The desperate situation of invasion and war in eastern Congo continues, despite international condemnation of the M23 rebels by the UN Security Council (Res. 2773) along with demands that their Rwandan partners immediately leave Congo. The African Union also warned sharply against the breakup of the DRC, a stance directed against the apparent goal of Rwanda to bite off the mineral-rich Kivu region. Various countries have placed sanctions on Rwanda. In theory the M23-Rwandans should be withdrawing from Bukavu, and eventually from Goma, but the killing, raping and other violence continues in Goma.
Conflict has been endemic since the Rwandan genocide, and since 1997 Maman Jeanne has been taking in orphans, girls, and the children of rape. To the 210 she already had, 12 infants have been added, plus women forced out of refugee camps by the M23. Above: Maman Jeanne has welcomed a widow with her new triplets, born of rape by a Rwandan soldier.
In Kinshasa, Maman Monique has again been collecting clothing for the orphanage in Goma and the refugees, when transport is possible. More urgently, she has also been sending money for food: rice, beans, oil. The prices keep rising but so far there is food to buy; it will not last long, and the promised humanitarian corridor has yet to be opened.
Maman Jeanne’s orphans wave to Maman Monique to express their thanks for daily food.
Refugees in Goma not only have little or no food; with empty hands they also have no way to get water from the lake. Maman Miriam (another of Maman Monique’s church friends) has used some of the money to buy water containers as well as food, for which the women say a big “thank you.” Here they are praying in gratitude.
We do not want to overwhelm you with grim news, but three short stories may give a sense of the desperate situation.
A child of about 5 or 6 was found alone. When asked about his mother he said, “She was killed” (probably in his sight); asked about his father, “He was killed.”
The son of Maman Monique’s cousin has been stationed in Goma with the army for 30 years. He was murdered in cold blood in front of the military hospital where he worked.
A 13-year-old girl, one among the many children who have no one and nothing, has been taken in by Maman Jeanne. She is pregnant, gang raped by 15 men.
HARVEST GUESSING GAME
FEBA’s farm is back in production!!! February’s corn harvest produced 9 enormous sacks. How exciting it is to see fresh corn, to know that there will be food! Some was ground and distributed to elderly food-insecure FEBA members, some was sold to buy other food stuffs like oil, some was kept as seed for the new season of planting which begins this month.
Now for our guessing game. Can you guess how many kilos each sack held? Write us at general@womancradleofabundance.org. Winners will receive a personal greeting from Maman Monique. Come on in! the water’s fine.
MARKETS and NEW CLOTHES
The International Students Association at Princeton Theological Seminary sponsored a Valentine’s market. It was great fun to be back at PTS, where Woman, Cradle of Abundance, was born 12 years ago. We enjoyed exchanges with members of the community: students, faculty and staff, visitors, who came to admire, buy, and talk about the work WCoA does.
We have also appreciated our visits to The Presbytery of the Coastlands, which has kindly invited us to bring our market to some of their meetings. Many thanks, Pastor Mary!
Among our new fine creations are children’s clothes for toddlers to ten: boys’ bright shirts make a classy fashion statement, plus darling little dresses that show that your special girls are the prettiest in the world. Here is my favorite!
See examples on our Get Involved page; invite us to do a market and see more!
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