The Toughest Decision
The big bus pulled away from the station. Tears streamed down as I, a girl of six, waved goodbye to my father. He was standing on the platform waving to my mother and me as we were evacuated on the last bus out of town.
At the time, my parents were working with a Christian non-governmental organization (NGO) in the middle of a war zone.
Ten to fifteen bombs were exploding around our town every day.
The death threats to the staff growing more frequent by the hour.
My father says the men he worked with got together, assessing the dangers. They decided to send away their families while they stayed behind to continue the work.
Through tears, not knowing if they would ever see each other again, the families said goodbye.
Not too long after that evacuation, my parents decided to send me to my grandparents for a few months. My father's voice still catches when he tells the story of watching me walk up the jet way to send me back to the States.
"Nothing will rip your heart out like having to send away your child," my dad told me recently.
When all hell is breaking loose around you, perhaps the most difficult decision to make as a Christian aid worker is whether to leave or to stay in the area.
Many factors go in to the decision making process. Often the indigenous workers must stay behind at great risk to themselves and their families. And many weigh the risks of leaving the helpless people they aid on a daily basis. Emotions run high. Fear creeps in.
Most NGOs now have security guidelines already formulated to help administrators think through their decision. But the bottom line is that it takes the wisdom of Solomon to make the choice.
With the current crisis in Congo, several aid organizations are going through this tough thought process right now.
Last night, the World Vision office in Goma initiated rapid staff evacuations into Rwanda amidst the rapidly deteriorating security conditions in Congo's eastern provincial capital.
This week's renewed fighting came dangerously close to WV offices. And it was time to decide the toughest of questions: Do we stay or do we go?
Eight international World Vision staff made it to the relative safety of Rwanda.
Another dozen or so World Vision Congolese staff returned to their families in an increasingly dangerous Goma.
In addition, World Vision reports...
"...some 18 World Vision staff in Rutshuru-a town about 70 km north of Goma that was overrun by rebels yesterday-are currently being sheltered in a local compound of the UN peacekeeping force MONUC, after plans to evacuate them from the town failed yesterday.
"We were forced to evacuate given the mounting dangers posed to our staff on the ground," explained Dr. Wilfred Mlay, World Vision's Africa vice president, "But we remain very concerned about the humanitarian crisis faced by people in Goma and Rutshuru. We call on the international community to do all it can to ensure their safety, along with an immediate ceasefire that will allow full access to civilians by humanitarian agencies, including World Vision."
"We will not abandon the critical needs in eastern Congo," said Dr. Omo Olupona, World Vision's southern Africa area director, "We expect to set up an operational base inside Rwanda, from where we will continue to monitor the crisis and support those in need of help."
It is the most heart wrenching times for aid workers, their families, and the people they lovingly help. I do not envy their position, but do ask everyone to pray for the peace of Congo,.and the aid workers who have many more tough decisions ahead.