“I can’t imagine this war if you weren’t there,” says Sister Agnieszka. “We hear heavy artillery all the time. Now a little further away. Things are quieter in Ntamugenga. People are counting losses and looking for food. We are still cut off from the world. If it wasn’t for the stockpile of malaria medication, painkillers and antibiotics that I always have thanks to you, people would be dying before our eyes.”

You will learn virtually nothing about the war in North Kivu from the media. There are no war correspondents here because the situation is unpredictable. It is easy to lose your life, and life has very little value here. No one ventures here. You can count the foreigners who have decided to stay in the whole region on the fingers of one hand.

The rebellion is moving southwards capturing more villages. It is getting closer and closer to Goma, the provincial capital. There is nowhere to run. All the main roads are controlled by the M23.

Olivier, our nurse, treats the injured. In field conditions, he pulls out bullet fragments. They wounded those who failed to take cover.

“I got bananas yesterday. I am dividing them among the children so that everyone eats at least a piece. For the time being there is no prospect of replenishing the food supply. We are coping as best we can,” says Sr Agnieszka.

For almost a week, the village of Ntamugenga and the whole of North Kivu has been the scene of violent clashes between the army and the M23 rebellion. On Sunday, the front line was just at the level of the village where the Sisters of the Angels have their mission. During the three-day battle, many people were killed and wounded. It is still difficult to say how many, as no one dares venture deep into the village. Nearly 5 000 civilians are cut off from the world. Dozens are in need of urgent medical attention.

A fundraiser is underway on our foundation’s homepage. We will get to the site with humanitarian aid as soon as we can.