Hope amid hardship
Human resilience and life on the edge. Our correspondent in our Companion Diocese of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, writes of a gradual return to some semblance of normality, despite the ongoing conflict in the region
It has now been nearly four months since rebel offensives intensified in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region deeply scarred by decades of conflict. The human toll continues to rise, while the situation remains tense. Despite peace efforts initiated at local, regional, and international level, true stability is still out of reach.
The city of Bukavu, though relatively spared from direct attacks, remains on edge. Uncertainty hangs in the air, roads are sometimes blocked, and people live in a state of constant anxiety. Yet in some areas where relative calm has returned, life is slowly resuming. Schools have reopened, churches are gathering again, markets are coming back to life, and communities are organising themselves with remarkable courage and solidarity.
It is this resilience of the Congolese people that stands out: despite fear and fatigue, they continue to hope. They refuse to give in to despair. They move forward, step by step, in a context where every day without violence is already a victory.
To “cope” here does not mean living comfortably. It means hoping in the midst of uncertainty, standing up again despite losses and believing that peace is still possible. It means refusing to remain silent even when the world seems to look away. Too often, the suffering of eastern Congo is met with international silence, even though its causes are deeply global.
As I write these lines, we continue to pray that this silence will be broken. That the voices from here will echo beyond our borders; that people of goodwill, both near and far, will rise to stand alongside those who are fighting each day to survive, to educate, to heal, and to rebuild.
Peace remains a fragile dream but a necessary one. It is a dream we must continue to believe in, a goal we must keep working toward, and a vision we must carry within us against all odds.