As you know, on December 17, 2005, the house was opened with a blessing, which was done by the pastor of St. Martin’s parish.  After the blessing, the young women who live with us and who are thinking of becoming Sisters of St. Ursula, and some of the sisters shared a meal with the street girls who were there.  We think that the girls were really waiting for this day.  They were happy to have, above all, a place where they could get washed and where they could sleep in peace.

We think it is very important to collaborate with others and that’s why we are included in the work of Mama Marguerite of the Salesians, who has organized 16 houses of which 13 are Salesian, 2 run by Capuchin Sisters, and our own.

It’s three months now since the house has opened and much has changed already.  Two points have evolved to change the nature of our plan:

We had thought to open the house only on Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Friday’s.  But the girls prevailed on us especially for what concerns hygiene.  We thought they were right because each of US needs to wash each day and to dress herself properly.  So that’s why we are there in the house every day.  The plan was for the girls to provide themselves with food and clothing but we noted that they had to prostitute themselves in order to comply with this demand.  The fact is that prostitution is the only way they can make a living. So that is why we now give them what they need.

The fact of giving them food and clothing encouraged us to think about ways to make the project self-sufficient; to think about activities which could generate money for the girls;   so that one day they might be able to buy their own clothes, and skin lotions, etc…

What can these girls do?  Given the problem of debts they already have, and the way accounts are settled in the street, and that every move they make is noticed, they cannot work outside the house.  So, to remedy this situation we decided with the other sisters in Katuba, that it would be good to sell cold drinks (water, and iced tea).

What do we provide as nourishment for the girls?  At noon they have a bowl of cereal made from corn meal with soybean and sugar.  At about 4 PM they have bukari (a ball of corn meal and cassava flour) with vegetables and fish.

How did it come about that the girls are spending the night in the house?  In the beginning, we put the accent on the girls’ own desires not to remain at night.  But things did not turn out that way.  When the girls came in the morning and went back to the streets in the evening we closed the house.  When they were there in the morning they got washed and slept because the night is always difficult, it’s during the night that they prostituted themselves.

After a time, the youngest started to come and we asked the older ones to take care of them especially at night in the streets.  They responded with all their hearts.  In case of problems our girls did not give in.  They had problems with boys and they had invited another group of boys to help them.  The two groups fought it out, and the police arrived.  Some who had lost teeth and some of the girls were put in jail and those who came back to the house were very afraid to go back to the streets.  We had pity for the youngest (those who are 9 years old) who were at risk and we thought it wise to leave them in the house at night with a watchman.

What do the girls do in the house?  Up till now they sew, knit, learn to read, color, get some basic facts for living, dance and play.  The activities are spread out over the day.  The afternoon is given to organized games. The girls are fascinated by sewing and knitting.  Aimee, our postulant, teaches them.  All is well cared for and followed closely.  What is astonishing is to see the cleanliness and exactitude in their work. Learning to read doesn’t interest them too much because most of them have trouble learning.  The biggest problem is that they are all at different levels and different ages.  The oldest of them who know nothing have a complex and they don’t want to learn with the youngest because they have trouble learning.
Marie and Jolie (two of those who are living with us) make great efforts to teach the girls at least the basics of writing and arithmetic. Coloring gives us the occasion to talk to the girls.  We are convinced that their drawing speaks volumes.  By having them draw their families we learn a lot about their background.  The girls love to color because they don’t have to think about it.  Teaching the basics about living helps us to establish rules for the house, and also to influence the girls about being good women. 

Play and dance unite all the girls in the house.  We notice that the girls are very joyful, and open and they truly live during this time.  The house is really rocking when they play jumping games, but when it’s a puzzle game the house is calm and that makes our neighbors nervous because they have become accustomed to the noise of the house.

Dance and music give pure joy to the girls.  It’s curious to see that they know the dance that goes with each Congolese tune.  The steps are done well and are done together.  So each Saturday and Sunday, we have a beautiful show that is free.

Thanks to each one for your encouragement and your interest.