First Day In Goma-from Jennifer

Hello!!
This is Jennifer typing this time. We are experiencing God's favor here in Goma. When google searching Goma nobody ever shares the fact that is so beautiful here, pictures just do not do it justice. It does not seem right that a very short distance from here such human autrocities occur. Today we visited Heal Africa an organization that is trying to combat sexual violence. Heal Africa takes in survivors of sexual violence, they make medical care possible for them in order to restore their physical bodies, they house the women, teach them a trade so they can provide for themselves and their families. They also feed their spirits by witnessing to the women in order to instill in them that they are not worthless, violence should not be accepted and they matter and are loved by God. What moved me to almost to tears is you would think that these places we went would be a place of sadness or depression but it is just the opposite, these women sang to us when we arrived. We danced rejoiced and I was asked to pray for the women. I was honored to be in the presence of these strong women. Only God could work like this, there is no other explanation. To have joy in the midst of hurting, to be open when you have been violated in the worst way possible, to continue to praise God knowing that all this around you is only temporary and it does not help anyone to wallow in the past. This is what these women have taught me today and I will never forget my experience looking at these women and girls and hearing just a little bit of their suffering, my heart silently breaking. Their testimonies and joy are remarkable to me, I know a great work is being done here.
We visited two womens centers for Heal Africa today, we also saw Healing Arts which is were the women can sell what they have been taught to make as in clothes, handbags, jewlery, placemats, wallets and many other things. The women get to save some of the money to take when they leave and the rest of the profit is reinvested back to help more women.We also had an evening bible study at ARCHE- Camille and Esther's church. Michael delivered a sermon tonight and will do it again tomorrow night. Please continue to pray for us and to pray for Goma and pray for Camille and Esther, God's hand is on this place. I feel so blessed to be a witness to what God is doing here.