It was our second day off since arriving in Rwanda and our host, Pastor Fred, wanted to take us to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Ever since coming together my team has had a certain fascination and respect for the Rwandan Genocide that occurred over the course of about 100 days in 1994. Most of us read “Left To Tell,” an autobiographical account written by a genocide survivor, prior to arriving last week. We all watched the movie Hotel Rwanda at some point and we knew we wanted to go to this extremely important site in the capital city. I was ten years old and can vaguely remember seeing reports on the evening news. Even after knowing the history, reading the book, and seeing the movie I do not believe I was fully prepared.
We arrived at the memorial after about a twenty minute ride through the city and as I walked through the entrance I could feel the mood change. We knew we were about to encounter stories and images of pure evil. We were greeted by a few employees who discussed the memorial and ushered us into a room where we watched a ten minute video that interviewed three survivors of the genocide. We were then off on our own to read hundreds of accounts regarding the history of the genocide (both the political and socioeconomic undertones), horrific descriptions of how murders were carried out, the failure of the United Nations to intervene, and even the verbiage used by international news sources to avoid utilizing the word ‘genocide’ by replacing it with ‘civil war.’ One million men, women, and children were murdered in a matter of a few months. Humanity at its absolute worst. Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, has roughly two million residents. The equivalent of fifty percent of the capital’s population was wiped out in just over three months.
I have visited WWII concentration camps in Europe. I have been to the 9/11 memorial in New York City. Nothing compares to what I felt standing in this particular memorial. I stood in a dark room where the only light available was that used to light up the display cases. There were about five of them. They were filled with human skulls and bones. Half of the skulls were crushed or cracked, clearly a result of head trauma.
My eyes started to burn and my head started to hurt. I realized the tears were going to start streaming uncontrollably and this was my body trying to keep from losing it right there. I got angry. I was angry at the perpetrators of this hell on earth. I was angry at the Lord.
You see, I can look poverty, disabilities, disease, or addiction in the face and know that God is still present. My Father is good and bad things still happen in this fallen world. That, by the way, is a theme my squad is learning together and it was part of a fantastic lesson taught to us at debrief by our squad mom, Eileen. This, however, was too much. Parents being murdered while their children were forced to watch and vice versa. Babies being smashed against walls until their bodies went lifeless. Purposeful spreading of HIV through rape in order to eliminate future generations. The list goes on. “God, where were You?” I stood there asking Him that very question and you know what? He answered. He said, “Jennifer, I was there. I was with every Rwandan. I was with every Tutsi. I was with every Hutu sympathizer. I was weeping far more than you could ever weep.”
Then He proceeded to remind me of His goodness by showing me how He redeemed the horror. Rwanda has bounced back in beautiful ways. No more Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa designations. They are Rwandan. Forgiveness is present throughout the past 20 years of Rwandan history like a colorful ribbon woven through a massive black blanket. Sole survivors who watched their entire families die in front of them have forgiven the murderers. Perpetrators of the violence have admitted wrongdoing and asked for forgiveness (not all of them but a good number). Organizations created to assist with the obvious traumatic effects focus on forgiveness as a means to heal.
The memorial has an entire section dedicated to the education of various genocides from around the world to include the Armenian, Jewish, Serbian, and Cambodian genocides, and it is so very apparent Rwanda recovered more quickly and wholly than any of these other nations. It is not a coincidence; the majority of Rwanda has one thing in common. They believe forgiveness was the only way to heal and they believe this because the majority of this country recognizes Jesus as their Savior. Interject the Messiah into any ugly tragedy and all of a sudden you have unfathomable beauty.
Romans 8:28 says that the Lord works all things for the good of those who love Him and there is no better example than the way Rwanda is flourishing after such a divisive and horrendous blemish on their nation’s history. It’s a comforting thing knowing that Jesus’ blood can wash away the deepest stain and make it white as snow.
*Here are a few sobering facts about the genocide:
-During this period, more than 6 men, women and children were murdered every minute of every hour of every day. This efficiency of killing was maintained for more than 3 months.
-80 percent of children interviewed experienced a death in the family during the period of the genocide; 70 percent witnessed a killing or an injury; 35 percent saw other children killing or injuring other children; 88 percent saw dead bodies or body parts; 31 percent witnessed rape or sexual assault; 80 percent had to hide for protection; 61 percent were threatened that they would be killed; and 90 percent believed that they would die.
