Day 2: Sunday July 17

Today we visited the Genocide Memorial Center in Kilgali, one of many genocide memorials throughout the country. It was, by far, one of the most moving experiences in my life. Genocide is a familiar story with the Holocaust, and god knows other examples through history, but there are a few things that really are unique here. One is the sheer brutality of the genocide. 800,000 people killed in less than 3 months. Even the Nazi’s couldn’t kill people that quick, and they made it a science. Infants, women, children, anyone. Family killing family, neighbor killing neighbor. The stories and testimonials of horror beyond anyone’s imagination. The movie Hotel Rwanda doesn’t do it justice. Two was the utter incompetence of the international community to do anything at all. We knew about it, we saw it happening, yet we did nothing, and even worse we just left for the killing to get even worse. Finally is the amazing transformation that’s happening here. The victims and perpetrators living in peace. This is a people that completely redefines what forgiveness is all about.

One of the most moving exhibits was the display of children and infant skulls, innocent souls killed during the genocide. Bashed in skulls, bullet holes, etc, the most brutal evidence of violence. Also, family photos of infants, some several months old, displayed in 4 foot murals with descriptions of how they died. One infant of 6 months was machete in her mother’s arms. It goes on and on…

The purpose of memorial is to keep the memory of the genocide alive, so the Rwandan people, and quite honestly the West, do not forgot what happened here. But not for revenge, for forgiveness and healing.

I arrived here with skepticism. I still am. Are these people for real? Can you really forgive such horror? Are the people that are part of the national healing just in it for the money, a sort of moral way of making a living?

There was a prayer for Emma and I at the end of the day. The pastor thanked God for bringing us to Rwanda and allowing us the opportunity to help others, but what struck me the most was she thanked Him for maybe opening our eyes, giving us an opportunity to learn and grow. I came here thinking I was the one that could help, but quite honestly, it is I that needed the help.