Five hundred Mothers Minister to Prisoners for Lent in Africa

Were so many! A real firing squad on the march from the parish of Cahi, on the outskirts to the center of the city of Bukavu, in the central prison. They had prepared some time with a collection of clothes, food and soap. They came from small Christian communities of the district and this Lent, March 30, wanting to do a work of mercy, visiting the imprisoned. There are more than a thousand adult men, about thirty boys and twenty mothers incarcerated in this prison.

“There’s everything,” he says, Sister. Anastasie, Daughters of Mercy, who ministered for a couple of years at the prison and collaborated in this event. “There are murderers, rapists, criminals and deserters. Some are accused of cheating, others who are struggling to repay debts, others are victims of bullies from wealthy landowners. Very few who have had the help of a lawyer.”

The 500 mothers marched four kilometers with their colorful dresses. They started with a prayer asking God’s blessing on this event. Madeleine insisted: “Only love can stop the violence in our city, only mercy can bring out the request by a violent heart of forgiveness and a new life!” 

In this city of 600,000 inhabitants, capital of South Kivu region of Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Rwanda, in recent decades because of the war, thousands upon thousands poured into the city. Many are struggling to find a job and hunger is always there, leading to theft and robbery.

There have been some real changes in the hearts of these people, some have asked me to be helped to abandon hate and resentment and to begin a journey of forgiveness without revenge” Madeleine was right in insisting that only mercy can save Bukavu!