Recently, I've heard over and over again variations of this statement:
"God uses what the devil planned for disruption, harm and death to bring about peace, healing and life."
I have seen this first hand the past month, as I watched the people of Rwanda come together to remember and mourn what happened 19 years ago, a genocide. One that left over 1,000,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands more injured, orphaned and widowed in just 100 days.
The genocide threatened the unity of nation, but what I have witnessed these past four weeks tells a different story.
We arrived at the beginning of Memorial Week that marks the start of 100 days of remembering. Our contact Bishop Peter, who has become more of a father than a ministry contact, made it a point to immerse us into the culture and show us who the Rwandan people are today – they are compassionate, generous, welcoming, loving and man oh man, are they unified!
Our church Faith Center also started 40 days of fasting and prayer when we arrived. While we would come and go, joining them for morning prayer and nightly worship, many of the men and women stayed at the church lifting up prayers and songs of worship that could be heard from down the road all day and night with only a few hours of rest squeezed in. Apart from Memorial Week, they still had to go to work. They would spend all night praying, go home for a couple hours of sleep, go to work, then back to church and repeat.
The men and women of Rwanda have taught me…no, reminded me what genuine children of the Lord look like.
They served me by cooking me food and washing my laundry.
They cared for me by forcing me to go to the doctor when I was sick and buying me bland food when my stomach would refuse everything else.
They gave generously to me by buying me gifts for not only myself, but even my dad and serving me tea in their homes after only meeting me five minutes before.
They showed me compassion when they said "so sorry" when I slipped down a muddy hill.
They were patient with me by waiting hours while I skyped, and checked Facebook and gmail.
They provided me a chair when I was feeling faint.
They squeezed together on the bus like sardines, so I could have a seat.
They prayed over me for my future, health, family and clarity in seeing what God has next.
They found me a Bible since I gave mine away the month before and told me "no one should be without the Lord's Word."
They loved me with a selfless love.
I have seen all these things throughout my travels and back in America, but I needed reminding of what it looked like to exude the fruits of the Spirit and my Rwandan family did that.
They showed love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Though it has been one of the hardest countries to say goodbye to, I am leaving full of joy, because of how much I have learned from the people if Rwanda. I can't stop thinking, I am blessed, I am blessed, I am blessed.
