Church Mission Society
Northern Uganda subsite
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to WorldPay. Also available Listen to an interview with the Bishop of Kitgum. |
Story of the “I have been abducted together with Metric three times. The rebels would catch us both because we were slowest to run. That is why Metric is so frightened of strangers.” Philda Oyet, 30, is explaining why her five-year-old daughter, Metric, is finding it so difficult to answer questions about her life in Kitgum, northern Uganda. The stranger asking the questions is Karisia Gichuke, who visited Kitgum on behalf of CMS to trace the story of the Kitgum cross, which has become the symbol of CMS’ Break the Silence campaign on northern Uganda. “The cross-making project was initiated by CMS,” explains Karisia. “CMS buys the crosses and they are worn as a symbol of sharing the burden of the Acholi people and the abductees of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA have abducted some 28,000 children in the last 18 years.” Sales of the crosses enable the Diocese of Kitgum to pay Philda and the other cross-makers and to gain some extra funds to help its people displaced by rebel activity. “There was a group of six making the crosses when I visited Kitgum,” says Karisia. “They are all displaced from their villages and have sought refuge within the diocesan compound.” The Kitgum cross is made from Cwa wood. Karisia explains why: “The Cwa tree was picked because it is often used by the rebels. They cane their new abductees with thin branches from the tree — sometimes up to 300 strokes — because it does not break. Sometimes the abductees have to cane each other with the branches.” In the cross and the Cwa tree, two symbols of torture combine to make a symbol of love. Join us in prayer and action with the people of northern Uganda.
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Stories A cross-maker's story Northern Uganda attracting glimmer of
political attention background information
Updated information pack including sponsored
sleep-over fundraiser Write to your MP
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Church Mission Society, Partnership House, 157 Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8UU UK Tel. (+44) 20 7928 8681. Fax: (+44) 20 7401 3215. Registered Charity Number 220297 ©CMS 2003 |
