In the past three weeks, I’ve watched another class of Wamu Women graduate, said good-bye and left Congo, been ridiculously ill, returned to Lynchburg and have successfully spent the last week ruminating on the interesting turn of events that have brought me back to this town at this time.
The graduation ceremony was a small, intimate…dance party. Women danced up to collect their certificates, there was a lot of praying and praising God, still more shouting and screaming and laughing, and even MORE dancing. It was amazing. Those ladies…they remain in my heart like nothing and noone else. The ceremony was just the best reminder of why we do what we do…not to write amazingly intelligent-sounding articles, give sound-bites to media outlets, or to eke out a career…but because real people are in real need…and they get REAL joy and fulfillment from the work that we put in. I love that. I love that after all the sweat, tears, shouting, mud, diarrhea, power-outages, overdrawn bank accounts and crackly phone meetings…it was worth it after all. I love that God showed up in the lives of these women, and in my own life in a very REAL way through this. I just love it.
My last few weeks in Congo were spent thinking on, what next, what can I do to stay, what can I do to successfully leave, is this the right decision, will this work, and how will I live. I was blessed beyond compare to have been mentored by Dr. Denis Mukwege, a man who has pursued his own dream to the ends of the earth, only to now be a three time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, chums with Ban Ki Moun and Bill Clinton, world-renowned and loved, the recipient of several awards and several death threats within his country. Quite possibly, one of the most amazing people I know. Before I left, we were able to chat about where my heart is, and the potential for a new project in remote Kilungtwe, the village I visited a few weeks back that was the site of a massacre, and today is home to illiterate children faced with unbelievably preventable health and life concerns.
I’m fairly excited about the potential of doing something to serve the people of Kilungtwe who suffer so needlessly and are in such desperate need for an advocate, but I also shake in fear at the thought of doing something so crazy and off the limb. There’s a lot to be considered when taking on a new venture. You guys remember, from my first few posts. The self-doubt, the financial carnival, the uncertainty and the unknown – they are killers. We’ll see.
It’s Day 7 back in Lynchburg and I’m already beginning to scratch at the walls. I know I need to take the breather after the roller coaster, crazy-hard ride of the last year…and I know I deserve the rest, physically, mentally and emotionally. But rest shmest. There’s a world out there and I’m already in a love/hate relationship with this ridiculously comfortable American couch.
I suppose this also warrants mentioning, but as you’ve probably guessed, I have resigned from Women in War Zones. I am transitioning out right now, by helping this semester’s interns finish off strong and lay the groundwork for the program in the field to continue strong. I wish them the best in their endeavors, this group of passionate young people, eager to make a difference, I just truly believe that this was the right step for me to take at this point in time. It is terrifying to be out in the real world, jobless, broke, single, not in the field so nothing to write about, and kind of…confused…but it is refreshing to know that I FINALLY took a decision for myself, that there’s no end to the possibilities, and that God is rubbing my hands in excitement like…yeah…let’s do this…
So…yeah…let’s do this – unemployment/freelancing/starting a new project/wearing makeup because I’m in civilization/being able to shower whenever I want/speaking English/nothing exciting and foreign to write about…….thing. I promise…I mean…I hope…it won’t be boring.
