How can you not remember meeting people who haunt your thoughts because of what they have gone through? When I was in the Congo this year I met a woman named Elena.
She lost her husband and four kids in the war. They're from Masisi, an area of the Congo where there was and still is war, death and rapes. Elena was raped multiple times and she now has AIDS. Elena is a Christian and she loves Jesus. I met many women in a similar situation at the clinic that day, but God put Elena on my heart to help.
She didn't want to go back to her village and you can understand why. After a long talk with one of the missionaries together with a nurse and some other people she started to see that going back to her village when things are calm again is not a bad idea. There she has somewhat of a house, which her dad left for her. There is a medical clinic in the village where she will be able to could continue receiving medical assistance.
When I met Elena she cried out to me asking if I could help her. I felt compelled to help her and proceeded to give her 50 dollars. This will help her to sell things like beans and tomatoes and she was excited about it. She can now start to save some money and eventually return to her village. There are two "counselors oradvisers " to the rape victims at the clinic. They will follow up and help Elena with selling the vegetables. They'll also train her how to buy and sell to make a living.
50 dollars and love changed the course of her life. In contrast one meal in any restaurant for two would be close to 50 dollars, but for Elena it is a way out of her situation.
She thanked the Lord for the gift and prayed that God would bless me as I have blessed her. Remember her in your prayers! It's very sad what happened to her, but we and she knows that God loves her and will always be with her. Pray that she'll be able to sell and be wise with the money. It’s not always easy.
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