When I went to Tutapona for the first time, I had problems. I came here with my 5 children from South Sudan, and I had to leave my husband behind.
I heard last April that he had died; he had been killed by an opposing tribe. They cut off his head and left him there like that.
Then, in November, my son was killed at school. He fought with a boy from another tribe, and he died. How could I sleep?
I often wondered if it would be better if I had stayed in South Sudan. Would these bad things have happened if I hadn’t fled? It was too painful.
After my son died, all I wanted was for the one who killed him to remain in prison for ever and ever. My boy was gone, and I wanted the other family to lose someone too.
When my relatives heard the news, they torched the houses of the tribe who had killed him. But I remembered what I learned from Tutapona – that revenge would only hurt more, so I asked my father to call the two tribes together. This type of fighting couldn’t go on – no more violence.
EMPOWER helped me because before, I could never forget what happened. But now I can let go, I can forgive that person. Now, if you insult me, I know that I don’t need to answer to that.
My life has changed a lot. Now I’m a council-woman and I’ve started a peacemaker group.
If people are arguing or fighting, we will sit together, talk about it and tell stories. We pray together; no more violence. We can be in peace only when we come together.
-Agnes
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