Sister Alvera has passed away
Coordinator of the DR of Congo
Alvera N’Masuhuko Gahinyuza
Founder of the Flame of Love Orphanage
Passed away in Bukavu, Friday, February 27, 2026
It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Sister Alvera N’Masuhuko Gahinyuza, coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her work was exceptional, especially given the circumstances of the ongoing war. It was extremely difficult for her to serve under such conditions. May her soul rest in peace—she truly earned it.
As we receive more information, we will update the texts below.
The Courage of Sister Alvera
We had sent her documents, booklets, and prayer cards to Madagascar. She was set aflame upon reading the messages, and the Virgin Mary conquered her heart. Her great heart was ignited, and she remembered her homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she was born. The orphans of Goma were always in her heart. Later, she received the call from the Lord Jesus to come to the aid of these children in Goma.
Her decision was prayerful, mature, and well thought out. After a spiritual process with the Carmelite Sisters of Madagascar, she made her way to Goma, her native city.
It was a path full of obstacles but also sprinkled with showers of grace throughout her journey. She managed to build—not a palace, but a simple refuge—for the rejected little children of her village. Yes, those children wounded by the evil that continues to afflict the region. She had understood in Madagascar that the Flame of Love would help her in her work of love for others. In her heart, she received the name: “Flame of Love Orphanage.”
A small woman in stature, but great in heart, the Lord would use her to make the Flame of Love known in her country.
When the volcano erupted in Goma on May 22, 2021, we anxiously awaited news from the orphanage, fearing for her and the children’s safety. After a few days, we learned that this eruption had claimed 32 lives.
For more than 20 years, we followed her in her efforts and responded to her requests for her little orphans.
Alvera Left a Beautiful Gift to the Flame of Love Movement:
An Orphanage
After her studies in Rome, Sister Alvera worked in MWESO and MATANDA (in the Diocese of Goma) from 1990 to 2002. During her ministry in those regions, she witnessed the painful realities of war, massacre and hatred. Those events left a deep mark on her heart. Day and night, she reflected on them. When she was assigned to Madagascar in 2002, she thought she would no longer dwell on those memories since she was far from where she had lived for twelve years. Yet her heart could not forget.
In 2004, still serving as a Carmelite Theresian missionary in Madagascar, Sister Alvera fell ill and went to Bukavu (DRC) for treatment. There, she met Professor Emmanuel, who gave her a small book about the Flame of Love. In that book, she was touched by the message of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth Kindelmann, a Hungarian mystic:
"There are so many sins in the world! Help me to save souls! I place in your hands a ray of light: the Flame of Love of my Heart. Through it, enkindle your own heart and transmit it to others, to at least one soul… This will be the great Miracle whose light will blind Satan. It is the fire of Love and of unity. We will extinguish fire with fire—the fire of hatred with the fire of love. I need you."
Sister Alvera understood that this message was meant for her.
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