Experiencing violence

Dear friends, 

yesterday we were able to not only witness social injustice happening everyday here in the DRC, but we also experienced it ourselves.

It all started with a big demonstration of around 80 women in front of the regional Security Council. Apparently those women had their money stolen from them by another lady who had offered them her help and financial backup to start a microfinancing business in order for those poor women to become financially independent and better off in a long run. After those poor ladies had invested almost all of their money, the lady, who was supposed to help them, disappeared together with their money. Yesterday was the hearing in front of the  Security Council and the case was supposed to be brought to justice. 

As Svenja is living in the government quarter, the demonstration was happening just around the corner from where she is living at the moment. When me, Pappy, and my younger brother, Dejoie, picked up Svenja yesterday afternoon, we were able to witness this demonstration of women. It was good to see them gathering together and raising their voice against the injustice that had happened to them. So I took out my camera to capture this scenario on the street.

We had already passed the security council's building, when the security guards discovered my camera and all of a sudden came running towards me and my brother trying to violently take away my camera without having asked any information about what we were doing and why. As we refused, the situation escalated and we were thrown to the ground getting ripped off our shirts. Yet after few minutes we were able to free ourselves and continued our walk. It was obvious that the security guards were just after our money, that is why they let us go that easily after we have resisted.

Shortly after everything had happened, we met our friend Christopher, who is working for US AID and the Civil Society here in Bukavu. We reported the incident and he immediately took all the information and contact details of the ladies that had demonstrated on the streets and witnessed the incident and violence against us. Their case will be brought to Kinshasa and followed up from there.

Furthermore our friend Christopher immediately contacted the Head of Security responsible for the whole region of South-Kivu, where Bukavu is located in. Shortly after were invited to his house and could report everything to him as well. We showed him the video that had captured everything and he was able to identify three of the security guards that had attacked me and my brother. He told us that those guys are uneducated young men that once became victims of social injustice themselves. Out of fear those guys would start a rebellion the state put them in charge of security for the Security Council - this is a very common procedure and process here in Congo - nothing unusual. He immediately called the Head of the Security Council, in front of whose house the incident had happened. She officially apologized to us, telling us she didn't know her security guards reacted with violence and violated our rights for no reason. We will have a meeting with her the following week. The security guards that had attacked us will face justice and will most likely be suspended as a consequence of their behavior. 

At the end of our conversation the Head of Security of South-Kivu gave us his private phone number. In case we are experiencing any troubles with authorities while we are here, one call will be sufficient for him to speak up on our behalf and solve the issue right away. 

Friends, this violence and social injustice has become normal in Congo. A society that has been traumatized by violence and conflict for so many years, has started to use those violent pattern as the only way to respond to conflict. It is a complete paradox.

We had the chance to report our case and the case of those women to the highest people in charge of security here in the South-Kivu region, but what about all the other victims and cases that are not heard or kept secret for years? What about those who don't have the resources and connections like we have?

As we are about to raise an awareness about all of this through our project, we are not surprised to encounter things like that. The head of the Security Council and head of Security of South-Kivu have both asked us to forgive Congo and the people who have offended us. We continue to forgive them and ask God to open the floodgates of heaven to overwhelm Congo and its brokenhearted people with his showers of healing, justice, peace, reconciliation and love. We know we are safe in the hands of our Savior and Father who has protected us once again.

Friends, did you know what was the daily bible verse from the Herrnhut Brüdergemeinde for yesterday? It was from Isaiah 38,14: "O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security". I think all of you, who are reading this right now, are just as overwhelmed as we were, when we reflected upon this revelation. God was never silent, he still is not silent and will never be, instead he is speaking to us this very moment - what does that really mean to us?! 

Thank you for all your prayers, you can all see how very important, powerful and essential they are! 

This picture was taken when me, my brother Dejoie and Christopher, our friend working for US AID here in Bukavu, were speaking to those women asking them about their case.