Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC has become internationally known for its devastating civil conflicts, the most recent lasting since 1998 and claiming 4 million lives. While isolated fighting continues in the extreme Northeast region, the country is largely at peace and beginning the long process of gathering the broken pieces of a society shattered by war. Endemic corruption and decaying infrastructure remain significant barriers to development.
In 2005, Hands at Work representatives moved into DRC’s southern, copper-rich Katanga province to begin challenging local Christians to care for the masses of orphaned children and widows left behind by both the war and the growing HIV epidemic. Work among the poorest children in Likasi town began quickly and spread into the informal slums that had grown up around it. Current expansion activities include neighboring communities in Katanga and plans to start as soon as possible in the eastern region of Goma.
A New Level of Love and Devotion
An orphaned child isn’t an easy child to care for. Extended family members seldom expect the challenges that accompany the arrival of such a child. When Gracia Kabange’s parents died before she even began school, she and her twin brother were taken in by their aunt and uncle, who struggled to care for the children and needed support.
Esperance Home-Based Care sent local volunteers to help care for the children, inviting them to attend the free community school and providing them with a meal each day. Then 6-year-old Gracia became a patient in the home-based care when she suffered a serious burn on her leg. For three weeks, the volunteers paid special attention to Gracia to ensure that her injury was treated and healed properly. Her uncle and aunt, still struggling to know how to care for these new children, were overwhelmed by the commitment of the volunteers and the attention they paid to this one tiny girl.
At the end of the three weeks, when the wound was fully healed, Gracia’s aunt wiped tears from her eyes as she thanked the volunteers, blessing them in prayer for their sincere commitment to the small girl. The many visits had not only created a strong relationship between the family and the volunteers by showing the dedication of the home-based care, but had also birthed an intimacy between Gracia and her caregivers. The care shown to the child by the volunteers had inspired her aunt and uncle to a new level of love and devotion.