I'm back after the most absolutely glorious, inspiring day at V-World Farm! But...I get ahead of myself...I will back up and write about yesterday first.
I wish I had internet capacity enough to post a video of the welcome we received from the women at COJ when we arrived. You could hear the singing and drumming from quite a ways outside the gate as we drove down the road. They were there in the courtyard and spilling down the walkways. Joyous and singing and dancing. The energy of the music and their joy reached deep inside. I could feel it all inside. We danced our way as one big group down the main walkway into the big hall that was decorated in beautiful Congolese fabrics. We sat in chairs around the room and alternated between hearing testimonies from current residents and graduates and singing and dancing. Most moving were the testimonies from the women who have graduated. How they feel about and carry themselves and what they are doing in their communities. Really, quite unbelievable what these women overcome in 6 months and what they have taken on and become afterwards. One has a sewing business and is giving work to other women, another has become a natural medicine healer (she brought with her various of her medicines), another spoke of the incredible importance and value of the network of graduates to support each other. COJ is truly a transformative experience.
Then came the bowls! I had prepared myself to tell them the story of the bowls in French. So, when it came time to present and they wanted me to speak in English with a Swahili translator I was actually thrown off! They got the message though and couldn't wait to open them. We handed them out to everyone including the staff. I was so preoccupied I don't have any memory of actually seeing the girls and them with the bowls. But, others on the trip with me took tons of pictures and told me how absolutely thrilled the girls were to get them. And has hoped and anticipated, they are already using the muslin bags for other things. Many of them had them at the farm today to carry their water bottle and other things. It may turn out to be like the small child you give a present to and they are most interested in the ribbon! I actually sort of miss the bowls and miss them being all together. Yet, I am thrilled to know that they are in their new home and hope that they are something special for the girls and women. NOTE: I keep saying girls because that is what most the "women" at COJ are - 16 & 17 year olds. There are some older in their early twenties...I knew this yet was really taken aback how young they all are and seem. Perhaps even more amazing what they are accomplishing post-COJ graduation. They are fierce, courageous women.
We all ate lunch together. Noelle (DD at V-Day) and I sat at a table with 6 of the COJ girls. It was a blast. I shared pictures of home with them. They all wanted copies (Thank you, Lib, for the reminder to bring copies!) We took pictures and asked each other about our lives...getting by mostly in French. Not all of the girls speak French but they are learning and learning English. They seem to really love speaking English with us. It's fun.
Then on to Panzi Hospital. A very stark contrast to the joy of COJ. Run down, surrounded by total poverty outside the gates, populated with many patients waiting, waiting to be seen and treated. We had a brief encounter with the wonderful Dr. Mukwege. He has the most gentle, warm, welcoming face. And, it was clear from his demeanor and that of the Mayo Clinic docs who had been at the hospital since 7:00am that it had been a long, hard day...a "crazy day" as Dr. M put it in his limited English. It was so clear that we needed to just go...to abandon the plan for a chat with Dr. M and a tour. That didn't entirely happen. A few of us ended up on a very brief tour with Dr. M. Quite overwhelming and certainly a reality check about what is available here for medical care. We ended up sitting with a group of 150+ women who were all waiting for surgery...mostly needed due to sexual violence. One woman shared her graphic story (I will spare you the utterly horrific details). At that point, we stopped the discussion b/c it was not our intention to have the women share like this. It is often so completely traumatic for them to relive it by sharing their stories. I think it all happened b/c of communication details trying to manage btw English, French and Swahili. We are able to convey our hope, support, and solidarity for these women with them. We will see the Mayo Clinic docs tonight so will get an update on how things are going. One of the docs was going to have about 30 or so surgeries btw Tues-Fri. Whew!
V-World Farm, however, instills nothing but hope, happiness and inspiration. The thoughtful, phase-by-phase development happening there is something to be modeled. They have taken the approach of going slowly to learn as they go. The land was purchased in 2012 and despite a very thoughtful and well-planned approach it is absolutely unbelievable what has been accomplished there:
- they started with 12 pigs. They now have 168.
- Talapia ponds for farming fish
- They grow beans (dried beans), soy beans, corn and maize.
- Lots of vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, cassava (they eat both the root and the greens), amaranth for the greens, they're not so into the grain.)
- they harvested 16 tons of crop last year!
- They have started the warehouse to store the crops after harvest and it will include an office, refrigeration for the fish.
- All of the materials for the construction are either produced on the farm and/or are created from materials on the farm. They currently create 400 cement-like blocks a day, weld the frames for the roof of the warehouse, etc. It's impressive.
- They are building a road to be able to access all parts of the farm. It is a HUGE undertaking here to build a road that doesn't wash out every year and half to be rebuilt. They have come up with a sustainable road construction plan. Again, very thoughtful.
The next plan is to build housing for women who want to come live at the farm. They will need housing for 50. They will build one house first to learn from the process and then make changes for the others as needed.
The plan for the farm is based on a comprehensive permaculture plan designed by a team of permaculturalists from the Bay Area that spent a month here last year. They will implement the plan in phases. But it is all completely full circle or called a "closed loop system". For example, currently the pig shit feeds the fish, the water from the fish ponds is used for fertilizer and the vegetable waste from the vegetable crops feed the pigs. (Are you smiling, Maryann?! You would love what they are doing here!) I could spend a lot of time there! It is absolutely such a beautiful setting. We were once again greeted by the girls singing and dancing as we walked down the road-under-construction. I danced and danced with them in the hot sun. Awesome! Got to see them draining one of the talapia ponds and harvesting the fish. They didn't go without a fight! Quite fiesty they are...I guess I would be too if I were suffocating! I got lots of great photos of the process and got pretty well splattered with mud from the flapping and flopping fish.
We shared a picnic lunch with the girls before having to hightail it out of there because of the coming rain. They were nervous about what would happen to the roads with the rain. I should reiterate that the roads here are beyond in horrid condition. It is really unbelievable. How can a country rebuild itself without passable roads?! Seriously.
I really love it here. I feel such warmth from the people. True beauty. So hardworking. I could really spend time getting to know people here. I would love to farm with them. Alas, that is not the structure or purpose of this trip and we leave for Goma tomorrow. Look up Goma on the internet. It is a city at the very north end of Lake Kivu on the Congo/Rwanda border. It has seen unbelievable violence and unrest. It's kind of a badge of honor for each of the rebel groups over the years to "take" Goma. Recently, too...as recent as this past October by the M23. It is also a crazy landscape being at the foot of a big volcano called Nyaragongo. The last eruption was 2002 and lava rolled through a big part of the city until it hit Lake Kivu. So, I've heard it's a bit of a lunar landscape. That mixed with the war the area has experienced I believe will make for a stark contrast to hear that is so lush and colorful.
OK, time to go shower. We are having a surprise b'day party for Christine tonight. And, it will be the last time our whole group is together. The docs and a Pat and her husband, Scott (Pat is a longtime V-Day board member) are staying here. They will meet us in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday for the flight home. Pat and Scott are staying here b/c Scott is the solar power engineer responsible for the solar panels that we brought with us on the plane for COJ. He has a lot of work to do to get them installed and up n' running.
I miss you all. I am happy. Really happy. I feel like I am in my 20-something travel the world mode. I long to get to know these people and this place. I will hopefully have internet access going forward but one never knows. The plan is to meet with the Goma-based group from Human Rights Watch tomorrow. Maybe another group, too...not sure. Then we head to Virunga National Forest on Thursday to meet a visionary man, Emmanual, who is the director of the park. Turns out he is actually a Belgian prince. He has completely given his life to the park and has come up with the most amazing programs and processes for protecting it that are more about giving people work, turning militia members into park rangers and construction workers, developing technologies for making coal briquettes so the women don't have to go into the forest to gather wood and get raped, etc. Can't wait to meet him. We'll end our stay with another gorilla trek and a visit to a chimpanzee sanctuary. Then the long drive to Kigali on Saturday. I am anticipating absolutely breathtaking scenery when we are in and near Virunga. Lots of pictures to share with you all.
Lots of love, ME
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