Rwanda has been the country I have been dreaming to come on a mission trip since I was little girl. My cousin Saul showed me Hotel Rwanda when I was younger. He invited me to another Blockbuster movie night at his house; this was a regular to us. He would invite my family over on school nights and bribe my parents to come over by making us pancakes or popcorn. Promises were made that his mom would make dinner, but she didn’t have plans of it, up until we arrived to their house. I remember this night like it was just yesterday. This time it was different than our usual movie nights. He told me how this movie was based on true events from 1994. I was shocked by what I had seen and vowed to help Rwanda one day. That one day is today. I can’t believe last Sunday I was able to preach on Purpose, Forgiveness and Worth. It’s not the kind of help I was imagining to do, but it’s what God has called me to do.
If you haven’t seen the movie, then let me give you a little insight. Rwanda is the home of 8 million people in 26,338 square kilometers of land. Germans colonized them during the time frame of 1895-1916, during World War One, then Belgian came in 1923. They had a mandate by the League of Nations to govern Rwanda; turning it into a colonial occupation. Rwandans tried to fight off the Germans around 1875 but colonial powers were stronger.
Rwandans didn’t become independent until 1962 but the effects were still tangible to its citizens after the Belgians left. Colonization brought some benefits like religion, schooling, medicine, export markets and infrastructure. However, there was a major negative impact. During the 1930’s-1950’s Belgian’s colonization created a division between the Rwandans; the Tutsi were made elites and the Hutus were 2nd class citizens.
Primarily Rwandans were made up of 8 different clans. However, the division created socio-economic classifications within these clans; the Hutu, the Tutsi, and the Twa. In 1932 during the colonial rule there was distinctions made from racial aspects. An identity card was introduced and at first it was based on anyone having over 10 cows was a Tutsi and anyone with less than that a Hutu. This distinction would now be applied to their descendants as well. Division became more apparent later into the 1930’s; the Belgians added physical features to the identity cards. They called Tutsis an ‘alien race’ and Hutus ‘indigenous’. It’s recorded that there was 15% Tutsi, 84% Hutu and 1% as Twa.
During the 1950’s and the 1970’s the Hutus revolted two separate times. The Belgians didn’t protect the Tutsis during these occasions; although they had created this class system. Between the period of 1952-1959, Belgians gave Tutsi the better jobs and the better education. These revolts made the Tutsi flee to Uganda and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the 1959-1973, time frame, there was about 700,000 Tutsi that were exiled from Rwanda. It was considered an “ethnic cleansing” time frame that was encouraged by the Belgian. When this division happened, then a Hutu president was put in place to overthrow the Tutsi monarchy; his name was Juvenal Habyarimana. The roles flip flopped and the Hutu were now the one’s getting the better job placement and scholarships to get a better education; the Belgians then favored the Hutu. Segregation was apparent in education and the work scene.
Habyarimana’s MRND created, Interahamwe, a group of young militia advocating for Hutu power; during the 1990’s. This movement became popular gaining ground in extremist media. Their message was to get power at the expense of Tutsi lives. This foreshadowed the genocide that was to come. There were several parties during this time frame. Another was the opposing party, Mouvement Democratique Republicai (MDR) “far-right”; it was composed of extremist or Hutu moderates. Along these were others: The Coalition pour la Defense de la Republique (CDR) created by Hutu radicals that massacred Tutsi civilians “far-right” and The Parti Social Democratique (PSD) a moderate opposing party “center-left”. Tutsis tried to come back but were rejected; even if they came in a peaceful manner. The Rwandan Patrioitic Front (RPF) was created, by Tutsi refugees in Uganda, and invaded the country on October 1st 1990. Civil war broke off shortly after creating a genocide.
On April 6, 1994 there was to be a cease-fire per a peace agreement that was to be signed, however, war broke out after the plane was shot down of President Juvenal Habyarimana. Hutus-extemist claimed the Tutsi rebels took it down but this was after they had signed a peace agreement with the President. It didn’t make sense. Tutsis blamed the Hutus-extremist did the attack so they could blame the Tutsis. The event served as a catalyst to the genocide that proceeded.
Anytime there is a genocide you can see a pattern of dehumanization occurring. Tutsis were no longer people, but instead were called “cockroaches” during the media attack from Hutu-extremist.
Genocide is defined by the following per the United Nations Convention of 1948:
Genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, such as:
- Killing members of the group
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
- Deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about its physical destruction
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
- Forcibly transferring children of this group to another
Women were raped, mutilated and killed during this time in hopes to eliminate the Tutsis. UNICEF records, during 1994 show, 80% of children experienced death, 70% witness someone being killed or injured and 90% believe they would die. These traumatic events made children in need of post-trauma support: being in homes raised by children or living in homes that were to simulate family settings. Many were left orphans and scarred in more ways than just physical torture. In 3 months over a million people died. The Tutsi Rebel army and the French came in to end the attacks.
Rwanda currently doesn’t “run” it’s country based on tribalism. However, our host told us that the people refer themselves as an “H” or “T”. Division is something that is present but not talked about. Whatever setting you may be in you can find a dominance of one or the other. It is still frowned upon to be with someone outside your class. Your family can refuse to visit you if you marry someone out of your tribe. Phrases like “did you forget what they did” or “they will kill you” are still mentioned within both tribes.
Where do you start in helping a country like this? It’s tough to preach a message of forgiveness. How can they be helped? We were given the chance on an off day to visit the genocide museum. The images I saw in the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center were impactful. I came out of there with my heart feeling heavy and my stomach turning. I don’t know much that I can give, but I can tell about the Jesus I do know. Truth is they need a Savior. Only Jesus can heal wounds that are generations deep. He can be the only one that can fill in voids that are scaring. The message I have is more than I thought I was going to be giving the Rwandan people. He is the Way to a permanent solution. Jesus can help BREAK THE CYCLE of unforgiveness and mend any brokeness.
