I came to Congo in July expecting to be depressed and overwhelmed by the immense problems of this country, but decided to focus on the opportunity to join with my son Spencer and dedicate a center in honor of Dillon Henry. I envisioned sharing stories about Dillon’s spirit with those benefiting from the various programs…
We always talk about the fact that in order to really change attitudes and behavior towards women and to correct gender inequity in Congo, there need to be women leaders. It seems like a pretty obvious statement, but as we know, this is far from an obvious truth in many countries around the world (including…
It has been an extraordinary experience, after these past few years working in the abstract, to have finally been in Congo, on the ground, seeing in person the amazing people and community-based relief and development projects supported by Jewish World Watch. But I am also struggling to process the stories of unimaginable violence and…
It’s difficult to put into words what these last days have been like, and even more difficult to fully account for my feelings and emotions. What we saw, what we heard, and what we experienced, has made my heart ache. I still can’t quite believe all we heard. Did we really hear about young boys…
I am always filled with sadness to leave Congo and our work here. With each trip (four for me now), I feel more and more connected to the people and our projects. There are so many remarkable Congolese people doing such important work to rebuild their country after so many years of war, and I…
An Unexpected Prayer On our last evening on this trip as a group, we joined thousands of Jews worldwide to recite the Shema, as part of an international call to prayer for the people of Israel. The Shema is Judaism’s foundational prayer. Translated as “Hear O’ Israel, The Lord our God, The Lord is…
Diana Buckhantz, JWW Board Member, is traveling with four other JWW delegates in Congo’s eastern provinces. They will work with survivors of the country’s decades-long conflict, which has claimed nearly six millions lives. They will meet with JWW’s partners on the ground, with whom JWW works to create innovative programs and projects that change lives…
There are days that fill you with hope — with a hope that the world will one day wake up and become accountable for all the violence and hate. A day in which inspiration reigns and true heroes show themselves. Today was one such day for me in Congo. We spent a very long…
It’s not every day that you get to meet a real, living, breathing hero. On this trip, it seems that heroes are everywhere. Whereas one might feel overwhelmed and consumed with sadness when considering the enormity of the struggles of the Congolese people, I find myself not only optimistic, but even more deeply inspired than…
Resilience has taken on new meaning in Congo. In the U.S., we use the word resilience to describe someone who has made something of their life after a hard childhood, or managed to recover after a deep personal loss, or has endured a difficult situation. All of these scenarios can be painful and deeply troubling,…