Apex Gemena

Come join us in Gemena as we support the local church’s development of a denomination-wide disability ministry initiative! Our ministry seeks to build a world where children with disabilities are never turned away or marginalized. Young adults with a heart for people with disabilities, vulnerable children, or healthy families would be a great fit for this team!

How You'll Serve

• Direct Care in the Community: Serving in a family’s home to provide direct care for a child with a disability in the community.
• Lingala-English Language Exchange: Many young adults in Gemena want to learn English. This is a unique opportunity to both learn Lingala (the local trade language), teach English, and share the Gospel!
• Students with specialized backgrounds (social work, nursing, special education, speech pathology etc.): Developing and running trainings or seminar sessions for Congolese disability ministry staff to further equip them.
• Committee Meetings: See the behind-the-scenes of ministry development by participating in Rise Up! committee meetings with Congolese church leadership.
• Chapel: Help facilitate chapel at Promise Home and assist with church outreach programs in the community as well.
• Youth involvement: Participate in youth services and programming in Congolese Free Churches.

Why Our Site is Strategic

Gemena is located in the northwest corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tucked away in a rural region of Congo, it is often called a “big village” at around 300,000 people with no city-wide electricity or running water.

In much of Africa, individuals with disabilities are often hidden away due to cultural stigma, seen as a source of shame or even a curse upon their families. Our ministry challenges this worldview by embodying the transformative love of God’s Kingdom, affirming that every person is made in the image of God. The ministry follows Christ’s example by engaging with “the least of these,” fostering emotional, physical, and spiritual connection in a society that too often isolates those with disabilities. This ministry seeks to shift perceptions of disability in the Congo by placing the local church at the forefront of care and advocacy for people with disabilities. 

Meet the Missionaries

Our Rise Up! Disability Ministry team of five is based in the US, with the Congo Disability Ministry Coordinator, Grace Hill, spending half of each year in Gemena to partner in-person with Congolese Rise Up! ministry leaders. Professionals on our team include a doctor, a nurse, and a social worker on our team, all providing valuable perspectives rooted in a Biblical and missional worldview. Our team’s heart is to train, encourage, equip, and resource the Congolese church to strengthen their response to the needs of those with disabilities. Students on this trip will work closely with Grace but should anticipate primarily collaborating with the local church and doing ministry alongside Congolese leaders.

Housing

Students will stay in a guest house, either at a ministry site or in a guest house attached to the hosting missionary's home.

Dates

Week 1: May 18-22, 2026 Stateside Orientation

Weeks 2-7: onsite in Gemena, returning around July 5, 2026