Our world has become smaller with technology but our hearts have expanded as well. Dr. Kalayjian is a noted psychotherapist whose Bio-Psychosocial and Eco-Spiritual Healing Model have healed trauma within local and global communities. Human Services is a part of that helping model and we share a commitment in her goals as well.
7 Projects for a Healthy and Prosperous DR Congo
Congo Peace Building, Empowerment, and Forgiveness Projects
New York – Kigali, Rwanda and Bukavu, Congo – July 2011 – Dr Ani Kalayjian
The sky was overcast and the weather was hot as we arrived at the border of Congo after driving seven hours from Kigali in Rwanda, traversing the mountainous, debilitated roads, which made for a bumpy ride that shook us the whole way. Kigali was active with many construction projects underway; the Chinese have been fixing the roads, so it is all smooth and beautiful. In contrast to those qualities of the road, the Genocide museums were emotionally tumultuous places that paid tribute to the 1994 massacres that in 3 months’ time resulted in the brutal deaths of 800,000 Tutsis and empathic Hutus; others were left maimed, their limbs hacked off, disabling them for life. The Genocide museums were a testament to the horrors that we had read about and seen on our televisions in 1994: The skulls were lined up along one area, the bulging eyes conveying the horrors that were endured. We could see how the machetes cut into them in three or four places. The limbs were in another section, and there were photos of terrified children showing the wounds they endured, as well as a pregnant women who was brutally killed on a church alter where she was kneeling and praying to God, and other women raped and killed in front of their parents and siblings.
Few countries have seen the amount of violence that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has witnesses in the past few decades. Since 1996 the fourth largest African state has endured wars with its neighbors, civil wars, and other forms of violence that have proliferated immense poverty and famine, an HIV/AIDS epidemic, increasing rape rates, and gender intolerance. The International Rescue Committee estimates more than 5.4 million people have died from the prolonged conflict, a conflict that Nicholas D. Kristof of the New York Times says is being ignored by the international community.
Having arrived at the border of Bukavu and Kigali, we had to exit the vehicle with our seven trunks of donations for the needy. A large group of Congolese had gathered around us to transport our luggage across a bridge. Our main partner was the Peace and Conflict Resolution Project (PCR), spearheaded by Pastor Samuel Muderhwa and Faida Mutula. Their friends met us at the border and calmly took care of the mob of Congolese wanting the opportunity to get a tip, then they escorted us to the immigration office and from there, to the customs office. We had to walk across a debilitated wooden bridge guarded by police with machine guns and stern faces while the seven women who were with us carried the heavy luggage on their heads, backs, and shoulders. It was surreal, and we could not even take photos because we would be imprisoned. The sky got cloudier as we walked across the bridge and entered Bukavu, there to have our visas verified at the immigration office. We were greeted with a warm “karibu” and “jombo” (“welcome” and “hello” in Swahili). I was so excited that I was able to respond in kind, since I still remembered my Swahili from our humanitarian program in Kenya: “Jombo Sana, habari,” I said, which means “Hello to you, and how are you?”
While we were walking to our friend's vehicle we encountered many adults and children calling out “muzungu” (“white person”), and extending their open palms to ask for money and food. To the Congolese, a white person is associated with money, prosperity, and wealth. Congo was a colony of Belgium, which is why they speak French, while across the bridge in Rwanda, people speak English. Congo got its independence in 1960 and just celebrated its 50th anniversary.
ATOP's Meaningfulworld Peace Building, Conflict Transformation, and Forgiveness Program began immediately as our team (myself and David Pressley) met our partners at PCR, which is under the leadership of Pastor Samuel Muderhwa and his wife, Faida Mutula. They reviewed our program for each day, and each day the program was packed with daily trainings followed by visiting refugee camps as well as various victimized individuals such as displaced people, rape victims, orphaned children, single mothers, and those in the maternal ward for rape victims. As we traveled to Pastor Samuel's home, we witnessed extreme poverty and slums, young men and women sitting around with nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no food to eat. They looked emaciated and dehydrated as they attempted to give a warm welcoming smile to the “muzungus.”
We began at the Pentecostal Church where I spoke as the guest to deliver a message of love and forgiveness. There were more than 500 people packed into the Church, drums beating fast and passionately, a chorus singing, and all kinds of musical instruments vibrating the space. The message was well taken, and members of the congregation came to me and told me they had come to Church with headaches and stomachaches, and they left nourished and in peace. I was in awe of their belief system, as they were all praying with such a deep faith, hope, love, and connection. We then went to another Church where well over a thousand people were gathered. I wondered why the poorest are the most faithful or religious…
The second project was educating boys and men. Early unwanted pregnancies and STDs such as the deadly HIV continue spreading. Condoms are not available, and anyway, it’s taboo to ask for one, as you would be considered “a loose person.’ Unwanted pregnancies will continue if males are not educated about the consequences of their actions and empowered to respect and care for themselves as well as the women in their communities.
We visited the slums of Bukavu, and while of course you may say there are slums in every country (Kenya, Sierra Leone, Haiti), it is still an unbelievable scene: Millions of people in these tiny tin-and-mud houses the size of a small tool shed, with bare walls and no furniture, food, or books inside – just a few plastic containers to fetch water or perhaps an old calendar from 2009 collecting a lot of dust. We listened to their plights, witnessed the long lines of children with runny noses and flies all over their faces, each with a yellow container clutched in both hands, each struggling to fetch water for their family or looking for cooking wood before sunset.
The next project was in the maternity ward of Dr. Rau Hospital in Chiriri/Kasha. We were reaching out to the women in the maternity ward, listening to their experiences, their needs, and their pain as we were empowering them. PCR had a supply of donated birthing kits from an Australian NGO. The fresh blood on the floor from a C-section, the smell of the sweat of labor mingling with the odors of urine and placenta permeating the ward compelled me to exit for a breath of fresh air to prevent myself from fainting. At this hospital the new mothers were crying out for soap to wash the dried blood, as well as their newborns. We supplied one of the PCR staff with money and sent him to the market to buy a large quantity of soap. At that time we had the opportunity to speak with the head nurse as well as the director, who took us to their bare supply room, which lacked such basics as syringes, gloves, sanitary napkins, and antibiotics. The soaps arrived and we were on the verge of tears as we watched how the women’s eyes lit up with joy and gratitude, as if we were distributing bars of gold.
The forth project was giving a follow-up training in the 7-Step Biopsychosocial and Eco-Spiritual Healing Model for about 30 PCR staff members. The questions were insightful; people were tired of 20 years of war, corruption, and now the Hutu Militia. Some they just wanted to let go of everything, to forgive and move on and sacrifice their human rights, while others asked for revenge and justice, and a third group wanted to leave everything up to God’s will. It was an opportunity to discuss the importance of assertiveness, of not giving up one’s rights as specified in the UN Human Rights Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (which is signed by all governments in the world, including the Congolese government), and the importance of healing before taking a blind leap into forgiveness.
The fifth project was visiting refugees (displaced people) in Mudaka village, where people came from Bunyakiri, Gahutu, Luhinja, and many other villages that were ransacked by the Hutu Militia (which killed parents, raped young girls, and set villages on fire). These Hutus have escaped the Gacaca Court and some, led by General Mudacumura, exploit the weak presence of the UN Peace-Keeping Forces while exploiting the wealth of minerals, gold, and diamond in Congo. We interviewed more than 50 women ages 14–38, as well as a few men who witnessed these horrific experiences. Their stories greatly distressed us. Some had walked for 18 days, others for 2 months to arrive at this camp. All too often it reminded me of what my grandmother had told me about what the Armenians went through during the Ottoman Turkish Genocide in 1915. Almost 100 years later, the world is still witnessing horrific acts of violence inflicted by one human being upon another. It is surreal, it is unbelievable, and it is a disgrace. When are we going to learn the lessons of history and embrace one another?
We brought healing remedies donated from Bach Nelson that are formulated specifically for trauma (such as Rescue Remedy and Star of Bethlehem), as well as donated clothing, toothpaste and brushes, and Zone protein bars. These people need continued support and collective healing.
The sixth project was with the displaced children in Bagira (they came from Funu, others are from Tchimpunda, Kaza-Roho, Chiriri and Essance). PCR had been working with more than 500 children, 279 are orphans, others were economic orphans. When we arrived they had banners welcoming us with messages such as “God Bless You and Keep You Safe,” and “Dr Ani, King David, Pastor Samuel, and Faida, God Bless You.” They sang, we all danced, and we talked about love, compassion, sharing, and working hard and doing the best we can. We were amazed at how attentively they were listening, repeating our words with conviction. We also engaged them in activities such as art therapy and storytelling. The contents of another suitcase of gifts were shared, including crayons, clothes, and protein bars. With your support these healing groups and art and play therapy sessions will continue.
We spent a few hours each day counseling individuals with specific needs such as family issues, health issues, nutritional issues, and identity issues. We taught them about the limbic breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) method, healthy nutritional intake, and creating inner peace with visualization and meditation. (Many of them suffered from heart palpitations and high blood pressure.)
David Pressley characterized the journey as a rewarding experience. “While it was emotionally extremely draining, I was happy to be there and share the sorrow of the Congolese. I wish we could do more, and we are planning to do more. I was also angry with the extent of the suffering, as there was an underlying helplessness and resignation with their plight instead of reaching in and discovering solutions and working steadily to reclaim their basic human rights.”
The next invitation was from the Université de la Paix in Bukavu. We later found out that there are three universities for peace in Bukavu, in a country that is struggling for peace. More than 50 students, faculty, and administrators had gathered. They were listening attentively, raising their hands, and sharing their concerns: Can we forgive before healing the wounds of rape and murder? Which comes first, forgiveness or justice? How can we help our rape victims whose families have abandoned them? How can we enforce our rights to free access to primary education and decent roads? How can we empower people when they are hungry? (The Congolese have a saying, “An empty stomach doesn’t have ears,” which means hungry people cannot listen, understand, and be empowered their basic needs have to be met first.) They asked many questions, indicating their desire to move out of this mode of helplessness, pain, corruption, and suffering.
The seventh project was teaching yoga stretches and chakra balancing movements, especially those for reinforcing trust: opening the forth chakra for unconditional love, strengthening the third chakra for empowerment and the fifth chakra for self-expression and demanding basic human rights, and the sixth chakra for insight and strengthening their inner resolve. In the future we are planning to start tennis courts for the slums, to empower, engage, discipline, and train youth in a constructive sport.
With your support, we can continue our 7 Projects for a Healthy and Prosperous Congo. Education is the key to growth, empowerment, and confidence. $325 will educate a child in Congo for an entire year (10 months). Together we can make a difference in Congo. Please send your check (made out to ATOP) to 135 Cedar St, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, or donate online at www.meaningfulworld.com.
