Naomi’s family was separated from before she was aware of her own age, from before she could understand why there was war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
She remembers trusting in God’s grace from those very early days.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Clinging to Her Neighbor
Naomi remembers the day invaders barged into her village. She was at the neighbor’s house.
Outside the door, she met a terrifying sight. The attackers were assaulting the women and kidnapping the men. Naomi feared that her brothers had been taken. There was no time to check… the neighbor grabbed Naomi and fled to Uganda.
Years later, she still wonders, “How many of my age survived that trauma, and how many my age go through that and suffer?”
Once they were safely across the Ugandan border, the neighbor sought to reunite Naomi with her family. He traveled between refugee camps in a seemingly endless game of “Marco Polo,” asking anyone and everyone about their whereabouts. One day, he learned that Naomi’s brothers had taken up residency in the city with their uncle.
Upon hearing they were safe, Naomi felt a heavy burden lift from her tiny chest. She was happy to go live with them. “Anyone can be family, but my brothers – I was longing for my brothers.”
Trauma and Poverty
Naomi watched the children go by on their way to school. She wanted to join them but didn’t have the money to pay for tuition. At home, Naomi put forth as much effort as she could to teach herself Ugandan and English.
“Coming to Uganda, the language barrier was something that gave me a hard time. People like to socialize in Uganda, but making friends when you can’t speak at least a few words was hard.”
At eleven, Naomi was able to enroll in a program that taught English. She found that talking to the other children was difficult – not just because of the language barriers, but because she was nervous that she might have to leave the country again – that she would leave her friends again.
Over time, she began having fun with the other children. She learned much about Ugandan culture – how they cooked food in banana leaves and how they spoke to one another. Over time, her Congolese childhood faded into distant memories.
“At some point, I had forgotten that I was a refugee in Uganda – because as soon as I settled into the culture, I felt that I was more Ugandan than I am Congolese. But I never abandoned the Congolese culture.”
Access to food was one of the issues Naomi and her brothers faced. There were refugee offices giving out donations of food, but it wasn’t always consistent.
Naomi’s uncle started a business as a market vendor. His income from thrifting clothes and shoes supplemented their needs. As long as they shared one meal a day, the family considered themselves happy.
But their uncle wasn’t satisfied. He took it upon himself to track down Naomi’s parents. He asked anyone he could about his sister, Naomi’s mother. “My uncle never stopped looking for her… At some point I had given up – we had given up – and we thought maybe she was dead.”
A Meeting Place but No Rendezvous
Meanwhile in the Congo, Naomi’s parents had escaped the village together. For a while, they traveled together looking for safety, but they encountered a band of kidnappers who intended to take Naomi’s father.
In an effort to escape, the couple split up. Before parting ways, Naomi’s father told her mother where to meet him after he evaded the pursuers. She rushed there and waited for as long as she could, but he never showed up.
Eventually, she had to leave.
A Visit Is Not Enough for Naomi
A few months before resettlement, Naomi’s uncle heard that Naomi’s mother was alive. Because the family didn’t know her exact location, they had to relocate to America without her. When they found her, Naomi discovered she had four more siblings.
“I spent my lifetime without my mom,” said Naomi. “And the moment I hear she’s alive, I started longing for her almost every day. I started praying and asking God to give me my mom back. Although I know that now she’s here, she’s somewhere in Uganda.”
The family is working towards reuniting with Naomi’s mother.
“Where I know if I go to Africa I can find her, I still feel like that’s not enough. I feel like a visit, just a visit, is not enough. I want that reunion that – I know I am not going to part ways with her again.”
Although her father is still missing, Naomi and her family continue to trust God that they will see him again. “There are things that I saw as miracles entirely. I’ve seen it as reality.”
“We don’t want to think he’s dead. If we did find my mom… we still think there might be a chance that one day, if he’s still alive, we might find him as well.”
Placing the Future in God’s Hands
Naomi arrived in America and was enrolled into high school as a freshman. She finally was at school. From her time in Uganda, Naomi could speak a little English, read and write, which benefited her greatly in her education.
After graduation, Naomi began to pursue her Bachelors in Global Studies and Social Work at Eastern Washington University (EWU). As a college student, she thrived on campus. She studied in the library and spent time with her roommate.
“I can’t say I got here because of my own knowledge. There are people that are smarter than me. We are not on the same grounds,” said Naomi with a smile, “so it’s – I’m just here living God’s amazing grace.”
“When I get my bachelor’s that is going to be my American Dream.”
Naomi
After achieving her dream, Naomi is determined to use her education to ensure that children in Africa are raised in a safe environment. Although she cannot stop wars, she can (and will) fight domestic violence.
“Abusing them like that is not something that I can tolerate.”
Naomi is a woman who has been healed by the grace of God and strengthened by her life experiences. Most of her family has found each other. She continues to keep in contact with friends in Uganda. She knows where her mother is.
“I’m not where I used to be – I don’t want to go back there. I’m not where I want to be, but that’s ok. I’m here. I never thought I’d be here, but I’m here…if God is willing to pour out his grace for me, I’ll be there.”
“Having my family alive, sound and healthy – It’s all by God’s grace.”
About the Author
Keri Bambock is the Communications Coordinator at World Relief Spokane. Her hobbies include sketching and painting. She likes riding her bike to the office and always gets the best parking spot.