Rwanda in Review...Sunday June 3
I had every intention of posting all throughout my trip and obviously that didn't go so well, you know what they say about good intentions! Our wifi was spotty and our schedule was packed so what little free time I had, I needed just to process my responses to the things we were seeing and feeling. The word "overwhelming" seems inadequate and overused but it's the only one I have right now.
So today I find myself trying to sort through my pictures, notes, journal entries and devotions and I'm sure this is going to take lots of time. Which is fine because this trip has changed me in ways I have yet to fully discover and I am not willing to let any of it slip away. I know that sounds great, the whole intentions thing again, and I also know that it's probably impossible to assimilate completely all that I experienced but this is the rawness of where I sit today. I figure if you're following along, maybe you want to feel all the feels with me.
New Life Bible Church felt just like home, we attended the English service and sang all familiar songs and heard a message that was just as relevant to us as it was to everyone else. Halfway around the world in a completely different culture, yet we needed the same reminders about giving God time, abiding in His presence and being prepared to worship by spending time in the Word.
After church we all piled in the "coaster" bus with our fearless driver, John and ventured into town to have a beautiful brunch at the Marriott. I had my first cup of Rwandan coffee and fell in love!
Our next stop was the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
This is where things got real.
No pictures are allowed inside the memorial and I hesitate to try and recount the history of the genocide here. It is overwhelming, to say the least. This site is full of information and history, even about the concept of genocide and a sampling of the horror in different countries over the years.
We were directed to start our tour in the Children's Room since the other exhibits were crowded with people already.
No one spoke, we shuffled through the rooms slowly, reading each placard with a picture and name of a chid victim and how they lived and died. Tears, disbelief, questions, horror. I guess that is the universal reaction to the reality of genocide. After the fact. But during? I was alive then. What did we hear? What did we do? How is it that this late in history we turned a deaf ear and did nothing? Did I know then that the UN pulled out and left the Rwandans to die? That their force could have stopped the extremists and saved hundreds of thousands of people? And how many times before and since has the same thing happened?
I spent the rest of our time reading every panel about Rwandan history and the roots of the genocide through the filter of ascribing blame. I needed to know who was ultimately responsible for all of this. There were many guilty parties, those that isolated groups by the number of cows they owned, issued identity cards based on that information, pitted countrymen against each other by declaring one group superior and enforcing a class system. The information overload started to confuse me. There was no clear answer as to who was to blame. Because we are all to blame. We all have the capacity for evil, to be manipulated and deceived. Why? Because of the fall. Because we live in a demon infested world full of sinners. Because we need a savior. We always have and we always will and there are no easy answers.
But you know what there is? There is forgiveness. There is redemption. There is reconciliation. There is hope. And all of these things are operative in Rwanda. In a way that defies explanation, just like the cause of the genocide. It was birthed from evil, from welcoming a satanic division founded on lies and offering a solution of death. People said it was like the devil himself came into Rwanda.
It was explained to us that healing came after the genocide when Rwandans welcomed God into their country and He transformed it. Jesus is part of their culture, their language. He is welcomed wherever you go and His forgiveness is embraced and offered. In ways beyond human understanding. But it's real and ongoing. There are no tribes anymore, no delineations or separation.
Once month now the entire country comes together to practice what is called Umuganda. Everyone participates, the president and every other person comes out to clean up communities and offer support. No one is allowed to exempt themselves.
This is a quote that stuck with me from the exhibit...
So today I find myself trying to sort through my pictures, notes, journal entries and devotions and I'm sure this is going to take lots of time. Which is fine because this trip has changed me in ways I have yet to fully discover and I am not willing to let any of it slip away. I know that sounds great, the whole intentions thing again, and I also know that it's probably impossible to assimilate completely all that I experienced but this is the rawness of where I sit today. I figure if you're following along, maybe you want to feel all the feels with me.
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| New Life Church |
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| The Guest House |
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| Most of our group... |
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| View from the guest house, Kigali |
After church we all piled in the "coaster" bus with our fearless driver, John and ventured into town to have a beautiful brunch at the Marriott. I had my first cup of Rwandan coffee and fell in love!
Our next stop was the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
 |
| Memorial Flame |
 |
| View of Kigali from the Memorial |
No pictures are allowed inside the memorial and I hesitate to try and recount the history of the genocide here. It is overwhelming, to say the least. This site is full of information and history, even about the concept of genocide and a sampling of the horror in different countries over the years.
We were directed to start our tour in the Children's Room since the other exhibits were crowded with people already.
No one spoke, we shuffled through the rooms slowly, reading each placard with a picture and name of a chid victim and how they lived and died. Tears, disbelief, questions, horror. I guess that is the universal reaction to the reality of genocide. After the fact. But during? I was alive then. What did we hear? What did we do? How is it that this late in history we turned a deaf ear and did nothing? Did I know then that the UN pulled out and left the Rwandans to die? That their force could have stopped the extremists and saved hundreds of thousands of people? And how many times before and since has the same thing happened?
I spent the rest of our time reading every panel about Rwandan history and the roots of the genocide through the filter of ascribing blame. I needed to know who was ultimately responsible for all of this. There were many guilty parties, those that isolated groups by the number of cows they owned, issued identity cards based on that information, pitted countrymen against each other by declaring one group superior and enforcing a class system. The information overload started to confuse me. There was no clear answer as to who was to blame. Because we are all to blame. We all have the capacity for evil, to be manipulated and deceived. Why? Because of the fall. Because we live in a demon infested world full of sinners. Because we need a savior. We always have and we always will and there are no easy answers.
But you know what there is? There is forgiveness. There is redemption. There is reconciliation. There is hope. And all of these things are operative in Rwanda. In a way that defies explanation, just like the cause of the genocide. It was birthed from evil, from welcoming a satanic division founded on lies and offering a solution of death. People said it was like the devil himself came into Rwanda.
It was explained to us that healing came after the genocide when Rwandans welcomed God into their country and He transformed it. Jesus is part of their culture, their language. He is welcomed wherever you go and His forgiveness is embraced and offered. In ways beyond human understanding. But it's real and ongoing. There are no tribes anymore, no delineations or separation.
Once month now the entire country comes together to practice what is called Umuganda. Everyone participates, the president and every other person comes out to clean up communities and offer support. No one is allowed to exempt themselves.
This is a quote that stuck with me from the exhibit...
What kind of Rwanda do we want for our children? Whatever we do, whatever the sadness we have, whatever the anger we have, we must promote peace.
And so they have.
For further reading...here is a powerful article. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/06/magazine/06-pieter-hugo-rwanda-portraits.html
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| Stepping off the bus to THIS! |
So, after that we were all depleted and exhausted and still jet lagged as we headed back to the guest house. There was a special surprise waiting for us so we wiped our tears and tried to smile. As the bus pulled up, the sweetest faces of children in traditional dress gathered at the door and greeted and hugged each one of us as we stepped off. Needless to say we were all in tears. And then we watched as this new generation of Rwandans sang and danced for us in joy and freedom. These are the children of Africa New Life, kids sponsored and thriving and grateful. It was beyond precious.
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