There are so many success stories in URI. It is hard to describe the variety of impacts experienced in URI’s world. One poignant story describes the faith and indomitable spirit of one woman who lived through generations of war in Northern Uganda and helped young girls who had been used as sex slaves in that war.
I captured a small piece of her story during a session of URI’s Moral Imagination Peacebuilding training. Sr. Mary passed away a few years ago, but her impact as a peacebuilder lives on.
There was a profound moment with the Acholi Religious Leaders Cooperation Circle that spoke of their struggle in Northern Uganda against the ravishes of war. Sr. Mary was explaining her work with young girls who had escaped their captivity, and then she stopped talking. She looked at her feet hard, and a tear fell and streaked her light blue habit.
In that one wet streak I saw profound power. One tear staining a nun’s habit, one tear that held within it so much despair and heartbreak in the face of cruelty.
Then her voice got stronger as she recounted how her community found the strength and solidarity to meet the challenges they faced, as she exclaimed, “We did it together.” Her story did not get lost in the pain and misery. Her story spoke of the human spirit. She told us about people from different traditions and with good intention for one another who came together in communal solidarity to act together for the good of all.
