Every so often an update reaches me that stays with me for days afterwards, and this one has. It came from Grace Maneka, who coordinates our literacy and savings group programme in Aru, in the far north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
I wanted to share it with you almost exactly as Grace wrote it, because it gives such a raw and honest picture of what she and her communities live through, and because her faith and her steadiness in the middle of it all are so deeply inspiring.
What has stayed with me most is one short line, near the end of what she sent: “Despite all these difficulties, we continued our work.”
This is sadly not the first time Aru diocese has faced Ebola, and insecurity from armed groups, along with the effects of a changing climate, has become an almost daily backdrop for the people there. And yet, as Grace tells it, none of it has knocked the programme off course. That is a testament to her leadership, and to the resilience of the groups themselves.
I’ll let Grace take it from here.
Grace writes:
The agricultural season affected our work. In March and April, farmers were busy preparing their land, sowing, weeding, and harvesting. This made it difficult for them to attend classes regularly. In January, the heat was intense, and people had little money after the holidays. In February, food was scarce and prices high. In April, heavy rains made many roads impassable. Furthermore, many of our instructors are religious leaders, which required us to adjust their schedules.
In May, intense heat destroyed agricultural produce, compounded by widespread anxiety about Ebola. The population was terrified by the outbreak. We are deeply saddened for those affected by the disease. We also thank God that none of our groups, particularly in southern Aru, were infected.
The security situation was also worrying at the beginning of the year. Crime increased, and traders were targeted. We learned that the criminals were coming from across the border. To ensure everyone’s safety, the community instituted a nighttime curfew and watched out for one another, in cooperation with the police. Today, peace has returned. The border was closed due to Ebola, and the roads between Aru and Mahagi, as well as between Aru and Kpandroma, were in very poor condition. But we are happy that the militia attacks in Kpandroma have stopped. Thank God.
