Sunday, September 2, 2007

Friday 6/28/07


The beautiful faces and sincere smiles

of the Rwandan people will stay with me

forever.


What can be written about Rwanda that hasn’t been? Immaculee and Bishop John Rucyahanna's books have done so much for me. Immaculee’s personal witness of tragedy and hope – so moving and personal. Bishop John’s socio-political-historical perspective had so much of Immaculee’s depth (Don't pray for him to DIE - Pray for HIM to CHANGE video) but with a wide angle lens. The message from both: faith, love, forgiveness. Both seemed to use forgiveness almost as a weapon, at least a defense. “I wish he was alive and I could see him again. I’d forgive him.”






I cannot understand what these two have gone through. What Rwanda (Rwanda music video) has gone through. Their loss. Their pain. Imagine their pain and loss times millions – as millions were directly affected by the genocide. I cannot imagine the guilt of those who raised machetes against their neighbors. How must they feel to encounter the survivors? How could their lives ever return to anything close to normal? How can they not think of what they have done?


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