Reflections of my visit to the Congo

Tracy Hughes – Colombia I have heard stories of violence against women and girls of all ages in the Congo that no one should have to live through or tell. Yet, in all of the human misery and destruction I see glimmers of God’s love apparent in the lives of the Congolese people. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO REFLECTION: “I see the face of God” – A Psalm for the Congo byTracy Hughes I see the face of God in the faces of the women as they tell their stories of six or ten or seventeen soldiers raping them and then violating them again with guns, machetes, clubs, and other implements. I see the face of God in the women as they tell stories of militias taking them into the forest to serve as sexual slaves after killing their husbands and children in front of them. I see the face of God in hundreds of children the conflict has orphaned. I see the face of God in the children who survived whom armed men turned into soldiers and sex slaves. I see the face of God in the baby in Goma who was born of rape and who is starving because his mother cannot produce milk. I see the face of God in the men and boys who have no opportunity to work and provide food for their families. I am trying to see the face of God in the militia and national soldiers who rape, pillage communities, kill at random or for a cause, who inflict violence and pain on women in unmentionable ways-and who are also victims of this endless war (God break my heart of stone.) I pray to God for all of the people of the Congo, particularly those caught in the conflicts that scar the entire region of the Eastern borders. I pray for the healing of bodies, for the healing of spirits, for the healing of minds. I pray for the healing of all of the children who have little food, no schooling, no parents, and no security. I pray for the USA, the multinational companies, and other international forces that fuel this war with greed, guns, and exploitation – may their actions be transformed from human destruction to actions that support human life and dignity. Dear God of Love and Mercy, I cry out to you this night and all nights for the healing of the human community. In tearful outrage, I pray that the destruction and death of individuals, families, and communities in the Congo will come to an end. When will we listen, Oh God, to your covenant promises? When will we live out our response to your love and steadfastness? When will we transform our investment in evil to an investment in the love, the mercy, the compassion, the justice, the peace, and the unity that you offer us in Christ Jesus and in the covenant promises of Your kingdom? For, O God, if we do not transform our ways, what will become of our world community – your creation of love? Amen Tracy Hughes Tracy is serving as a long-term volunteer. She serves with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) based in Barrancabermeja, Colombia. She is currently serving in Israel-Palestine.

Tracy is serving as a long-term volunteer.  She serves with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) based in Barrancabermeja, Colombia.  She is currently serving in Israel-Palestine.

I have heard stories of violence against women and girls of all ages in the Congo that no one should have to live through or tell.  Yet, in all of the human misery and destruction I see glimmers of God’s love apparent in the lives of the Congolese people.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO REFLECTION: “I see the face of God” – A Psalm for the Congo
byTracy Hughes

I see the face of God in the faces of the women as they tell their stories of six or ten or seventeen soldiers raping them and then violating them again with guns, machetes, clubs, and other implements.

I see the face of God in the women as they tell stories of militias taking them into the forest to serve as sexual slaves after killing their husbands and children in front of them.

I see the face of God in hundreds of children the conflict has orphaned. I see the face of God in the children who survived whom armed men turned into soldiers and sex slaves.

I see the face of God in the baby in Goma who was born of rape and who is starving because his mother cannot produce milk.

I see the face of God in the men and boys who have no opportunity to work and provide food for their families.

I am trying to see the face of God in the militia and national soldiers who rape, pillage communities, kill at random or for a cause, who inflict violence and pain on women in unmentionable ways-and who are also victims of this endless war (God break my heart of stone.)

I pray to God for all of the people of the Congo, particularly those caught in the conflicts that scar the entire region of the Eastern borders.  I pray for the healing of bodies, for the healing of spirits, for the healing of minds.  I pray for the healing of all of the children who have little food, no schooling, no parents, and no security.

I pray for the USA, the multinational companies, and other international forces that fuel this war with greed, guns, and exploitation – may their actions be transformed from human destruction to actions that support human life and dignity.

Dear God of Love and Mercy, I cry out to you this night and all nights for the healing of the human community.  In tearful outrage, I pray that the destruction and death of individuals, families, and

communities in the Congo will come to an end.  When will we listen, Oh God, to your covenant promises?  When will we live out our response to your love and steadfastness?  When will we transform our investment in evil to an investment in the love, the mercy, the compassion, the justice, the peace, and the unity that you offer us in Christ Jesus and in the covenant promises of Your kingdom?  For, O God, if we do not transform our ways, what will become of our world community – your creation of love?  Amen

Tracy Hughes