Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo is threatening to plunge the country into another civil war.

There are reports of widespread rape, murder and pillaging.

The United Nations says as many as 100,000 people may be cut off in the fighting and in desperate need of aid.

Many aid organizations have already evacuated to neighboring countries due to the fighting. But Samaritan's Purse is one of the only agencies going in to the country despite the risks.

CBN News spoke with the Christian ministry by telephone.

"As a Christian organization, we have the mandate of doing what Christ did on the earth, which was to help with people's physical needs and to help with their spiritual needs," said Dr. Warren Cooper. "Here we have a huge population that's in crisis that needs help. And I think that if we're going to take this mandate seriously this is where we have to be."

The recent outbreak of fighting has forced more than a quarter of a million people out of their homes.