Today, I am writing to you from base camp. What and where is base camp you might ask. Well it is in northern Uganda, which is twenty minutes from South Sudan and fourth five minutes from Congo. My team and I are currently volunteering at a refuge camp that provide refuge to people from South Sudan and the Congo looking for safety from the on going unrest in their home countries. Each week Mvepi takes in five hundred people running for their lives. In South Sudan there is a war happening between two gangs and many people get caught in the crossfire and as a result have either been a victim or have seen friends and family members die right in front of their eyes.
I have heard or seen movies that have talked about such violence but never have I been so close and personal to the situation. This month, I have gone out to a few of the out reach centers. These centers are to help women re-enter into society. To help provide a safe place for them to speak about the pain and suffering they have gone through. I have worked closely with a team from Child Voice. On staff they have caseworkers and counselors that go out to these centers daily to work along side the women helping them with practical task. Besides providing counseling sessions for the women they are also teaching them practical job skills and how to work with a team of people. Child Voice is cultivating a space where the different tribes can come together and begin to do life with each other without having to worry about living in fear of their tomorrow.
I honestly don’t think I could even begin to give you an accurate picture of the lives most of these women have lived. So I will let them tell you. We have a book at the office that has a few compiled stories about the experiences from the women we are working with. The book is called “Enduring the Night: Courageous Stories of Survival by Former Girl Solders.”
“In 1995, I was abducted for the first time with Jacob and my sister Helen. I was digging in the garden with my brother Peter and my parents when rebels came. They tried to cut my legs with the panga so I couldn’t resist, but I kept jumping up to miss their swing. I remember my father yelling, pleading with me to listen to the rebels so they would not cut me. I fell to the ground and they started beating me with sugar canes. There was a lot of mud, so I forced my head deeper into the ground to avoid the major blows. After they beat me, they picked me up and I moved with them to Gulu town, carrying heavy loads for them for a week. On the seventh day a helicopter came, and I saw my chance. I moved next to a boy who was hiding from the soldiers too. I remember our eyes met just before the rebels shot him. His body blew apart to pieces hitting me, his blood stained me. It was my first time to see this kind of death, but it wouldn’t be my last. There was seven rebels and 40 children. I decided to take my chances and run, or I would end up like that boy. I ran all the way home that day. I ran from my captors into the safety of my family’s arms. But I soon found out that I would never again be free.” -Grace”
“ We heard their rifles click into place and I took a large breath. I exhaled slowly… at least it would be quick. But the shots did not come. Instead, I felt someone removing the blindfold from my eyes. Then one of the commanders spoke in a low tone saying that Kony had codices we should not be killed. Many of the men were angry and they beat us very badly that day, but we survived. After that, we were separated and I never saw that boy again. When people as me if I believe in God, I tell them this story. I have never seen rebels kill so many people nd for much less. Why not me? After that day, I began to pray again and I never stopped.” -Grace
Please do check out the book if your interested in hearing more about the women here and about how Child Voice has been giving them hope again.
