The smile of the lady above is so beautifying, gracious and noble that it is hard to believe that the following story belongs to her. The years have brought healing and restoration, community and Heshima, the Swahili word for honour or dignity, and also the name of the project run by our partners Comfort Congo in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which works with survivors of sexual violence. However, Angela* will never forget the pain of what she has experienced. Her story is harrowing, and tragically representative of what so many women in this war-torn and instable area suffer. You may never have heard anything like it before, or you may have heard a story like hers a hundred times, but it is vital that we keep listening, keep learning, keep loving, and keep being moved by the tragedy and the triumph of these women who, through the love of Jesus, are clothed in strength and honour, smiling at the future, just like the lady in Proverbs 31.
Angela* lived in her village in North Kivu when the ever encroaching violence took over. She told us, “During the war they shot my husband in the stomach and some days later he died. I was left with five children […] I came out from my village […] They shot me in the front and the bullet came out my back. The soldiers raped me and I got a baby. After the baby was born it had a swollen head and died. I came to the camp for displaced people here. I went to live with a family but the husband died and the woman died when her baby was 13 months old. I am left with her baby and one of her other children as well as my own.” Just before coming onto the project, she said, “I am with no support but if there can be support then life can continue. I want to have a shop to sell groceries and clothes.”
Angela’s life has changed and continues to progress as she builds a solid hope for the future. In 2022 she wrote to sponsors Ian and Susan, “The sponsorship money I receive from you is a real support I have that covers most of the needs for me with my children. Now, my children go to school in good school uniform and well equipped – that it is my joy that I cannot have the specific word to express this to you […] My business is keeping on well and helping for my 3 children. They went up the grade at school and succeeded and my first daughter is now in the fourth form secondary school and the following, a boy in the first form primary school.” Life hasn’t been without difficulties, particularly during Covid when the business suffered and Angela had problems with her rent, but she wrote in another letter, “God will never abandon nor forsake me, I have firm faith in him and I have no fear. I believe that my business will succeed again.”
In 2023, Angela continues to face many challenges and struggles in daily Congolese life. Inflation and soaring market prices mean she has had to hold back on plans to rebuild her living room so she can continue to send the children to school and cover their basic needs. However, she has been able to purchase some turkeys and hens and breed them to help bringing in the income! Throughout it all, she says, “I thank our almighty God for this given occasion to tell you about my situation today. My three children and I are going on well despite the bad period of war which makes life very critical for us […] To God be the glory because He is still taking care of both you and us, since He has a good plan to realise with us in our country through your organization Comfort International and Comfort Congo.”
*name changed to protect identity