1st day in Rwanda
May 6th, 2009 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments
Very sobering and quite memorable day here in Kigali. Visited the Genocide Memorial this morning here in Kigali. Over 250,000 are buried at the memorial due to the Genocide in 1994. After hearing so much about the Genocide over the last several years, it was incredibly eye-opening to see the Memorial and talk to those who were survivors of the Genocide. What is amazing is the way the country has recovered from such a horrific and terrible experience. Only 15 years removed, but the country has come a long way in redemption, restoration, and forgiveness.
This afternoon we visited a church in rural Kigali where over 5,000 Tutsis were murdered in April of 1994. All were inside the Church during the genocide, thinking they had found a place of refuge from the attackers, but instead became an easy target and were murdered- mostly women and children. It is surreal to see tragedy like this up close, even 15 years removed. We actually listened to the story of a women who escaped from the Church- she was 10 years old at the time. Fled into the forest and hid out for several days. To hear her recount the story was numbing.
I grew up in a town with around 5,000 people. I can’t imagine any situation where all of the people in my community would be murdered and slaughtered together in the same church within a matter of two days. It literally is hard to imagine. Seeing and hearing about this kind of tragedy is both painful and also frustrating, mainly because the UN and the international community at large stood by and did nothing, only sending in troops to assist once the killing was largely over. What a tragedy. Over 1 million Rwandese were killed during the genocide during the 100 days between April and July of 1994.
But even with such a great tragedy and dark spot in history for the country of Rwanda and the entire international community, this country has rebounded in an amazing way. Hope is the key word you hear. Forgiveness is a key phrase. Putting the past behind and moving forward. This is an amazing story of a country recovering from an atrocity that literally wiped out 20% of the country’s population at the time. President Kagame has done a great job of leading the country and re-establishing national pride and a sense of identity.
More to come tomorrow. You can also visit Jeff Shinabarger’s blog for updates and perspective from him.
3 Comments
Lisa
May 6, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Wow. Heartbreaking and encouraging all at the same time. So glad you’re able to be there.
D. Statham
May 8, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Thanks for going and for sharing their story. Please keep stirring the discussion.
We will not forget, but we will forgive.
Justin Forman
May 9, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Really have enjoyed reading the posts about the trip to Rwanda. My wife and I have sponsored a couple of kids with Compassion for the past few years that are in Kigali and have enjoyed exchanging letters. Who knows, might have even met them this week.
If you ever make it back there you should hook up with Chris Page. Chris has become a good friend over the past few years of exchanging emails. Chris is a British guy, was a YWAM missionary that went over to Rwanda with a passion for business. Once he got there he recognized the potential business had to solve problems and help orphans (from the genocide) provided for their families.
Years ago Chris started a greeting car company. Eco friendly, recycled, hand made cards (http://cardsfromafrica.com/). He’s hired something like over 100 “kids” who were left as orphans from the genocide. As the older siblings, they have been given a solid job, good pay, good job training, provide for their families and have seen the gospel lived out in front of them every where they work. I’ve done a bit of writting about them on the Business as Mission blog (
http://www.businessasmissio\nnetwork.com/2009/04/on-15th-anniversary-of-rwandan-genocide.html).
Out of hundreds of entries, Chris finished second in a company for social entrepreneurs sponsored by Shell, Newsweek and the BBC. Since then he’s gone one to start a few other businesses and ministries in the community outside of Kigali.
I’ve often told my wife that I could see us just heading over there and being an incubator of business and ministry projects. Thanks for sharing about the trip. Glad to hear that Catalyst West went so well.
Have a great rest of the trip.
Justin