seventy-eight ministerial workers. The field runs 277 schools and twenty- nine health institutions. There are fifty-three chaplains working in schools and health centers.5 Establishment of the Adventist Church in Lubero and Beni In 1939, a delegation of explorers arrived in Lubero Center, capital of the Lubero Territory. It was composed of two missionaries, Swiss A. A. Mater from Rwanda and Belgian D. E. Delhove from Kirundu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mater, who spoke the Rwandan language, was accompanied by two Rwandons, Masuhuko Methusela and Simon Ntizikwira. Delhove spoke Swahili, but was also accompanied by two Rwandans, Samuel Karekezi and Eliezer Rwanyonga.6 This delegation, authorized by the administrator of Lubero, occupied the Burundi-Bukokoma zone in Luotu. In 1940, they temporarily occupied Vighango in Luotu. The following year, 1941, other missionaries joined them at Vighango where they spent six months. Rwandan evangelists settled in Kamole to inspect the region.7 These early endeavors resulted in four new churches established in 1941 and 1942 at Kisinga, Rukemba, Kakohwa, and Kamole. The first members to be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church were selected for training, followed by Ibrahim Kamabu, André Kalondero, Yohana Kataka, and Vwambale Kikenza.8 Many people were converted, and companies and churches were organized. The head office of the Seventh-day Adventist churches was established in Rwese and the missionary Samuel Karekezi was made the first district leader in 1942.9 In 1956, an association of Seventh-day Adventist churches was organized under the name of the North Congo Field.10 Methods Used to Spread the Message in the Lubero Territory The message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church was facilitated by both preaching and teaching. Evangelists visited villages where they taught doctrine and those who accepted the message joined Bible study classes in preparation for baptism. New converts in schools benefited from worship services in school chapels. They were taught to pray in the morning and evening, to participate in Bible study meetings led by volunteer missionaries, to be members of the Sabbath School. Schools were instituted for training people to preach the gospel of salvation in Christ. The first school-chapels were established in Rwese, Kakohwa, Kaseghe. The First Education Institutions in Rwese In 1944, Delhove opened the Rwese Primary School. Students studied French and Kiswahili, the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, hygiene, geography, natural science, education, and drawing. By the sixth year, it had earned respect in the village and was considered an authority. A. A. Mater, a missionary from America, opened the seminary at Rwese in 1950. They aimed to train students in the Bible, methods of evangelism, church history, temperance, rhetoric, pastoral ministry, church administration, church music, languages, and pedagogy. Graduates of the program were prepared to serve as pastors, evangelists, and administrators. Expansion of the Adventist Church in Beni and Lubero Territories (1960- 1980) After establishing the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Kivu, growth was nurtured through the training of church workers and church members. In 1964, the president of the Association of Adventist Churches, P. G. Werner, implemented a training program that required church workers to read five books, The Gospel Ministry, Truth for our Time, the Church Manual, Daniel and Our Time, and For Better Africa (Wieland). Books were provided at a fifty percent discount.11 In major cities, literature evangelists distributed books and Voice of Prophecy Bible study correspondence courses were started.12 Some publications were translated into Swahili. The Sabbath School lessons used for baptismal classes were split into four volumes (one volume per term) and translated by David Elie Delhove. Pastor Andrea Kalondero translated 200 hymns from the hymnal into the local language, Kinande.13 As a result of these efforts, by 1964, the North Congo Field had 2,589 members in twenty-eight churches.14 They were organized in eight districts supervised by district pastors: Bukenye led by Muhindo Daniel, Ngulo led by Stefano Syalembereka, Utwe led by Samuel Kagheni, Luofu led by Katembo Martin, Masiki led by Jerome Kyavu, Beni led by Kasereka Daniel, Rwese led by Baluku Nikodeme, and Butemob led by Kambale Andrea.15 Evangelization and Education in Rwese and Butembo In 1964, evangelistic campaigns were organized in the Butembo district of Butembo by P. G. Werner and Timothy Marzocchini in June and in Lukanga by Martin Gunderson, Javan Ntaganda, and Metusela Kasereka for six weeks in July and August. The same year, a chapel-school was built in Butembo by the Rwese Association. Correspondence courses were also organized and led by a skilled worker.16 In 1966, a secondary school was established in Lukanga and in 1967 a primary school was organized at Rwese with six classes.17 Four new local churches were organized in Butembo, Kanyabayonga, Bitungwe, Mabuku, in 1968. The Maranatha church was organized in 1970.18 Establishment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Beni Territory In May 1964, Pastor Elisha Sihingirwa was sent to Beni to investigate where a plot could be found to build a house for the evangelist or the district pastor. The first district leaders in Beni were Samuel Kagheni, who arrived in 1969-1970, and Kambale Joshua who arrived in 1971.19 In 1978, the Beni Mission Station was formed from a portion of the Rwese Station, It was divided four districts: Beni, Malyo, Rwenzori, and Kyavisogho under the leadership of Syatoka Kule.20 Establishment of Districts In March 1973, the Butembo District was split in two. The remaining territory of the Butembo District included the churches of Butembo, Buliki, Bitungwe, Mupo, Kinyambiro, Muhangi, Bunyegha, and Katanda. The Malyo District included the churches of Mabuku, Rupaya, Kasuku, Mbwarara, Bisiki, and Kighumo. The Lukanga District included the churches located in Lubero, Kabalya, Kasanga, Butobo, and Kighumo. Buyora District included churches in Musenda, Mihake, Butehi, Kisanzi, Kisinga, and Itunda.21 In 1980, the Masereka District was formed out of the Bukengye District including the churches of Kahuha, Mulema, Mahikwe, Iremera, Nyabili, and Kaleveryo under the leadership of Pastor Kambale Mukwarambya. The remaining territory of the Bukenye District included the Kakohwa, Kamole, Mutanga, Kisanzi, Ngumbe, Kaliro and Itunda churches. The Masiki District was similarly split into two with the Masiki District including the churches of Kanyatsi, Ngukwe, Buswagha, Itsiba, and Kyondo. The new Bubihya District was comprised of Bulambo, Kasimbi Kyavinyonge, and Museya.22 Further Development (1980-2000) During the Thousand Days of Harvest (1982-1985) and Harvest 90 campaigns, lay members were encouraged to participate in evangelistic activities. They supported many evangelistic campaigns in big cities and villages. This period was a time of spiritual revival as church members devoted themselves to building many churches, schools, and workers' houses, such as those at Mutiri, Kamole, and Kasongwere.23 In 1981, the North Congo Field had five dispensaries located at Lubero, Rwese, Kayina, Kanyabayonga, and Beni. These institutions met both physical and spiritual needs. Seventh-day Adventist worship services were held every morning, and the local pastor or evangelist would visit patient rooms to pray for the sick.24 Conflicts between government-run schools that required classes on Saturday and Adventists’ belief in the sanctity of the Fourth Commandment, motivated church members, parents in particular, to establish and build schools in almost every district in the North Kivu Field. The first five primary schools were Rwese Primary School, Kaliro / Bukakanirwa Primary School, Butsundo Primary School, Ndughuto Primary School, and Wene-Lac / Busenyerwa Primary School.

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