'They live as if there were no war, and they continue to build peace enthusiastically.’’
Every evening, at 8 pm, a special “good-night” is broadcast from Lubumbashi for our Sisters in the Congo. They make contact by radio with the most distant FMA communities. They share news, launch appeals and ask for help. They check on everyone's health, this is more than just a polite question, as everyone realises, because in such an emergency situation, life is always seriously at risk.
The following are some of the stories that were shared over the airwaves:
A six-year-old girl has joined the Kinshasa community, her name is Bijou. Her story is a sad one, as Sister Odile relates:
“We had come together to celebrate a feast with other sisters. It was New Year’s Day 1999, the last of the 20th century. That day a mother abandoned a child, denying that she was her daughter. When we insisted, seeing the strong resemblance between them, she seemed to take us seriously and promised she would keep the little one. We were delighted to see the two of them go off together. A few moments later the little girl came back saying: ‘Mummy does not want me any more, and does not want me to tell anyone that I am her daughter.’ In our hearts we felt called to take Bijou as a gift for the New Year which was just beginning."
“The young people who started the Kiro Youth Movement have celebrated their first anniversary as a group. At the start there were only three girls and a boy. Now there are 120. In order to take part in a youth congress held in Lubumbashi, they worked hard cultivating a field of carrots, in order to scrape together enough money to take them there.”
“For some time now, our dispensary in Mokambo is overflowing with sick people. Every day 130 to 140 arrive. We see so much misery, especially among the children. They are undernourished and very weak. The number of mothers who come here to give birth is also increasing, almost one a day. However, since there is no place to stay, a few hours after the birth of the baby they return home on foot. This is why we want to build a new health centre so as to receive those in need.”
“This year two girls from Lubumbashi are with us in Mokambo for some missionary experience. They are past pupils of the Hodari Liceum where they specialised in dressmaking. In Mokambo they act as teachers on the technical courses and are often called on as readers in the parish. Twice a month, they walk four kilometres to teach embroidery to the young mothers and girls in a nearby village. They participate willingly in the prayer life of the school and of the Sisters.”
A further message from our sisters brings us up to date on their every day situation.
“We are living through a never-ending civil war and unfortunately this is not new in the Congo. For years, due to various causes, our people have suffered tensions that, in certain moments, explode into wars, tribal fights and violence of all kinds. We share this changing situation with our people and notice that, in a certain sense, we have become ‘used’ to this climate of insecurity. Recent generations have never known the joy of a peaceful organised life on which to build their dreams for a happy future. We live through very unsettling times, which affect different people in different ways according to their sensitivity. But we try to encourage each other and, in spite of everything, to remain faithful in our hearts to our religious life.”
What are our hopes regarding the diplomatic meetings between Kabila and the other Heads of State? We are not up to date on events. In the Provincial House it is possible to get news from five or six foreign stations. We usually follow the news with optimism and patience, hoping and praying for that peace we so desire. We have faith in the actions of Kabila and, at the same time, we trust the words of the other foreign diplomats involved in the conflict.
The effects and difficulties of the war are affecting every area of civilian life, especially lack of communication. The devaluation of money is forcing many of our pupils to abandon school. Because of the non-payment of workers many of our families are in difficult conditions economically. Foreign help for various projects has been discontinued.
As regards food, here in the Congo we live, and have learned to live, very simply. We manage with maize flour, some vegetables and fish. The bursars become artists in their administration of money in trying to provide what is necessary for the community. Providence helps us to keep going and we are grateful.
In the area of pastoral work we are managing to work well. We continue to prepare for the second diocesan youth congress, which we hope to hold in August. Our communities organise youth movements, retreats, feasts, etc. and we try to prepare the Jubilee 2000 with the Church.
One of the missionary agencies sums up our situation as follows: "The humanitarian crisis is very serious. There are many 'Kosovos' in the world and the Congo is one of the most troubled. At present, humanitarian assistance is lacking in much of the Eastern Congo. The only witnesses to the sufferings of men and women of the ex-Zaire are religious, many of whom are missionaries.”
Sister Matilde Nevares FMA
