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Newsroom Home > News Releases
U.S. Volunteers Bring Jesus to Eastern Congo
ORLANDO, Fla., March 30, 2009—In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are people who have never heard about Jesus - until now. This Easter, a group of U.S. volunteers will celebrate the holiday by taking the JESUS film to the Budu-koya, Budu-neta, Lika, Mangbetu and Mayogo people groups of Eastern Congo.
"Traveling over Easter is certainly special - it is the message of the Cross that we are sharing," said Anderson Ohman, who will be traveling to the Congo with his 17-year-old son.
April 11-25, the group of eight volunteers is traveling as part of The JESUS Film Project. The team, ranging in age from 17 to 46, will present the JESUS film 15 times and coordinate follow-up with new Christians through local churches.
Interactive Opportunities for Online Reporting:
- Create a widget using clips of the JESUS film in the Budu koya, Budu neta, Lika Mangbetu or Mayogo languages and some of the more than 1,000 other translations
- Show readers parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo using this Google Map
"With the long history of violence and war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most fleeting concepts for people is forgiveness," said a staff member, who will be leading the group. "Being reconciled with bitter enemies is something that is not done by human hands but only by God. Our desire is that this trip would be part of the healing process for the Democratic Republic of Congo."
Originally distributed in theaters nationwide in 1979 by Warner Brothers, the two-hour JESUS film remains perhaps the most influential movie in motion picture history. With more than 1,000 separate language translations and more than 6 billion exposures globally, the film is often shown in remote, Third World locales using a makeshift screen and portable projector - often bringing audiences their first look at a movie image.
Through The JESUS Film Project, crews work internationally to bring the JESUS film to people all over the world in a language they can understand and at a place close to where they live.
In the early 1950s, Bill Bright, the visionary behind the project and co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, dreamed of creating an artistically excellent, biblically accurate film about the life of Jesus Christ that could be translated and distributed globally. A team of 500 scholars and leaders from secular and Christian organizations eventually joined the project and debuted JESUS in American theaters. Since its inception, JESUS has become available in 8mm, 16mm and 35mm print, VHS, VCD and DVD formats.
The JESUS Film Project is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International, one of the world's largest non-profit, interdenominational organizations.
Originally distributed in theaters nationwide in 1979 by Warner Brothers, the two-hour JESUS film remains perhaps the most influential movie in motion picture history. With more than 1,000 separate language translations and more than 6 billion exposures globally, the film is often shown in remote, Third World locales using a makeshift screen and portable projector - often bringing audiences their first look at a movie image.
Through The JESUS Film Project, crews work internationally to bring the JESUS film to people all over the world in a language they can understand and at a place close to where they live.
In the early 1950s, Bill Bright, the visionary behind the project and co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, dreamed of creating an artistically excellent, biblically accurate film about the life of Jesus Christ that could be translated and distributed globally. A team of 500 scholars and leaders from secular and Christian organizations eventually joined the project and debuted JESUS in American theaters. Since its inception, JESUS has become available in 8mm, 16mm and 35mm print, VHS, VCD and DVD formats.
The JESUS Film Project is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International, one of the world's largest non-profit, interdenominational organizations.
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