Barefeet and pink pearls: Our Run in Congo! Part 1
On Saturday, we stopped by Generose’s house. She was busy with run prep: getting her hair relaxed and eyebrows done!
As we invited all of our sisters to the run, they were over the moon about joining, even though they knew they would not get a thing for it. The main question was what to wear? What kind of shoes? Most only had flip flops, so I decided I would forego running shoes and stick with my locally purchased sandals.
I woke up in the middle of the night to a raging thunderstorm, and couldn’t get back to sleep imagining our sisters running in the rain. Eventually it stopped, but not without leaving Bukavu seriously muddy.
We picked up two sisters who came into town the night before – my beloved “Wandolyn” in the book – I put her up in a hotel with a neighbor friend from home, a kind of girls’ weekend in the city! We drove to the run together.
Our sassy, wonderful Pygmy sisters, sponsored by Zero Footprint, were the first to arrive! As soon as their feet hit the ground, they began a non-stop marathon of song and dance that continued for hours!
As minivans pulled up, packed with our sisters, they emerged wearing their freshly ironed Run for Congo Women t-shirts — the hot item of the day! Forty-seven of our sisters came to pay it forward and became international leaders for Congo in the process. They all joined the song and dance, often in a circle.
The pygmy women continued to lead. (An amazing thing to watch since, when I met two of them a few years ago (as covered in the chapter “Sugar Cane” in my book), they talked about feeling “Zairians” – normal-sized Congolese women – could never accept mixing with them. So we were breaking down major social barriers!
Wandolyn is often wearing the trauma and overwhelm from her gang rape by the Congolese army and the recent death of her husband. Not today. Nobody brought up problems or trauma. This was a celebration. Wandolyn sang, danced and led the call-and-response. Later she commented, “We got great rest and good food! I have energy!” (What a girls’ weekend won’t do to recharge!)
In fact, many of the women who joined in talked about how much it meant to make time to spend with other women. To just get together with friends is a rare luxury here. As Michelle from Runner’s World pointed out – they don’t have book clubs or girls lunches or a daily workout. Today was special.
The policewomen arrived. Yes, policewomen! The mayor of Bukavu had arranged for a 100% female police force to protect us for the event! We announced how cool it was that in a country ruled by men with guns, women had come out to protect us today! All the same, they were reserved….initially.
Generose was among the last to arrive. She emerged wearing her Run for Congo Women t-shirt, a red suit jacket and suit skirt, with a long strand of pink pearls. Fabulous! I secretly found it hard to imagine better “up yours” to the militia who cut off her leg than showing up to run and help other women … in pink pearls!
At the start, it began to rain. With the women huddling together, I told them about all the runs I’ve done in the rain while thinking of them sleeping in the rain. I thought about adding the bit about them sleeping in the rain and kids dying, but with so many of them having actually lost children this way, I didn’t want to stir up that pain. I told all them about you, and how you would be running in the snow in New York and at midnight in Chicago … and they cheered like you would not believe. I read each and every message from solidarity gatherings around the world to our sisters. They were overwhelmed, so moved!
Generose gave a beautiful, articulate speech, shook the mayor’s hand, and got the women pumped up by re-framing the bad weather: Rain in Congo is considered a blessing from heaven, so our run was being blessed! (Way to play the positive, lady!)
I called the start, “Courage!” in French, to my surprise, women took off running fast — with a troop of police women running in time at their side. I ran (very slowly) behind Generose, while Michelle ran with the head of the pack, who logged 8:45 miles- in bad shoes!
As we hit stride, Generose’s shoe got so slippery and caked in the mud that she kicked it off. I kicked off my shoes too, so we could run together, barefoot.
Love it. Love our irrepressible Congolese sisters. Love our passionate Solidarity Gathering Hosts and their guests, their signs, and the beaming faces all around. I love you, Lisa, and this beautiful work we share. I love what we have all created together. As the NY Host Linda Heinberg wrote “It is amazing what a few caring women can accomplish together!” It took us all. We all showed up, and it has been the beginnng of something new. This isn’t the heavy drudgery of obligation in fighting evil and oppression, it is the joyous fires of the heart lit and released! It is the flame of the spirit, from which true change arises.
Uplifting, inspirational, beautiful. These women have touched our lives in ways that cannot even be expressed. Much love to you Lisa. Please tell Generose I am off to purchase my own strand of pink pearls – hoping that some of her amazing spirit will rub off on me!!
Love it. Love our irrepressible Congolese sisters. Love our passionate Solidarity Gathering Hosts and their guests, their signs, and the beaming faces all around. I love you, Lisa, and this beautiful work we share. I love what we have all created together. As the NY Host Linda Heinberg wrote “It is amazing what a few caring women can accomplish together!” It took us all. We all showed up, and it has been the beginnng of something new. This isn’t the heavy drudgery of obligation in fighting evil and oppression, it is the joyous fires of the heart lit and released! It is the flame of the spirit, from which true change arises.
Beautiful – I am so moved! Such colorful and celebratory descriptions. Cannot wait to see the photos with expressions of joy on all of your faces. Congratulations to all of you on the success of your run!
Best things in life,aren’t things…
So much to learn…
Beautiful! I got chills thinking of these amazing women and the celebration. How wonderful to give them the opportunity to be leaders and reformers- to forget about their personal tragedies for just a moment to celebrate being amazing, resislient women!
I love the image of the women singing, dancing and running in the rain and being escorted/protected by the female police officers. Thank you Lisa for creating this time of peace, love and joy (for these amazing women) when there are so many crazy and unimaginable things going on in the world. My heart has been bursting with joy since our gathering on Sun and since reading your comments and your Mom’s comments about the Congolese women runners and how they felt the love we so hoped they would. Thank you. sending lots of love to all of you, Martha Prakelt
Incredible! So moving to read about! Thank you so much for posting, and for making such an incredible thing happen. Can’t wait to read more! :)