by Espérance from Goma and Dortmund

Last Friday, 2 December, I was invited to speak at the Dortmunder Frauenmahl. Here comes my text in English translation:

Leon de Saint Moulin said: „The history of an environment – like that of all people – is enriched when it is observed and studied. We cannot love a city whose realities we have not experienced, whose foundations we do not know and whose goals we do not know not knowing.“

My name is Espérance Mirindi, I was a volunteer for the United Evangelical Mission at Diakonie Dortmund until March of this year and am now training to be an event manager at the PopAkademie in Witten. I live in the volunteer house in Dortmund.

I would like to introduce you to two magical environments that have influenced me a lot in my life so far. The city of Goma in Central Africa, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the city of Dortmund, in Europe, in Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

I experience these two very different worlds very consciously and also identify with these two very different worlds. In doing so, I developed the need to help ensure that future generations can also identify with their respective surroundings. And I want to help ensure that future generations – like me – find joy in making their contribution to the further positive development of their environment.

For me, talking about a city is not only about its infrastructure, its hotels and its apartments, its population or its area, but the most important thing is to love and live in this environment as a space in which people live as social beings unfold.

The city of Goma, capital of North Kivu, lies at the foot of Mount Nyiragongo. The mountain is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. The name „Goma“ comes from the word „drum“, a reference to the noise made by the constant volcanic eruptions. Many residents have fallen victim to these eruptions over the years.

The city of Goma, where I grew up, uses public-private partnerships to showcase the wonders of its fauna and flora to tourists. Due to its organization and appearance, the city is now considered the most beautiful city in Congo.
In addition to this beauty, however, there is a great uncertainty every day, to experience a tomorrow full of hope and improvement. Goma is in a region plagued by armed conflicts that claim casualties on an almost daily basis. Also at the moment we have war in Goma!

This means:

The supporters of construction and development ideas are dying.
Natural disasters, which repeatedly result in enormous losses, drive a large part of the population into poverty.
Water and electricity are not always available as a solid basis for life.
Children can be seen everywhere, roaming the streets all day long in search of the bare minimum they need to survive.

The city of Dortmund, where I was warmly welcomed and where I recognize a spirit of solidarity, made me discover a new part of myself: I worked as a volunteer in the diaconia with homeless people. Serving those in need has given me great satisfaction. Here in Dortmund I live in a world where young people have the opportunity to imagine a future they can be proud of.

Under a beautiful sky, with fixed seasons, the city of Dortmund recognizes different origins and tries to offer everyone better moments as souvenirs. There is a public transport system, security and the freedom to live without social discrimination. In my experience, this city always works to ensure that everyone contributes to further development according to their talents.

Here in Dortmund we can see our future clearly, we can plan to make the best of our future. We are never alone, in a short time we manage to start families and have the feeling of belonging to a community. We can walk around at any time of the day or night to carry out our duties without fear of being threatened. We know our rights and can easily enforce them.

Let’s assume that everyone here can enjoy and share in development! But even in Dortmund there are still people

who don’t know how to live more or less normally,
who don’t know how to easily find something to eat, what to wear, where to rest peacefully at night.
who don’t have a home, don’t feel they belong, and who in one way or another need special attention.

With my work in the Diaconia I have had the privilege of also getting to know this reality of life, where food is a luxury and a good night’s sleep is a dream.

This gave me a huge chance of insight, and so I made a motto out of it for myself and everyone I meet: „Work hard, question what you know, do your work well and sell it dearly.“

The privilege of experiencing the different realities in Dortmund from two different angles is one of the most beautiful experiences that has shaped my life so far!

My connection to the city of Goma comes from the extraordinary resilience of the people there to keep getting up after a discouraging and destructive situation, still believing in renewal and hoping for a better tomorrow. Recognize a new opportunity after every low blow and get back on your feet…

The city of Dortmund teaches me every day to recognize the happiness that is in being a perfect answer to the shortcomings of others.

Through learning about poverty AND success, I can now encourage others to imagine tomorrows that bring happiness and show respect.