Caroline & Jonathan have arrived
CRESS Interview with Assistant Settlement Commander – Imvepi Refugee Settlement
Today was a BIG day for everyone – after a nice breakfast in our slightly fawlty towers Africa hotel, we arrived at the CRESS offices for 10.00am start. All 33 employees, plus 8 volunteer CEF children’s workers, some parents with sponsored children, were all seated in the CRESS Office garden and ready for our arrival. When CRESS first started, this would never have been the case – staff would have arrived late and some would have not shown up at all, but here was 100% attendance and we were the last to arrive ( but not late !)
We started with 30 minutes of hymns, songs, a short sermon and a few prayers. Then Isaac Soro, the leader spoke briefly. They had planned that all the 33 employees would come up to the front, introduce themselves and then share something about the impact of CRESS on their personal lives or on the beneficiaries. I looked and saw that we had 3 hours planned of just sitting and listening, so I suggested we break every hour for 5/10 minutes for a short break, and it also meant I could make myself a nice caffeine shot of coffee!
I have been visiting CRESS some 26 times since the initial visit in September 2009, and I always say to myself, I wonder what will bring tears to my eyes and to my surprise, the minute I saw everyone there and heard their joyful singing, tears arrived! Then ,as we listened to story after story of improved lives and hope and health, we both felt very moved! And as I looked out on everyone, they all looked at peace and healthy – not that all their problems are gone, but they feel better – eat better – can educate their children, and they have that most important attribute HOPE!
It's hard to know which story to pick, but the unpaid Child Evangelism youth workers that were there were so Impressive – they are all South Sudanese – they all live in the camp with no jobs no income, no future plans, yet they had a joy and professionalism about them – one such person was Daniel from Imvepi camp. Clearly, he had had a good education in South Sudan before he fled, as he spoke excellent English and was very competent. He spoke about the work with the children to tell them the Christian gospel and how this work has helped children so so much with not only giving them faith but their behaviour has improved in their homes ( they would not have any schooling at all so these activities are such a life line to them ) but what struck me most was that in this work they are helping the different tribes in Imvepi to work together so there is more unity in the camp. SO it is having a macro impact on the camp!
Caroline
From Jonathan
Wow, what a day. I am lost for words to explain the emotion and impact today has had on me and I am sure others present. The day of the whole team coming together to worship and celebrate the multi faceted work of CRESS was so powerful. It just confirms the need to ensure this continues well in to the future.
There were may expressions of thanks to donors and sponsors. The sound bites below from testimonies given today, will I hope, convey the remarkable impact the work you enable has with thousands of lives changed.
- Thank you everyone for being behind Caroline
- Opportunity and empowerment is given to individuals and communities to grow
- Lives of whole communities changed
- The education provided to my now grown up children, in health and human rights law etc will be nation changing and kingdom building
- I was traumatised and depressed but stand strong before you now, able to help many others
- You built hope and resiliance and now I can help others
- I’m Empowered in caring for my family
- CRESS model and outputs highly respected by other NGOs and the Uganda authorities
- CRESS stays with us
- Imagine what CRESS can do in the future based on what it has done in the past
- Effective trauma therapy has given me strength and confidence to speak to 500 youngsters
- I now own my home due to helpful trauma therapy
- CRESS helped me buy 2 goats which grew to 10 allowing me to educate my children
- As a refugee I had lost my faith and CRESS enabled me to restore that
- Inclusion of disabled refugees in agriculture brings joy
- CRESS taught me skills in agriculture, savings and finance to support my family. I have passed that on to many others
- We can move proven models of aid from one location to another helping more refugee and host communities
- The clinic reduces illness during pregnancy and infant mortality
- CRESS has good partnerships with Diocese and churches
- CRESS is unique
- Compassion drives it all
Jonathan
