Another wonderful piece of banana-leaf art made by the women of "Nikinge".
EVEN IF EVIL SEEMS TO BE WINNING,
GOD HAS THE LAST WORD:COURAGE.
Translation of the letter in the first photo of my last post:
Madame Odile,
We thank you very much for selling the cards and for the support that you keep giving us. We received the clothes, and on top of that the extra money, the "300$" God bless you. We used to do hard labor in spite of ("operations" crossed out) the scars of the operations we underwent here. But for now we no longer carry sand, dirt and rubble for construction. Our load has been lightened by the work we do now. We are less tired and our health improves.
God bless you.
We the mamans of Bukavu.
Our treasurer will give you a report.
In the name of all the mamans,
Marie-Jeanne Busingizi
When she thanks me for selling the cards, she's referring to cards I sold for them at a bazaar last December(some of you dear readers got them at Christmas).
The back of that letter has the report, written by Sr. Georgette:
The $300 were used as follows:
$200: in the cashbox of the "Nikinge" group of raped women, for:
(1) capital for the soap supplies whose after-sale profits are used by each, i.e. self-help income.
(2) capital for the materials for making the cards, bead crafts and clothes for the same self-help.
$100: Used for the immediate needs of women I met and listened to, when they came to share their stories with me. A total of 14 women were present, so vulnerable and so destroyed. Eleven were absent that day for health reasons (surgery, incontinence... hunger, etc)
Thank you, Petite Maman, for being for each of these women, who are physically far away yet so close to you, sister, friend, mother, listener, solidarity, love in Christ, who is the source and meaning of any encounter.
Good Feast of Pentecost !
(signed) Georgette FMM
In yesterday's post I edited out all the "how great Odile is" parts, but today I'm simply giving you the whole thing, unedited, to show you kind of gratitude always displayed over the least bit of attention and assistance.
I also wanted to witness to the extraordinary, selfless, deeply personal work done by thousands upon thousands of religious sisters like Soeur Georgette. It is of them, and the religious brothers and priests, that people should think when they hear the words "Catholic Church" (not of the relatively few priests who have given the Church a bad name. It is because these latter are an exception that the Church was so ill-equipped to deal with them. But that's another topic).
The "Nikinge" group chose this name because, as Marie Jeanne tells me in yet another letter,
"Our logo shows a woman with a child on her back and a hoe in her hands, and the word NIKINGE, which means 'Protect me', that is, protect women. Women give life and nourish it, so it's in everyone's interest to protect them."
Amen. Protect life.
Another wonderful piece of banana-leaf art made by the women of "Nikinge".
EVEN IF EVIL SEEMS TO BE WINNING,
GOD HAS THE LAST WORD:COURAGE.
Translation of the letter in the first photo of my last post:
Madame Odile,
We thank you very much for selling the cards and for the support that you keep giving us. We received the clothes, and on top of that the extra money, the "300$" God bless you. We used to do hard labor in spite of ("operations" crossed out) the scars of the operations we underwent here. But for now we no longer carry sand, dirt and rubble for construction. Our load has been lightened by the work we do now. We are less tired and our health improves.
God bless you.
We the mamans of Bukavu.
Our treasurer will give you a report.
In the name of all the mamans,
Marie-Jeanne Busingizi
When she thanks me for selling the cards, she's referring to cards I sold for them at a bazaar last December(some of you dear readers got them at Christmas).
The back of that letter has the report, written by Sr. Georgette:
The $300 were used as follows:
$200: in the cashbox of the "Nikinge" group of raped women, for:
(1) capital for the soap supplies whose after-sale profits are used by each, i.e. self-help income.
(2) capital for the materials for making the cards, bead crafts and clothes for the same self-help.
$100: Used for the immediate needs of women I met and listened to, when they came to share their stories with me. A total of 14 women were present, so vulnerable and so destroyed. Eleven were absent that day for health reasons (surgery, incontinence... hunger, etc)
Thank you, Petite Maman, for being for each of these women, who are physically far away yet so close to you, sister, friend, mother, listener, solidarity, love in Christ, who is the source and meaning of any encounter.
Good Feast of Pentecost !
(signed) Georgette FMM
In yesterday's post I edited out all the "how great Odile is" parts, but today I'm simply giving you the whole thing, unedited, to show you kind of gratitude always displayed over the least bit of attention and assistance.
I also wanted to witness to the extraordinary, selfless, deeply personal work done by thousands upon thousands of religious sisters like Soeur Georgette. It is of them, and the religious brothers and priests, that people should think when they hear the words "Catholic Church" (not of the relatively few priests who have given the Church a bad name. It is because these latter are an exception that the Church was so ill-equipped to deal with them. But that's another topic).
The "Nikinge" group chose this name because, as Marie Jeanne tells me in yet another letter, "Our logo shows a woman with a child on her back and a hoe in her hands, and the word NIKINGE, which means 'Protect me', that is, protect women. Women give life and nourish it, so it's in everyone's interest to protect them."
Amen. Protect life.
1 comment:
Hi Odile. Thanks for visiting my blog. About the Seeded Breadfruit.Itt could be a vegetarian dish just remove the pork but I don't think you can do it with breadfruit.
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