A Food for the Hungry Intern shares her experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 6.1 earthquake and the many continuing aftershocks.
"Right after the earthquake, I walked into town to meet a friend for
another church service. As I came into
the city, I saw walls, homes, and the main market in town completely decimated.
The residence I live in only suffered a few cracks, but the homes of four
of our staff were significantly damaged, with walls crumbled to the
ground. Our cook's home was literally
split in half, leaving him and his family susceptible to cold, rain, and theft.
The government was telling everyone to sleep outside because there was going to be a second large quake. Although I know earthquake predictability is unreliable, these forecasts messed with my head and sleep was hard to come by, for me and many others. The streets of Bukavu have been
lined with Congolese, seeking shelter from potential danger and finding refuge
in numbers.
This is the first earthquake here in over
forty years, and homes are not built well enough to sustain the strength of a
quake. All of my Congolese friends have
expressed fear in experiencing their first earthquake. Furthermore, as a result of the earthquakes, work
and school here in Bukavu are canceled at least until Wednesday. Needless to say, everyone is shaken up.
It is very troubling that the streets of Bukavu are still lined with people afraid to return to their homes, even in the midst of rain storms. One of the many health concerns right now is malaria. I am a bit jumpy as a result of the quake and the numerous aftershocks, but am relatively safe inside the house where I'm staying. I mourn for those who I know are suffering during this time.
Some of the initial response ideas for FH DRC include rehabilitation of the marketplace in Bukavu, where 4 people died because of poorly constructed walls. This market provides income for hundreds of people. Another need is the reconstruction of homes that were destroyed.
This
fear has been the hardest obstacle I have yet to overcome. In this war-torn country, I have found myself
most afraid of these uncontrollable and unpredictable earthquakes. There is no
NGO intern manual on earthquakes. Up until this point, I felt well-prepared to face
what was in front of me: everything from being the token "Mzungu" to being
challenged by language barriers. I have
even spent many hours in conversation with God as I work to make sense of my
internship, the tragic stories of my Congolese friends, and the poverty around
me. Yet as I am going on the third night
full of tremors, I am reminded of God's sovereignty. The reality is it's out of my hands. I have no idea what is to come, and I'm ok
with that. But I'm still a little shaken
up.
Don't be afraid, for I am with
you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help
you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. -Isaiah
41:10
