On February 6, 2019, Faustin Alobo and his family were sworn in as US citizens at the Federal Building in Des Moines. Faustin and his family fled the Democratic Republic of Congo to escape the violence of civil war, arriving at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa, Malawi in Central […]

On Saturday, May 19, Swahili Baptist Church in Des Moines baptized fifteen youth as part of a weekend celebrating Pentecost. In addition to the baptisms, some youth from the church shared memorized scriptures and were awarded gifts recognizing their growth as disciples of Jesus. Pastor Faustin Alobo said, “We had […]

On August 5-6, over 200 people gathered to celebrate the launch of Swahili Baptist Church in Des Moines. The two-day event featured speakers and music from Swahili-speaking churches across the continent – Atlanta, Nashville, Sioux Falls, Iowa City, and Ontario. True Bible Baptist Church of Des Moines allowed the church […]

Swahili Baptist Church in Des Moines celebrated Christmas Day with a special service and meal. Pastor Faustin Alobo shared that it is usual for congregations in Africa to gather together for holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. Services for the Swahili congregation average about 50 people each week, but […]

After only 11 months in Des Moines, Congolese refugee Faustin Alobo has launched a Swahili language church. The new church is gathering at Crestwood Baptist Church near Drake University. Crestwood is currently hosting three foreign language congregations, the Zomi of Myanmar (formerly Burma), the Mabaan of South Sudan, and beginning […]