Nations Builders for Christ international began as an informal old friends’ reunion at Jean-Pierre and Jeannine Moukala initiative at their home in Detroit, Michigan in December 2003. The purpose of the reunion was threefold:
•To meet again after the massive Congolese diaspora of the late 90’s: a few of those in the gathering had been relocated in the USA after spending years fleeing from the c
ivil wars and being temporarily accommodated in refugee camps,
•To commemorate our common heritage as evangelicals from the various church denominations we were part of in the old country,
•To reflect upon how we could help bring healing and hope, and promote socio-economic progress in our still civil war-torn country,
After that first encounter, three years went by before any other similar initiative was to take place. It finally happened again at Easter time in Ocala, Florida, in 2006. By invitation from Mama Gouamba who also is mother in-in-law to one of the encounters’ promoters, Brother Christian Goko-Moukala, a group of 10 adults and 11 children spent three days of retreat at her residence. A year later a 3-days retreat was held in Nashville, Tennessee, by invitation of Brother Raymond and Sister Gigi Kinzounza and hosted by Pastor Blaise Katshing of the Ramah Full Gospel Church of Antioch Tennessee. From that point, the once loose organization became known as the Congolese Evangelical Community in the USA (CEC-USA). A year later, in 2008, the still young organization was incorporated as a non-profit entity, legally established in the State of Ohio. A tradition of yearly retreats held around the Fourth of July festivities began.
