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Remarks by Mrs. Mapendo in Honor of World Refugee Day
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For Immediate Release Office of the First Lady June 23, 2008

Remarks by Mrs. Mapendo in Honor of World Refugee Day East Garden


˙˙Photos ˙˙Audio

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June 20, 2008

I would like welcome Mrs. Mapendo.

MRS. MAPENDO: Wow. What a beautiful day, an amazing day. This day is a day
I will never forget in my life.

First of all, I want to thank First Lady, Mrs. George Bush, for give us
this opportunity to be here to share our life, what happening in our life.
Sometime when we share with people, is look like you don't care by
yourself, you share with somebody. And this opportunity is amazing to me.

I want thank U.S. government, what you did in our life. Maybe you don't
know exactly what you did, but God who are in heaven, he knows what you
did. Maybe refugees, every one (inaudible) have opportunity to thank you
but on behalf all the refugees, I can say thank you.

And I want to thank Sasha Chanoff, he's here with us, the one who was
sended to be evacuate us in the death camp. My story is a little bit
different with the other people. It's similar, because some people escape
and they run away, but us, we was arrested from our house. You see, we were
-- the place we were live, we were just five family, and all of us was
arrested.

And I want to thank my brother Kigabo, who are here with me -- he's there
-- who sacrificed everything in Benin -- his document -- to come to join
me. And I want to thank Mapendo International, who help the refugees.
Through you, you support Mapendo International to help the thousands of
people.

I want to share little bit my story, if maybe is not enough time. My story,
in 1998, was genocide. When genocide happened in Rwanda, I never thought it
can be happen in Congo. But, in 1998, the genocide start in Congo. All of
us Tutsi, we were shocked to see all the people from different provinces
were arrested. And by myself, the government give me short notice. They
tell me how the government president said to kill all the Tutsi because he
was (inaudible).

You see, the world was so small. You look everyone, you don't know what to
do, because all the people, it was Congolese people. And the police came to
my house. They said, okay, you see, you have (inaudible) in your house, and
I say yes. Did you see how they are (inaudible) for Tutsi? And I say yes.
But we ask if you can give us money, we can help you. And I was willing to
give to them, but they didn't take it, because it was order from president.
And the next day, just as the police show up, the soldier (inaudible) truck
in my house. I was arrested, and my family; my husband was killed.

I don't know how to paint the picture to see you have everything and you
lost everything in one minute. And is not easy to explain to you to see
somebody you love -- they are taking all the men, because they were
arresting all men, all the men, you see in your eyes how they go to kill
them. It was not easy. But we thank God, who saved our life.

We found out in death camp was not to be saved, was just to be killed.
Every day the camp chose some people -- people sitting next to you -- took
them outside. When you are listening, and every day was saying, will we be
the next one? But that time my husband was killed, I was pregnant for one
month. Maybe was not enough. And with seven children in death camp, believe
me, there was no clothes, was not water, was not anything -- just slept on
cement with the guards. Every day, guard would come when you went to use
restroom, and the soldier hold guns in your head, in case if you escape
they can shoot you. It was not easy.

When I was pregnant and (inaudible) began to tie off, (inaudible) they both
even close for 16 months I'd been in prison, to give us kids -- my friend
were killed, and I saw the kids. I remember my friend, they took her to the
hospital; she never come back -- two women. She left the three-month, in my
eyes, the baby cried for hunger -- three months, in the eyes of government,
and that baby, he passed away in my eyes.

Those cries is in my heart, and I will never forget that. And when I give
birth to the twins, almost when (inaudible) is less than my life, I was
angry for God. But I decide to ask God forgiveness, in order to die in
God's hands. And I ask God to forgive all the enemies what they have done
for me. And when I give birth to the twins, no one day when I was pregnant,
except to go to visit a doctor, imagine no one (inaudible) vaccination. In
death camp, people -- the place kids use restroom is same place they sleep.
It was unbelievable -- the kids begin to have diarrhea of blood, until
something came (inaudible) was used like the tomato leaves to stick inside,
because it was open; the kids cannot hold anything. (Inaudible.) And when I
give birth to the twins, I named after the commanders the names when the
people who killed my husband, and to see, how can save my babies alive, and
to show them, I'm not your enemy; I love you; no one can name her child her
enemy. And for that it was different experience. And before that, when I
gave to birth, it was in dark; no light for one day. With kids, seven kids,
no room, no clothes, and cement, I thanked God for those miracle in my
life.

I cut umbilical cord with wood, stick (inaudible). And I took the piece of
my hair, I tied them, in case they cannot breathe. In refugee camp, I was
able to manage my kids, sing a good song for them, encourage them, and ask
their forgiveness. I just encouraged the refugees, said, this is not time
to give up. Never give up because I think (inaudible) was wish to be killed
before my kids.

And I go to sing the song for you I would sing for my kids:

(Mrs. Mapendo sings a song of courage.)

I remember the genocide in Rwanda. But I never thought the same thing could
happen in Congo. Then they started attacking Tutsis in the Congo. Soldiers
captured my husband, my children and me. They brought us to a death camp. I
listened as soldiers executed my husband. My husband was a hard-working
businessman who was only interested in providing for his family and helping
the community. Every day I thought they would kill my children.

Then I found out I was pregnant. I was very sad. I prayed God to keep my
pregnancy inside me until I survive or I die. I was concerned about giving
birth in that place. I thought my babies and me would die with infections,
cold and hunger. I gave birth to twins in the death camp, a dirty place
that children use as a restroom. There was no nurse, no doctor to assist
me. It was in the night without light and my kids were there. I could not
cry. I had nothing to cut the umbilical cords of my twins. I used a stick
to cut the umbilical cords. I used a piece of hair to tie the cord.

I had no food and no water for my children. I had no clothes. My body was a
blanket for my babies. I had to give my baby twins the names of commanders
who ordered the execution of my husbands to see if I can have their favor
to keep my children alive. The commanders and soldiers were angry and
confused. I realized that I forgave them and I was not resentful for what
they did to me. It worked because it is important to wear the same name in
Congo -- it sounds like family.

I was in the death camp for 16 months. Soldiers killed many of us. I saw my
best friend and her baby dying of starvation few months after the execution
of her husband. To keep my courage and my faith alive I used to sing a song
to myself and to my children. I am going to sing that song for you.

(Rose sings a song of courage.) (Applause.)

This song I would sing to my baby, say, Jesus is my rock. When it is dark,
he is my light. When it's raining, he's my umbrella. He's my rock, he's my
rock. I will never leave the place he is, because no one was there for me,
except him. It was unbelievable situation, and God he delivered us.

If I said that life for refugees, I don't want anyone to tell me, because
it's picture in my heart, it's picture. Like women, we have a lot of thing
we need in our life but no one day. When I think about refugee in camp,
it's picture always in my heart, and when I came, I never forgot the people
I left behind. I said, at least my baby can have a little bit of food, I
can cry with those kids who lost their parents in my eyes. I can share with
other widow to buy the little clothes with them. It's good for me to
support other people, and through you, I supported them. I come to United
States without any penny -- any penny, any dime, but look who I am today
through you.

I have 10 kids, with the woman government provide everything for me,
renting house for me, provide the medical for me, give my kids opportunity
to go to school. I will never forget what America have done for life of a
refugee, especially for me. I will never forget. And please, don't give up
to help the refugees. Don't forget Somalia. Don't forget Darfur. Don't
forget Congolese. My people, they stay in danger, even in refugee camp in
Burundi.

In 2004, they attacked the refugee camp; they killed 166 in refugee camp.
If -- I wish someone to look life for Tutsi in Congo. I saw my pastor, he
was burned -- they put his leg up the fire, until he was dead. And other,
they took the skin from his hair, they put sword, they put him in sun.
Nothing have they done, because how they look like. Other one they put like
the (inaudible) tree, and they hang up him, and the tree come out. Those is
the picture. If you think the life for refugee, you don't know.

And I want to say, God bless you for all you done for us. Maybe we will
never thank you enough, but don't give up. Just make America to be America.
I call this country the country for refuge, these people -- place you
cannot have home to live, call America your home. And I become a U.S.
citizen -- it's amazing, I come here without speak any language -- just two
words, "yes" and "no." I believe maybe you cannot
understand everything
when I said, but you can have a clue what I am saying, and I thank you for
giving this opportunity to be here. And thank you so much what you have
done. Thank you for invite. Don't forget, and don't give up.

Thank you so much. (Applause.)

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