Peace is always delayed

Goma is receiving a lot of press recently, and not in a good way. We are all OK and things are not quite as bad as you read in the press, although they are certainly not getting any better. The festival for peace planned for this week has had to be postponed until June. Unfortunately, peace always seems to be postponed to an indefinite future moment. 
 
The M23 rebels are desperately trying to take the town of Sake, the last town before Goma on the west of the city. This week they succeeded in blocking vehicles using the main roads into Goma, meaning food can only now come by motorbike, by lake or across the Rwandan border. Prices have started to soar in the markets. And the city has many more mouths to feed as thousands flee Sake, swelling the already massive numbers of internally displaced. 

Life goes on 

Life goes on in Goma. Our children can sometimes hear the bombs from school. Yesterday the school was closed as a precaution but opened again today. But in general the people of Goma are incredibly resilient, if also deeply traumatised. It’s nothing that haven’t seen before and they are deeply frustrated but also resigned to the ongoing conflict. Google ‘Goma panic’ if you want a flavor of what the population has endured in the last 20 years.
 
Life in the diocese also goes on. We recently had a 10-day visit from EMI Uganda (Engineering Ministries International) with a team of 11 architects and engineers from across four continents, mostly volunteers, to help us plan construction projects. These include a new theological college, an upgraded community radio station (site meeting above in front of existing radio buildings) and a revamped multi-purpose hall. We are so grateful that they threw themselves into the work, caught the vision for what is possible in Goma, in spite of the challenges, and that they were able to model unity and faith. We hope to start construction before the end of the year.
 
There are also some real encouragements as we broaden our work on peace-building, now working more closely with the UN and civil society on strengthening the role of the church in mediation and conflict resolution. We are looking to make more of the unique ministry of the church in bringing about peace – especially as the different denominations work together. We also are looking to see how we can broaden our work on trauma-healing in the near future.

Ordinary lives of extraordinary faithfulness

But more than anything the believers in Goma are continuing to live their ordinary lives of extraordinary faithfulness – seeking how to love and serve God and neighbor. In one of our churches during lent the vicar is encouraging the believers to fast and to set aside what they would spend on food to give to those who are displaced. Last year they gave $350 – which is well over the collection amount for a month.

One of the most profound and prophetic actions we can take in a situation of insecurity and uncertainty is simply to carry on with ordinary lives of faithfulness, witnessing to a deeper reality than the one we see day to day. We carry on praying, trusting in God, meditating on Scripture, celebrating communion, serving others, working together, strengthening the church and planning with God for a future where Goma is at peace.
 
Lent teaches us to seek the Lord, to come before him with humble hearts, to put him first before all other things and to wait for him and for his salvation as we wait for the resurrection of Jesus at Easter. Come Lord Jesus!

How can you pray?

• Could you commit to praying each day for Goma during Lent? Could you pray each week in church?

• Pray with us that the renewed upsurge in fighting can focus the minds of the regional presidents and the international community to find a lasting solution to the conflict.

• Give thanks for peaceful elections in December and pray for the newly elected candidates that they would govern with integrity and justice 

• Pray our inter-denominational work on peace-building as we seek to expand to mediation training with senior leaders and to trauma-healing with church leaders and young people.

Thank you, as always to those who read, write, pray and give
Martin, Anthea, Silas, Zachary and Imogen