Cows ate all the Produce!

Last Thursday, Annifa and I spent some time with the women from Grounds for Hope, helping them brainstorm how they can continue to improve their lives, using the skills they have been learning through HEALing Arts and Mawe Hai and the income generation grants they have received from Upper Room.

As we arrived, we were immediately interrupted by soldiers demanding to use my cell phone, saying they had heard bombs go off nearby minutes earlier. The women at Grounds for Hope confirmed this. We sat there with the four FARDC soldiers- one listening to annoying, scratchy and untimely music on his radio, the others, staring- while the sergeant yelled over my phone at headquarters, trying to find out any information on the explosions. After a few calls that were void of any useful news from Goma, he returned my phone, eyeing me the whole time until we deleted the numbers he had dialed. The expressed their gratitude, tried to flirt a bit and finally left us, our friendly rapport with the area’s soldiers sustained.

This led to an earnest conversation with the women about the process required to finish building a wall around the whole property, as it has only been built around half of it. They expressed concerns, yet appreciation for the guards that watch the property all the time.

Very early the following morning, we received the call- TWENTY-EIGHT COWS had slept on the property and eaten all the vegetation the women had been growing through the Mawe Hai program. Annifa had to negotiate with the chief of Buhimba to ensure the owner of the cows will pay back the damages. Apparently, it is not customary to kick out other people’s animals from your property, as you would then be responsible for the livestock, should anything happen to them. On Monday morning, Annifa and I observed the damages done, as well as the two hour wait the chief spent hoping the cows’ owner would meet him, as promised.

Let’s hope he did show up and will repay the women for their lost labor!