With its new campaign “Water is Life,” the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) is drawing attention to the global water crisis and calling for donations to support church water projects and education programs in Africa and Asia. For over two billion people worldwide, access to clean drinking water is not a given. Rural regions of Africa and Asia in particular lack safe water sources, wells, and sanitation facilities—with serious consequences for health and quality of life, especially for children.

With its new campaign “Water is Life,” the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) is drawing attention to the global water crisis and calling for donations to support church water projects and education programs in Africa and Asia. For over two billion people worldwide, access to clean drinking water is not a given. Rural regions of Africa and Asia in particular lack safe water sources, wells, and sanitation facilities—with serious consequences for health and quality of life, especially for children.

On Pentecost 2025, the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) recalls the world-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Under the motto “The Spirit of Transformation, Global Solidarity and Hope,” Rev. Dr. Andar Parlindungan, General Secretary of UEM, calls on the international communion of Protestant churches in Africa, Asia, and Germany to renew the church and society in the spirit of justice, diversity, and global community in his English video message on YouTube.

At a joint conference entitled “Strengthening the Churches' Commitment in Maintaining the Integrity of Creation and Social Justice,” leading church representatives from North Sumatra (Indonesia) spoke out clearly against the PT Toba Pulp Lestari (PT TPL) pulp mill. The conference was organized by the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) in cooperation with the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) at the Nomensen University of the HKBP Church (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan).

Under the title “Partnership and Networking for a Sustainable and Competitive Education System through Church Institutions,” the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) held an international workshop for rectors with leading representatives of church universities and training centers from Africa, Asia, and Europe in Jakarta, Indonesia, from May 7 to 12, 2025.

In a remarkable dialogue, two leading theologians of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) met: Dr. Andar Parlindungan, Secretary General of the UEM since March 2024, and his predecessor, Dr. Fidon Mwombeki, who led the UEM for nine years from 2006. Both come from the Global South, namely Indonesia and Tanzania, and talk in an interview about opportunities and challenges for international leaders in the German church.

From April 23 to May 4, 2025, 15 representatives of Nazi memorial sites and places of remembrance in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) undertook an information and exchange trip to Rwanda in East Africa in cooperation with the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) and at the invitation of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR) and Anglican Church in Rwanda (EAR).

On Friday, March 21, 2025, teachers and health workers were murdered and persecuted in the Anggruk district in the mountainous region of West Papua (Indonesia). Six teachers and one medical professional were abused. One teacher died, the others were injured and are currently being treated in hospital. The West Papua National Liberation Army of the separatist movement Free Papua Organization is being held responsible for the attack. This is the armed wing of the separatist organization in West Papua, which is said to have already destroyed and set fire to public institutions such as schools and teachers' houses.

The Evangelical Church of the Rhineland, the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck and the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) have pledged a total of 50,000 euros in emergency aid to the Baptist Church in Central Africa (Communauté Baptiste au Centre de l'Afrique, CBCA) to support the emergency relief efforts for internally displaced persons in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo. The renewed displacement of hundreds of thousands of people was triggered by the conquest of the provincial capital of Goma in North Kivu by the rebel group M23 (“March 23 Movement”) on January 27 of this year. The latest military escalation raises fears of war between the neighboring countries. The international community is therefore called upon to take all necessary measures to stop the ongoing atrocities.

“Green Solidarity” – under this motto, the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, together with the United Evangelical Mission (UEM), launched a fundraising campaign at the 2024 National Synod to support the ecological profile of the new UEM headquarters in Africa. At the current synod in Bonn, President Dr. Thorsten Latzel and Senior Church Councillor Dr. Wibke Janssen presented an initial cheque for €10,000 to Bishop Mothusi Letlhage from Botswana, who is a member of the Council and Chairman for the Africa region of UEM, and to the UEM General Secretary Rev. Dr. Andar Parlindungan.

After significant territorial gains in the past three weeks, the rebel group M23 took the provincial capital Goma in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic (DR) Congo in the early morning of January 27. The troops of the UN mission MONUSCO retreated to their base at Lake Kivu and ceased fire. The troops have no mandate for regular combat against the attackers. It is also reported that Burundian and South African soldiers are trying to stop the fighting, but there are said to have been threats of fighting in Bukavu and Saké.

In a YouTube video, the General Secretary of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM), Rev. Dr. Andar Parlindungan, interprets the annual motto for 2025, “Test everything; hold on to what is good,” from 1 Thessalonians 5:21 against the backdrop of current crises.