Rwanda Missions Interns
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
This update is belated due to our weekend travel and spotty electricity on Monday.
Our weekend was so rich and full! Friday morning we set out from Kigali, heading south toward the city of Butare, situated in the Huye mountains.
We traveled just past Butare to visit the Murambi Memorial Center. The site is a former secondary school where thousands of displaced Tutsis were massacred, one by one, after spending weeks cut off from food and water supplies. Their bodies were initially dumped in mass graves behind the property. Since then, the bodies have been exhumed. Some have been honorably buried on the property; others have been preserved with lime and laid to rest inside the boarding rooms of the secondary school. Their very facial expressions and bodily contortions are preserved in their death, and the means by which they were killed is evident. Even the smell of death lingers there. Visiting this very graphic memorial was quite difficult and affecting for our group. The images will never leave us, and perhaps we have left a part of ourselves forever in Murambi.
Later in the day we visited the Rwandan National Museum, a beautiful ethnographic museum which preserves much of Rwanda's pre-colonial history. It was quite refreshing to learn something of Rwanda's history and culture before these most recent 60 years of violence. We also enjoyed the performance of a troupe of traditional dancers, singers and drummers. Their skill was incredible and memorable. That visit ended with our first real opportunity to shop in the museum store, an activity which will benefit many of you, our friends and family!
The following day we visited the campus of the National University of Rwanda's Butare campus. There a history professor lectured us on "The Origins of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, and Subsequent Efforts at Reconcilliation."
The story of the genocide begins in the young Belgian colony of Rwanda in the early 1930's (Rwanda was colonized initially by the Germans in the late 1890's, then turned over to Belgian control after WWI). The Belgians observed a system of "pastoral feudalism" in the Rwandan clan system. The elevated class of livestock owners were known as "Batutsi," the cultivator class was known as the "Bahutu." Unlike a tribal or caste system, however, membership in these two classes was not hereditary, and members of the same family may exist in these different classes and move between them in their lifetime. That said, the Belgians racialized these distinctions and began to record "ethnicity" on the Rwandan identification cards. This distinction was initially determined by the number of cattle one owned. If a person owned more than 10 cattle, he was a Tutsi, if he owned fewer, he was a Hutu. The social inequalities were presumed to be tied to racial differences, so the Belgians began to evaluate the Tutsi and Hutu populations' physical characteristics. Rwandan schoolchildren were taught that the Tutsis were hamite caucasions originating in Ethiopia, and the Hutu were believed to be Bantu negroids from Congo. The Tutsis were considered intellectually superior and placed in power over the Hutus.
The Rwandan state was failing economically and socially, however, and as Belgium left Rwanda to its independence over 1959-1961, it transfered government control from the Tutsi aristocracy to the "democratic" Hutu majority, with Hutu Jovenal Habyarimana elected as Rwanda's president. The Hutu majority treated the Tutsis (then 17% of the population) as foreigners, and thus the racial order established in the 1930s was maintained, with the benefit simply shifting to the majority group. Over the following decades, each time the decolonization process encountered a problem, the Tutsis were scapegoated, harrased and murdered. From 1961-1973 nearly 700,000 Tutsi refugees fled persecution in Rwanda for neighboring Burundia, Uganda, Zaire and Tanzania. Members of this Tutsi diaspora formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in neighboring Uganda and Burundi.
In 1991, to defend the now now 30-year-old Habyarimana regime against the RPF rebels, the francophone Interhamwe militia was formed and trained by the French. At negotiations in Arusha, Tanzania, in 1993 President Habyarimana's Colonel Bagasora warned the RPF that if they entered Rwanda, Tutsis would die and they would find nothing left to claim. A newly-birthed peace agreement was violated on April 6th, 1994, by the assasination of President Habyarimana. His plane was struck as it landed at Kigali's airport, the missile having been fired from a hill controlled by Habyarimana's own presidential guard, though the source of the attack has never been conclusively determined.
That night the terrible "extermination" plan was enacted. In Kigali, the Interhamwe retrieved hidden caches of weapons and set up roadblocks at key intersections where Tutsis and moderate Hutus were tortured and executed, and other Hutu militias quickly rose up throughout the countryside, mobilized by radical media to kill and destroy the Tutsi population. Their special focus was on children and women, aiming to destroying any future generations of Tutsis.
A small UN peacekeeping force was weakened after 10 Belgian Peacekeepers were kidnapped and executed, causing Belgium to recall their contingent, leaving only a few hundred Ghanan UN Peacekeepers who were further handicapped by the UN's refusal to allow them to engage the Interhamwe with force. 100 days later 800,000-1,000,000 Tutsis were dead-- their corpses strewn over the face of Rwanda, and the RPF had marched through Rwanda, pushing the Interhamwe into Congo and thus ending the genocide.
Major Paul Kagame led the RPF forces established a power-sharing government, and today is the much-loved president of Rwanda. Rwanda's constitution has removed the distinction between Hutus and Tutsis, and even mandates a 30% representation of women in political positions at all levels, a level that currently sits at nearly 50%. The justice system of justice in Rwanda has undergone radical transformation in order to accommodate the persecution of thousands of "genocidaires," now relying on a system of small community courts called the "Gacaca" (pronounced ga-cha-cha). Thousands of Tutsi widows and orphans remain, bearing the emotional and physical scars of the genocide.
The Catholic, Anglican and Adventist churches in Rwanda hold sway with its people. Regrettably, church leaders played a role in the genocide, but today the church is a powerful agent of reconciliation. Some describe Rwanda's transformation as the result of a spiritual revival.
After the Locusts, by Meg Guillabaud, relates Rwanda's story by highlighting the role Christ's reconciling work at the cross and the "costly forgiveness" taking place among Rwandan believers since the genocide. It is an enjoyable and enlightening read, and highly recommended by our team members. One ministry, MOUCECORE, with whom we have interns working, is featured in the book. MOUCECORE is a Christian reconciliation and community development ministry, and is also hosting our team in their guesthouse during part of our stay.
Back to the rest of our weekend excursion! Saturday we heard a personal account of the genocide from a university medical student, Damas, who was a child in 1994, and lost his entire family, and miraculously survived himself. We shared lunch with Damas and later in the day toured the university facilities with him and the Dean of Students.
Sunday morning our group divided into 4 groups, attending 4 services in the Butare area.
One group visited a rural church (called Muzenga Parish), overflowing in spiritual riches, but physically impoverished. "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." After being included in the service, we were invited by the pastor, his wife and children into his home. He told us about the church's harvest of spiritual fruit through evangelism, and the harvest of physical food through cultivating yams. He then bestowed on us a gift of bananas, which his explained were the very best of his crops. He requested our prayers and asked us to seek a partner church for his parish, which is without partnership even in Rwanda. We prayed for blessing on him, his family, his parishioners and their ministry, then left to make our transport back to Kigali, all quite touched and humbled by his love and generosity.
We are now back in our host families and internships. Bruce Morgan, Dr. Legg and some of our team members are ministering at a youth conference early this week. Please pray for God's blessing on this event, for the wisdom and sustenance of Bruce and Dr. Legg as they speak, and that young lives would be changed by the light of God's Word. Please pray also for the last few days of our internships, that we would steward our opportunities well. A few in our team have had flu-like symptoms, lasting less than 24 hours, or head colds. Pray that these illnesses would not spread thorughout the team or be a lasting hindrance to the individuals. Pray also that we would work with our eyes open to see the beauty of the Church God is building here in Rwanda. Pray that many kingdom-workers would be raised here in Rwanda, even among our team members, if the Lord so wills. We are grateful for your intercession for us, and ask that you would also remember the Rwandans with whom we have been ministering. They often request that we bring you their stories and elicit your prayers on their behalf.
Wednesday, October 17
Yesterday we began our internships. As we were transported in vans from our various internship sites back to the guesthouse, we excitedly recounted the day's events with one another. One student presented proposals to the marketing directors of major banks on behalf of the Christian radio station where he is working, and appealed to the Swiss, Belgian and US embassies for funding for radio programming related to peace and democracy. Other students had "fantastic" days spent in a variety of educational contexts, interacting with Rwandan students of all ages, including primary students, international students, and theology students. The opportunities that these internships are providing for service to others and our own learning are remarkable. It is clear to us that God is already blessing our internship experiences, and that our Rwandan hosts and the Bryan staff has put a lot of hard work into planning them.
Later in the evening we were picked up by our host families and spent our first night as their daughters and sons. We were well fed, well loved, and saw a side of the culture that few visitors experience. One family celebrated their "Papa's" successful defense of his dissertation, and two other families came together for a joint dinner and time of fellowship. Some of us had the opportunity to help with the cooking, too, not just the eating!
This weekend we will travel to Butare, a city in southern Rwanda to visit perhaps the nation's most notable memorial site, the Murambi Genocide Memorial, and a campus of the Rwandan National University. A history professor will lecture our group on the causes of the genocide, and we will tour the campus of the university with their dean of students. We will also share a lunch with two young genocide survivors (friends of our hosts) to fellowship with them and hear their stories so that we may soon share those same stories with you. We will also attend church at three different churches, where we will sing and four of our team members will preach.
The beauty of these southern hills contrasts with the harrowing events that took place in the halls of this school in Murambi.
Please pray for our time in Butare, that we will be changed by the powerful experiences we anticipate, and that we will bless our hosts as greatly as they bless us. Pray for the eloquence of our team members who will be speaking, and for clarity of their communication across language and cultural barriers. Pray for our health and energy, as we follow a strenuous schedule. We are constantly amazed by God's faithfulness to us in these days, and the incredible picture of God's love that is openly portrayed by the Rwandan believers here. Join with us in thanking Him for these things, and praise Him for his power over all and in all things.
Monday, October 15
After 24 hours and three layovers, we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday, October 13. Exhausted, we piled off of the plane with some expectations, but also without any idea of what would happen next. We were greeted by our host, Reverend Emmanuel Gatera, who then led us to our guesthouse. Our guesthouse overlooks one of Kigali’s many valleys, filled by a bustling neighborhood and all the sounds that come with it. Every morning, the roosters begin to crow before sunrise and the streets are filled with a steady stream of people that doesn’t end until late in the evening. While the streets of Kigali are filled with cars and buses, far more people walk than ride. Never in a hurry, they are always on the move, always walking.
After a much-needed night's sleep, we attended Reverend Gatera’s Kimironko Parish Church. Starting at nine o’clock, it lasted for three hours – the Rwandans worship with ready hearts. Their hospitality and kindness is most memorable. Every team member was greeted and embraced into the church community, and next week these families will host our team members in their homes.
Today has been a full day. Emmanuel gave us an orientation regarding staying in Rwandan families' homes and working in Rwanda businesses, schools and ministries. Later in the day we visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, a mass burial site for approximately 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide, gardens, museum and genocide prevention center. The experience was quite affecting, and it powerfully illuminated to us humanity's lost position, the beauty of Christ’s grace and the redemption that He brings.
Tomorrow we will take an active part in their culture and community by beginning our internships. Some will work in primary or secondary schools, some in reconciliation or peace ministries, some in parachurch organizations, some in radio stations, some in counseling centers, some in health clinics and some in businesses. We also move in with our host families for the first of our seven nights with them. Our host parents have made clear to us that they will consider us their own children, and we may call them "Papa" and "Mama."
Please pray that our compassion and love for Rwanda would continue to grow, that we will not give from the bottom of our cups but from an overflow. Please pray that the Gospel would be manifested in our words and actions.