Monthly Archives: April 2011
Bishop Emmanuel and Pastor Robert arranged a hectic schedule to see as many of their projects and challenges as possible. The biggest challenges are education of the children and adequate school facilities, which is the case all over the country. Poverty alleviation and the care for orphans and widows and healthcare are also big daily challenges which our brothers and sisters in the ministry face 24/7. My challenge to them is to prioritize and tackle each pressing need in turn. Easier said than done, but we agreed that one could end up with a lot of half-baked projects that never…
On Friday (April 15th) Deo and I returned to Musanze Reconciliation Village where I ministered in January (see previous report). There are at least 600 people – perpetrators and survivors – living together in 106 very basic homes that were built for them. The entire village was built on volcanic rock, so the people have to get rid of the rocks before they can plant anything to eat. I was amazed to see how beans, maze, bananas etc. have grown since January! At least they now have something to eat. One of the first people we met as we walked…
On Wednesday (April 13) I visited a Practical Reconciliation Village in the east of the country at Kageho, established by Prison Fellowship Rwanda where Batwa (Pygmies), Bahutu and Batutsi live together in the aftermath of the genocide. It was another aspect of the amazing work that PFR is doing and one of the 4 Villages established around the country. Former perpetrators live with survivors and what makes this unique is that the Batwa who were previously shunned by the other ethnic groups and never even ate with them also participated in the genocide against the Tutsis. They have been totally…
On Sunday I attended Pasor Deo’s church, Vivante, in Kabugu. The mood was more somber than my previous visit and clearly attributable to the 17th Commemoration of The Genocide against the Tutsis. I had prayed deeply for the right message and believe the message given to me was helpful, comforting and at the same time challenging. I pointed out three things, after asking the question, “You have learned how to forgive many perpetrators after the genocide, but have you taken time to make peace with God?” Many people still harbor this question or accusation in their hearts, “Where were you…
Dear friends, Greetings in Jesus name from a rainy Rwanda! I had a hiccup along the way to get here, but in the big picture, one day is very little to write home about and I am glad to be here! Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsis My first few days here has been a non-event as far as prison work is concerned as this week is the annual “Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsis” (official name) in memory of the Genocide which started on April 7th, 1994. Obviously the authorities do not want someone from outside to…
