Silence is "not" golden...

This is an interesting opinion piece on Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-otis-moss-iii/congo-breaking-the-silenc_b_1003431.html

I love when I find articles about Congo... Most aren't good or positive, but hearing and knowing people are talking (even if just a little) about this country, is so important!

Silence Is 'Not' Golden When It Comes To The Congo

Rev. Otis Moss III
Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago

The ancient proverbial statement says, "Silence is golden." But how can a person, especially a person of faith, be silent when a woman is raped every minute and 45,000 children, women and men are dying in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world. 64 percent of the world's reserve of Coltan, the mineral that allows you to read this on your iPad, laptop, desktop computer or cell phone -- comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The commercial sale of cell phones and computers is a $1 billion dollar per year global industry. But 80 percent of Congolese women, men and children live on 30 cents or less per day. At the July 2011 "Voices from the Congo" Conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) , who has traveled to the Congo twice said, "It is a nation of breathtaking natural beauty, rich in natural resources. It is also a badly broken country dominated by relentless poverty, war lords, pillaging soldiers, and horrific, almost incomprehensible violence."

The national and global politics of Blood Coltan mining includes the minute-by-minute rape of women and the deaths of children every day. The six million deaths caused by Blood Coltan mining exceeds the number of people who have died around the world in any war in the history of humanity. Why is the world silent? Why is the Christian community silent? Why is the interfaith community silent about this indescribable human tragedy?

Like the Bible, each religion's source of truth emphasizes that love, righteousness and justice are guiding principles for human beings. Yet, silence is offered instead of an interfaith clarion call for justice on behalf of our beloved Congolese sisters and brothers. Are we not our brothers' and sisters' keepers?

We must break the silence about the daily child deaths, rape of women and economic and human exploitation that is occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo and around the world.

Trinity United Church of Christ and the rest of the global "Breaking the Silence" community will participate in the Blood Coltan "Cell Out" Awareness Campaign, October 16 -22. While the challenges seem overwhelming, we can stop the maiming, rape and exploitation of children, families and communities. It's critical that even after this campaign we continue to nonviolently protest the Blood Coltan mining tragedy. By not using your cell phone every Wednesday from noon until 1:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. you can show your solidarity with those being exploited. I also encourage you to email and call members of Congress with a clear moral message: stop the exploitation, and protect the people of the Congo.

Silence is not golden when 45,000 people die every month and innocent youth are forced to be child soldiers. How can we as a nation and a faith community ignore these horrific injustices? Silence to wrongful death is not golden. Silence to exploitation of the poor is not golden. It is time to "Break the Silence." The sins of racism and oppression in the Congo and around the world must stop.

Land Rush

22 September 2011

Oxfam warns about effects of 'land rush'

Continue reading the main story

An increasing number of land deals are displacing farmers and leaving poor communities homeless, campaigning charity Oxfam has warned.

It says up to 227m hectares (560m acres) have been sold or leased worldwide since 2001.

Half of all deals that have been verified are in Africa, amounting to an area the size of Germany - 35m hectares, Oxfam says.

Among the worst affected by so-called land grabs are women, Oxfam says

Vulnerable communities in Uganda and South Sudan have been affected.

The report also focuses on Honduras, Guatemala and Indonesia.

'Frenetic competition'

The organisation's Chief Executive, Barbara Stocking, said the "blinkered scramble" for land by investors was ignoring the needs of those who live on the land and depend upon it for their survival.

"Many of the world's poorest people are being left worse off by the unprecedented pace of land deals and the frenetic competition for land."

Oxfam says that among the worst affected by these so-called land grabs are women, who despite producing up to 80% of food in some poor countries, are often more vulnerable as they have weaker land rights.

"Investors, no matter how noble they pertain to be, cannot sweep aside the needs and rights of poor communities who depend on the land they profit from," she said.

The organisation said that land grabs had accelerated especially since 2008, when soaring prices highlighted the issue of food security.

It said an increasing demand for food, combined with climate change and the increase of agricultural land being used to grow biofuels, meant that the number of such deals would be likely to only rise in the future.

It called on the EU to scrap its target of obtaining 10% transport fuels from renewable sources by 2020 - which has fuelled the planting of crops for biofuels - and asked investors and governments to implement policies to ensure land deals are fair and those affected are properly consulted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15013396

Radio Tele Bilingue

UCBC's radio station is up and going!

Tumba and John work on the sound board

I was even forced (seriously!) to record a little bit! Getting coached by Kaza and John
Thanks Tikva for the photo ;) 

Future students visiting the radio station :)
Hi Grace! 

Here is the article from Congo Initiative about the radio station - check it out!
http://www.congoinitiative.org/view.cfm?page_id=200

We are so excited to be broadcasting and starting to share with the surrounding community in a larger degree. Keep us and the team working with the station as well as the programs we're creating in your prayers - so that we can reach people with broadcasts and information that can truly be useful and transformational. 

Yesterday

-Just before the rain came yesterday, the clouds over the community center, under construction-

Burundi

We all used to live in Chicago... And had a fantastic reunion in Bujumbura, Burundi!
Flo, Gloria, me, Bonheur, Tikva, Andrea, Baraka, Leah

Old and new friends before Gloria's unveiling ceremony...
Leah, me, Annie, Tikva, Andrea, Tara, Wanjiku, Alice, Karen

Maranga, Leah and I after the wedding, relaxing at the beach!

At the wedding with Bonheur

Carrying a basket for the unveiling ceremony

The ladies! 

The newly-weds!! Gloria and Flo.

*Some photos courtesy of Maranga Darling and Jim Lyons, via facebook ;) 

Graduation Photos

With Chels and Meri at home

Othy, Hulda, Mama Decky, Lily, Fila, Dr. Kaswera, Samy, Zawadi

Drs. Kasali

Nono, Samy, Hulda, Joel

Mukanirwa and Mama Decky

Rebecca

Kakule, Othy, Kaswera

Francine, Mama Hulda, Sifa, Nono, Mama Decky, Kisuba, Samy

David Bamlango, Paul Robinson, Zawadi

Francis

Jean

Celebrating together with UCBC students and staff

Graduation Day

Our first class of students has graduated from UCBC!!

These students came to UCBC for our first year, in 2007. They are our pioneers... Truly, they helped to build and develop UCBC. 

It was a joyous day celebrating with the community, these students' accomplishments. 

Many are going to start work, some will continue their studies at UCBC and others will continue in other universities. 

I'll try to upload more photos soon... :)

All is well here in Beni. It's good to be back and to work with the staff here again. More soon...

with love,
Bethany

Nelson Mandela's birthday - BBC News

South Africa celebrates Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday

South Africans are celebrating former President Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday.

His foundation urged people to do 67 minutes of voluntary work on the day - to represent the 67 years he devoted to South Africa's political struggle.

The anti-apartheid icon spent the day with family in his home village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where he was also visited by President Jacob Zuma.

[...]

"He showed us that despite the divisive racial oppression and hardships that this nation had gone through, it is not only possible, but necessary to embrace one another and to reconcile the South African people," the president said in a statement.

(the entire article can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14180630)

Returning to the DR Congo

After over one year in the States, I am going back to the Congo again. My tickets have been purchased, my luggage is (somewhat) packed, and the time is flying by, as it always seems to! Especially when a deadline is drawing near or there's something to look forward to.

There's still so much to do before I can go (pray for my visas, please!), and even though the time is steadily slipping away... I want to enjoy these last couple of weeks as much as possible. Good byes are hard but thank God for the wonderful memories we have!

Even though I didn't expect or plan to be here for so long, it has been a really good, full and blessed year! As a little recap:

• Our family (minus Becky & Jon) went out east together last summer. The time with family was wonderful, and we had a fun road trip and time spent at the beach. It was a great opportunity to hang out and reconnect.
• Being at home with Mom and Dad (and Nathan), allowed me to help out with homework (yay for helping to write and edit English papers at 2am! You know you're loved when your big sister stays up that late! ;) hehe), and bond with my brother in new ways. 
• I got to watch Becky develop as a beautiful and pregnant woman... How fun to watch her change before my eyes as she and Jon prepared to become parents! 
• Numerous trips to Chicago and the area allowed me to reconnect and rekindle so many important friendships that I thank God for placing in my life.
• Thanksgiving at home with the whole family (minus Hannah), Birthdays and Christmas - all things I really missed while I'd been in Congo for two years.
• We went skiing a few times (it'd been forever since I last went), that was a blast! And sledding :) Hill 17!
• Our family hosted an exchange student from Poland, Karolina. It was good to be with her and the rest of the family for the majority of her stay with us, from middle of January until the end of June!
• I took a trip out to LA with my dear friend Mandi to visit another wonderful friend, Michelle. It was a great little vacation and time to even swim in the (chilly) Pacific, in April! 
• Our family took another family trip out east during Nathan and Karolina's spring break - we saw Niagara Falls, family in Syracuse, Maryland, Pennsylvania and even Delaware. Some of us got our feet in the ocean, but it was significantly colder than in LA! We spent time in Washington, DC and even New York City. 
• Reunions and lots of laughter over yummy meals with good friends has been wonderful.
• This spring meant yardwork, helping (a little) in the garden and watching everything turn green, at last! 
• Becky gave birth to Marcus in April, and it has been sooooo fun to watch him grow a little, almost before my very eyes. I have loved having a nephew and getting to shower him with love! 
• Sarah graduated from college and Karolina from high school. Both are milestones and I loved being here to celebrate with them!
• Hannah came back from Ecuador in June, Karolina left a few weeks later and it was so good to be here! 
• We've been picking strawberries and even made ice cream once...
• The 4th of July meant fireworks, BBQs and time in the pool... Which, is awesome! :)

 Things will be super busy in Beni when I get there:

• The Graduation ceremony for our first class of students will be at the end of July!!
• Year-end celebrations with all of the students and staff.
• Farewells to students and teachers for their vacations (or, with the graduates, as they go on to pursue their careers).
• Reconnecting with many friends and colleagues in and around Beni. 
• A trip to Burundi for a wedding in August.
• And preparations for the start of the next school year, in September.

I am excited to return to Beni, the students at UCBC, friends and colleagues there. It will be difficult to leave my family, friends and community here, but it's timportant I go back to the work at UCBC and it's time for me to return now.

Thank you all so much for your love and support during not just this year, but since this journey first got underway, in 2008.

I will try to keep you posted in the coming weeks...

much love,
Bethany

Bad aid?

For some time now, I've really questioned the effectiveness and impact of Fair Trade claims or companies like TOMS Shoes. It seems unlikely that the companies offer or do as much as they promise, to the people they claim to help with our over-priced purchases. 
Here is an article that I came across recently, addressing this very issue (thanks Chelsie!). Click on the link to read the entire article. 

A tryst with TOMS

By Vivek Nemana | Published November 12, 2010

We buy TOMS Shoes or Fair Trade chocolate or poverty-fighting water bottles because we genuinely want to help. But in the frenzy of do-gooder consumption we stop thinking all the way through. We fail to ask how our money will help, and we overlook how our good deeds might actually do harm. We forget that what we want to do for others might not be the same as what they really need.

http://aidwatchers.com/2010/11/a-tryst-with-toms/