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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Waid.
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And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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The Democratic Republic of Congo is a large and beautiful country in Central Africa. It is a country with many natural and economic resources. It is also a country that has experienced much violence over many years. However, even through these very difficult times, many Congolese groups are working to bring hope. Today's Spotlight is on the Association of the Widows of Zarephath and their work to unite and empower Congolese widows.
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Groups in and around Congo have been fighting for the past ten years. During this time, over five million people have died from war or the effects of war. The years of war have been especially difficult for the women of Congo.
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Rape has become a weapon of war. This sexual violence has affected hundreds of thousands of women. Often, the husbands of these women leave them after they have been raped. Many more thousands of women have become widows - their husbands have died or been killed in the war. Today these Congolese widows struggle to care for their children and families alone.
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Life for widows in Congo is not easy. However, they still have hope. Many Congolese widows are finding strength together.
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Noella Katembo is a widow from Goma, Congo. Six years ago, she went to her local hospital to give birth to her fifth child. She had a beautiful baby girl. It was a joyful time. However, Noella did not know that something terrible was about to happen.
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During Noella's time in the hospital, rebels attacked her husband at home. They were looking for money. And they killed him in front of their children.
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The death of Noella's husband left her to care for their five children, her mother and other family members, alone. But this was not the end of Noella's struggles. One year after her husband's death, Noella's house burned down.
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After losing her husband, Noella became depressed. She was very sad. She did not eat very much food. And she did not know if she could continue to care for her family all alone.
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Thankfully, Noella did not remain alone. A woman named Virginie Mumbere came to visit her one day. Virginie worked at the hospital where Noella gave birth. She was also a widow and understood many of Noella's struggles.
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Virginie told The Guardian news group about her first visit with Noella,
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"It was really difficult for Noella. She was in shock. I went to talk to her. I said that I would help her. I said that I would come and read the Bible with her. I said: ‘You have to be strong. If the children see you sad, they can not be strong.' I tried to tell her my story, that my husband had died too. She agreed I could come again."
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After this, Virginie and Noella began meeting every two weeks. Virginie encouraged Noella and supported her through a very difficult time in her life.
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Both women recognized the importance of their time together. They also recognized that there were many other Congolese widows just like them. So, they decided to start a widow's organization. They knew that widows could provide each other with much needed emotional support. They also hoped that the organization could help improve the widows' lives in economic ways. Lastly, they wanted to change the way the community treated widows.
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Virginie explains what being a widow often means in Congo,
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"Here widows are treated very badly. Normally what happens is that the husband's family takes the children and all that belonged to the family. Then they send the widow back to her family. This is what has happened to the women in our organisation. Some have lost everything, even their homes."
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For widows who are able to keep their children, it is still difficult. There are often very few ways for widows to support their families financially.
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To answer these needs, Virginie and Noella started the Association of the Widows of Zarephath. Now, Zarephath is not a city or area in Congo. Instead, it is the name of an ancient city in Lebanon, in the Middle East. You see, Virginie and Noella named the organization after a Bible story about a widow.
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In the Bible story, the Widow of Zarephath was very poor. She lived alone with her son during a time of no rain. The widow only had enough supplies to cook one last meal for her and her son. On that day, a prophet of God came to Zarephath. He was named Elijah. God had told Elijah that the widow would provide him with food. So, Elijah asked the widow for some bread. The widow told Elijah that she did not have any bread. She told him she only had a few supplies. Elijah told her, "Do not be afraid." He said to go home and prepare him bread. If she did this, God would provide her with enough supplies to feed her family until it rained again. In faith, the widow obeyed God and made bread for Elijah. And that night, the widow, her son and Elijah ate a meal and her supplies did not run out. God was faithful.
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This is a story of faith. It is also a story about resources. The widow had very few resources, but God used them to produce plenty of food. This is how the Association of the Widows of Zarephath is like the biblical story. Alone, the widows of Congo do not have many resources. But together, with faith, their few resources can produce much.
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Today, the association has more than one thousand members. Women like Virginie and Noella provide reading classes for widows that cannot read. Other women have joined together to farm or start other businesses. And as a group, they save money for their children's school costs. The association also encourages and helps women to vote in the government elections.
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The Association of the Widows of Zarephath is part of a larger Congolese organization called HEAL Africa. HEAL was started by a Congolese doctor, Jo Lusi, and his wife, Lyn. It began in 1996 as a hospital. In fact, it was the HEAL hospital where Virginie worked and Noella gave birth. Today, HEAL provides medical, social, and economic services. It is their hope that such work will grow peace and development in Congo.
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Virginie and Noella have brought great hope and power to many women in Congo. And their amazing work was born from their own terrible suffering. These women are both leaders and members of the association. As they help other widows, they continue to receive support and encouragement too. Noella explains
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"Working every day among these brothers and sisters who suffer, I am myself being healed from my hurt. They have given me back joy because I am able to help them emotionally and financially. I learn so much from their struggles. Their stories change me. My heart is for this work."
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