Remembering the Rwandan Genocide After 15 Years
As Rwanda commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Genocide beginning on April 7, we pray for our brothers and sisters there, especially in our sister congregation in Nyagatare. This first week of the 100 days of remembrance can be especially traumatic to many as it sets triggers of the memories of the sights, sounds and smells that filled their country with the death of 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus.
The first week will be a time when students are off from school, memorials services for those bodies still being recovered are held; visitation to the homes of the survivors in the communities; community meetings and speeches; movies such as “Sometime in April” and “Shake Hands with the Devil” will be broadcast on television; all to remember what happened so it “will never happen again”.
Time does not heal all wounds. It takes the hard work of reconciliation and forgiveness. It takes the love of Jesus to forgive the sinner who repents and believes. It takes the prayers of intercession from God’s people to provide strength to continue the battle against evil.
We need forgiveness too, for being deaf to the calls for help from the people in Rwanda 15 years ago. Even now, it is so difficult to imagine the sense of fear, loss, pain and suffering that those in Rwanda experienced. Those Rwandans who were outside the country experienced the loss of complete families, survivor guilt, and the sense of helplessness, too. No one is untouched and all need the healing power of our Lord Jesus. Nothing else holds the keys to heal the anger and guilt, to restore a community and re-unite a victim with their adversary.
Pray for the reconciliation that is happening and needs to continue; for the widowed and orphans; for those who have loved ones in prison; for those in the prisons; for the leaders of Rwanda especially President Kagame.
Pray for the Church and her leaders to lead the way forward. For Archbishop Kolini and the entire House of Bishops. For Pastor Deo and Beatrice in our sister parish, and for the healing of the people there. For Laura Waters Hinson while she is in Rwanda this week, preparing to show “As We Forgive” there later this summer. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on their land. Let’s hold “hands” with our sister churches and commit to pray for them.