Some Final Thoughts

During my time in Rwanda, I saw and experienced so many things. Its hard to even know where to start when someone asks "How was your trip?" It was evident that through each and every day, God was at work among both the people of Rwanda as well as the members of our team. I know He will continue to move powerfully in each of us as we pray for one another, continue our relationships over the ocean, and pray for one another. A question that I was challenged with as I began to pack up my things, say my goodbyes, and board back onto the plane was this- Now that God has allowed me to see another part of the world, meet His people here, and learn their stories, what will I do with the knowledge He has given me? As I continue to pray about what steps I might take from here (and I challenge you to do the same), I am confident of one thing for sure. I will always be moved by the things I have seen and heard and learned from the Rwandan people, and I will go on forever to tell about the story of reconciliation that was shared by them. And most of all, I will tell of the God who was behind it all, and His ultimate plan to reconcile all people to Himself, through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

One of the most powerful experiences during our trip was visiting many of the genocide memorials and especially, the village of reconciliation. It was almost too terrible to even imagine some of the stories that were told to us, too horrible to believe that the mounds of blood-stained clothes, piles of skulls and bones, and remnants of scar-bearing buildings were not just a story. 

To give some background, years of escalating rivalry in Rwanda were propitiated by a colonialism that separated and assigned class based on physical characteristics. As two primary groups, the Hutu and Tutsi, emerged and were treated differently based on their identification, the stage was set for the brewing of hatred and resentment against one another. Generations later, with widespread propaganda and tensions higher than ever, the government declared that the Tutsi minority had killed the president, were trying to overthrow the government, and were out to get the Hutu. Many of the majority Hutu population accepted the challenge exclaimed by radicals, to eliminate the Tutsi people. In an unfathomable step of fate, over 1 million Tutsi people were hacked by machetes, shot, raped, tortured, and killed in less than 100 days.

After the genocide, because so many had become involved (most of the men in the village would be recruited to kill in mobs with the alternative often being to face death themselves), there were so many people guilty of crimes that the prisons would never be able to hold all of them and the country would never be able to support them all in jail. In an attempt to solve this issue, the president issued a ruling based on a traditional system of judgment, called Gachacha court. In these, all the people, friends, and family affected by the crime come to hear what the perpetrator has to say. If the perpetrators sincerely asks for forgiveness, the people can choose to reduce the sentence or even let them go free. Around the same time that this was going on, many pastors began to visit the jails preaching the message of Christ’s forgiveness. They began encouraging the perpetrators to receive forgiveness from God and then ask forgiveness from those whom they wronged. In addition, the pastors went to the victims, helping them to lay all bitterness, anger, and hate at the foot of the cross, and receive healing themselves. 

More than anyone could have imagined, people began to realize the full power of the forgiveness of Christ, ask victims for forgiveness, and forgive those who were their perpetrators. Unlike the world has ever seen, light began penetrating the darkness within this place.

After visiting the genocide memorials and many of the churches where thousands and thousands of people were murdered in ways I shall not even write about here, we left in a state of somber shock and sadness. On the ride to the village of reconciliation, no one spoke, no one smiled, and the rain that fell from the sky outside seamed to echo how we felt inside. Yet when we arrived, the rain had stopped, and as we got out of the bus, our ears were filled with the sound of instruments and voices singing melodious shouts, and our sight was filled with colors and the motion of people dancing in joyful movement. The sudden change of emotion was surprising enough, but wasn't this the village where perpetrators and victims live next to one another? We looked around, unable to tell perpetrator from victim, and were floored by the understanding that these people could go through something worse than we could have ever imagined, and be rejoicing such as this. 

 As people stood up to give their testimonies, perpetrators claimed turning from a life of hate, nightmares, and shame, to one of complete repentance, standing forgiven as a child of Christ. Victims stood exclaiming answers to our questions with statements such as, “How could I have not chosen to forgive, after being forgiven of so much myself by Jesus Christ. I will choose to be faithful with what God has told me to do, and trust that He alone will judge.” When asked how they view one another now, they smiled as they proclaimed that they see one another as one family. They even go so far as to leave their kids when they go into town to work, with those who had killed their whole family in the genocide. The children from both sides have even gotten married. People no longer see themselves as Hutu or Tutsi, but as one people, as Rwandan. This was one of the most real visual displays of the gospel I have ever seen. 

 During the genocide, Rwanda fell as far down that they could, and hit rock bottom. But because of this, they have been able to build a new foundation that is firm. Even more, they have recovered to a place that is even stronger than ever could have been, had the genocide never happened. Not only are they beginning to work in other countries to promote unity, dissipate ethnic rivalry, and prevent violence from occurring again, but they also have been building up the entire infrastructure of their country. And most of all, their testament to the power of forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ, stands as a beacon for all of the world to see.

Church!

Celebrating our Lord Jesus Christ among our Rwandan brothers and sisters is always an exciting and joy-filled experience! We got to to share/hear testimonies from, sing with, and worship alongside many people from the Blessed Mango Tree church (they used to meet under a mango tree before they had a building). We had the privilege of serving them lunch, playing with the kids, and buying goods made by students at the vocational school. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of praising our Creator together!

"Your Words Were Found, and I Ate Them"

We were able to return again to Kabuga village, only this time, we brought hundreds of Bibles in the Kinyarwandan language to give to each home. We split up into teams with translators, and the people were ecstatic to receive them. It was an incredible experience.

  One house we came to was that of blind man. We asked if he had anyone who might be able to read to him. He explained that he in fact had a wife, who was working outside the village since he couldn't work, and a son, who could both read. So we gave him a Bible and asked if we could share one of our favorite verses with him and then prayed together. The man was so moved, and his eyes were welling up with tears as he said to us, "I am so thankful for this book that is life. Even the words you have spoken to me today have helped me. Because I am blind, not many people care about me or visit me, and so I want you to know that everything you have done for me this day, you have done for Christ. I pray God blesses you." Upon hearing this, we choked up a little too, thanked him for being so kind and for welcoming us, and told him he would be in our thoughts and prayers.

At another house, there wasn't a lot of room and I already had several kiddos wrapped on my arms so I offered to wait outside while two of my team members went in. The Kinyarwandan phonetics are very similar to Kiswahili, so I was able to read some of my favorite passages in the Bibles we had with the kids. They loved seeing a white person saying the words of their language, and would all laugh if I pronounced one of the words wrong and would correct me. It was so much fun!

The Star School

These are some of the beautiful faces of joy and laughter that we got to visit at the Star School. Many of these kiddos are sponsored through World Help to go to school. 

 We were able to get microscopes and school supplies for the school to have an entire science lab. We also brought an autoclave to the clinic at the school so that instruments can be sterilized. We also visited a trauma center that was built alongside the school. Many children who suffer the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the genocide can come here to receive counselling, therapy, and education on how to move forward. 

It was pretty heartbreaking to play and laugh with a little child, and then learn that they didn't have any family or anyone to sponsor them to go to school. Sometimes they would ask me with the sweetest eyes and most sincere earnest, if I would sponsor them to go to school. I wish I could pay for all of them to, like my own children. Its hard when you go to places where you see so much pain and suffering, and you just want to save the whole world. You look around at the scope of the problem, into the eyes of each sweet child, and feel utterly helpless. Cyrus, one of our leaders from the Dominican Republic of the Congo who serves as the Regional Director of Africa for World Help, said something about this that I believe is true. You can't save the whole world, but each of us can make a difference in the life of even one person, that can transform their entire world. And that is something beautiful. And so each day that we got to spend with some of these little ones, we hoped to let our actions be those that would make a difference in the lives of those that we met. We only got to spend a few days with these children, but as we continue these relationships from afar, and make our way home making relationships with those around us, I think this principle should be one that shines through us.

A Day at the Vocational School

In Rwanda, as in many African countries, it is not uncommon to come across "street kids" on your way to town or the market. Many of these kids have no family to care for them  and no place to go, so they end up begging on the streets, often getting into trouble, and leading a life consumed with prostitution, drugs, or violence. In an effort to end the vicious cycle, the church who we partnered with on our trip, has built a Vocational School where children can be sponsored to come, learn a trade, and go on to support themselves and their families with their newly learned skill, instead of resorting to other means. It is a way that they can gain accomplishment, honest work, and esteem within their community, but most importantly, while at the school, they hear the message of Jesus. They are able to spend time among peers who share similar stories, encourage one another, and be experience the love of Christ as the people within the church, teachers, and community pour into them during their stay. We had the privilege of visiting the school, meeting many of the students, sharing our stories with them, and hearing theirs.

 Cooking and sewing are pictured above, and those training to be electricians and carpenters are pictured below, just a few of many trades offered at the school. Liberty University sells shoulder bags in the bookstore that are made by the women here who go to or have graduated from the sewing program. This helps them to pay school fees or get on their feet when just starting out their new business.

After meeting many of the students, we had a chapel service where we danced and sang with the students, sheared some of our testimonies, and passed out cycle beads. We had hand made and prayed over each bracelet prior to our trip, with the help of many gracious Liberty University students who volunteered to help. These bracelets, or cycle beads, help provide education and understanding, and allow the girls to plan accordingly for their monthly cycle, as missing school is often an issue for this reason. We also brought lots of women supplies that were donated. We were able to explain to each woman, how just like we have patterns for sewing or welding or wood-working or building, God also created each of our bodies with patterns. And He has made each and every one of us with remarkable design and uniqueness in His own image. 

The Widows Village

On our first day in Rwanda, we went to the beautiful village of Kabuga, on the outskirts of Kigali where we were greeted by these joyful children, welcoming us with singing!

 Here, mainly orphans and widows who were affected by the genocide live. Liberty University built a well and a school nearby where many of the children are sponsored by World Help and now attend (the yellow shirts with blue shorts are the uniforms for the school, we visited during summer break but these are the best clothes many of the kids have so that is why they were wearing them!). We were the sixth team from our school to come and visit them, so they were very familiar with who we were. As soon as we went out to greet them, they ran up to us with bear hugs and bright smiles. After learning their names and playing, we went to each home doing general check ups, bringing things like water jugs and mosquito nets, and praying with them. We got to sing and dance with them, hear about their lives, and share testimonies.

 It was amazing to love on and share with so many brothers and sisters in Christ across the world who had endured so much, yet praised the Lord all the more. Singing about Jesus with these children of God and reminding them how much He loves them, was an indescribable joy, one that I will never forget.

Arrived Safely in Kigali!

About 25 students, a mix of residential and online, studying mainly nursing, psychology, counselling, or seminary, all met up alongside me in the Washington Dulles international airport on Saturday, to journey over 7,000 miles together to the beautiful country of Rwanda. It was great to get to know one another better, hearing story after story about how God had handpicked and provided for each of us to follow Him to this place. After several bouts of nodding off, lots of reading, praying, and thinking, a few charlie horses, and many glances out the window (too see amazing views like this one over the Swiss Alps!) we arrived safely at last!

As I stepped off the plane, the warm air filled my lungs and I took in the sweet familiar scent. It was so good to back in the amazing continent of Africa. We rounded up all of our luggage (enough to fill an entire bus-not even kidding!) and made our way to Solace Ministries Guesthouse where an entire display of colorful food awaited us, a reminder of how hospitality is never ever in short supply here. Looking up at the mosquito net above me in bed that night, my imagination drifted off to what lay in store in the days ahead. The words I read by David Platt earlier that day swirled in my head and became my prayer, "When You come to Jesus, His Spirit fills your spirit. His love becomes your love. His joy becomes your joy. His mind becomes your mind. His desires become your desires. His will becomes your will. His purpose becomes your purpose, His power becomes your power." I thought of Philippians 2:1-8 and prayed that our team might follow in Christ's footsteps of servanthood.