“You are giving us the strength and the courage to keep on striving for peace”- testimony from South Sudan

Last year, we posted several accounts from Sister Giovanna Calabria, a Comboni nun in the town of Nazra, South Sudan who is working with communities that have been affected by LRA violence.  She wrote to us recently with a story that we’d like to share with you.  It highlights the hope and resilience of the people affected by LRA violence, and we hope it can serve as an inspiration to you to stand with them and “keep on striving for peace.”  This is what she wrote:

At the beginning of December, the soldiers asked us if we had clothes for a child who was about one year old found in Congo after the fighting with the Lord’s Resistance Army, the rebels of Northern Uganda.

The request was not new to us. In fact, when someone abducted by the LRA in his or her village is able to escape and asks for the protection of the Sudanese or Ugandan soldiers, he or she is taken to their headquarters in Nzara for protection, identification and questioning. The soldiers ask for our cooperation with clothing and other items, help that we willingly give.

The unusual thing this time was that it was a child on his own. We were surprised and happy when they took him to our house so that we could see him. The child was watching us, he then allowed us peacefully to hold him in turn in our arms.

We asked how and where they got this child but no one knew exactly his story. We were told that during the fighting between the soldiers and the LRA, some abductees were trying to escape from the rebels.  Some succeeded while some were killed.

The child was found among dead people after a battle. He was alone.  It seems that his parents were Ugandans abducted by the LRA.  The father then died and the mother was given as a wife to a rebel. The child was probably cared for by other abductees. He was given an Acholi name, “Nyeko.”  Nyeko is now in Uganda and the proper authorities are trying to find his relatives.   If not, some Ugandan soldiers expressed the desire to adopt him.

Nyeko, your first year of life was a difficult one. You suffered cold and hunger in the forest, you saw with your innocent eyes people killed, cut into pieces. You grew among the noise of guns, cries, shouting. You were attended to by different, unknown people. You gave us the precious gift of your smile, you let us happily cuddle and kiss you.  You are giving us the strength and the courage to keep on striving for peace. You will be always in our hearts and we ask the Lord to give you a family that can love you and give you a peaceful future. Thank you.