Fruit for thought

Fruit for thought
Originally uploaded by wycliffeimc

Yesterday morning we went to visit the president and vice president of a denomination here that is using the trauma healing materials created by SIL. As we walked into the office, I was thrilled to see that they had a basket of fake fruit, just like we sometimes have in the U.S., except these were Congolese fruit. Instead of an assortment of plastic apples, grapes, pears and such, there were wooden mangoes, papayas, finger bananas and stalks of sugar cane. It seems hilarious that they have the same idea of using fake fruit to decorate, but the fruits themselves were entirely different! It was a good object lesson in cultural relevancy. I made Sean take a picture of me pretending to eat the wooden sugar cane.

It was also ironic that the president and vice president we spoke with were from opposite sides of the conflict here—but they are practically identical. Not only that, but somehow they even happened to wear the same suit for the interview! They called themselves brothers (in Christ) and they certainly looked the part: a visual representation of their unity. During the war they sheltered each other from their own tribes, even though this meant that some of their own family members considered them traitors for protecting “the enemy.”

Before coming to see them, I awoke very early to the sounds of Bunia awakening. If it’s true that the sun sees everything, than it has seen some horrible sights here. But the sun still rises and spreads its triumphant colors, even over dilapidated buildings hidden by high walls and razor wire. The birds still sing in the morning. Most of all, the people themselves have not lost their songs.

Life continues, albeit with a limp. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). I don’t know how it is possible, but this promise must hold true even in the DRC. These people—who’ve been maimed by bloodshed, rape, famine, disease and ethnic hatred—must be able to not just survive, but thrive. If evil has such great power to destroy, then Good must have even greater power to heal.

- Borghy