Rwanda Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.
In April, 1994, tribal factions in the state of Rwanda, long cynical and untrusting of each other, fell into a three month genocide. The Hutus had been led to believe the lie that their Tutsi brothers were worthy of death. The result of this astrocity, which the world largely stood by and watched, ended with nearly a million Rwandans dead. Their bodies were scattered throughout the country. It was literally a three month long nightmare.
I never understood this event and its effect upon the present day country until four years ago when I went to the Genocide Memorial garden here in Kigali. I walked through the building stunned as I learned of what happened during this time. The killing was a non-stop slaughter, primarily with machetes, of men, women, children, and anyone suspected of sympathizing with the Tutsi tribe. The blood, the gore, the anger, the brutality and manner of death; it all brought me face to face with the most incredible evil I have ever known.
When I finished the tour with my wife and host, I walked outside in the garden and broke down weeping for what I had just witnessed. Since that day I understand Rwanda better, and I can appreciate the incredible transformation that has taken place here. Rwanda is now the jewel of Africa. Its president, Paul Kagame, has led the nation from the brink of depair to becoming one of the greatest examples of peacetime succcess stories the continent has ever witnessed. There is one primary key to this reality which everyone here instinctively knows and understands. It must never be allowed to happen again!
Today, I will have the privilege of handing both a Certificate of Completion and a Certificate of Graduation of Level One Training to over 50 jubilant Rwandan pastors from Global Baptist Training Foundation. Do you want to know who these men are? These are the replacement pastors who were picked one by one to replace those who had lost their lives during the genocide. Would you like to know the rest of the story?
In July of 1994, three short months after the slaughter happened, our host, pastor Denys went from village to village and church to church all over the devastated countryside and deliberately chose men from the Hutu tribe to be the replacement pastors in the churches all over this country. Why? Because he instinctively knew that if forgiveness and reconciliation was ever to take place, it would have to begin with the Christians and not the government.
Consequently, the non-participating pastors from the offending clan were chosen over the victim clan. Today all of these pastors, Tutsi and Hutu alike are no longer known by their tribe, they are known simply as Rwandans - Rwandans who love Jesus Christ and now are theologically and uniquely prepared to serve Him in their churches, communities, and nation.
Glory to God and much appreciation to all of our GBTF supporters and prayer warriors who are a part of this incredible ministry!
Eternity waits for the results.
I never understood this event and its effect upon the present day country until four years ago when I went to the Genocide Memorial garden here in Kigali. I walked through the building stunned as I learned of what happened during this time. The killing was a non-stop slaughter, primarily with machetes, of men, women, children, and anyone suspected of sympathizing with the Tutsi tribe. The blood, the gore, the anger, the brutality and manner of death; it all brought me face to face with the most incredible evil I have ever known.
When I finished the tour with my wife and host, I walked outside in the garden and broke down weeping for what I had just witnessed. Since that day I understand Rwanda better, and I can appreciate the incredible transformation that has taken place here. Rwanda is now the jewel of Africa. Its president, Paul Kagame, has led the nation from the brink of depair to becoming one of the greatest examples of peacetime succcess stories the continent has ever witnessed. There is one primary key to this reality which everyone here instinctively knows and understands. It must never be allowed to happen again!
Today, I will have the privilege of handing both a Certificate of Completion and a Certificate of Graduation of Level One Training to over 50 jubilant Rwandan pastors from Global Baptist Training Foundation. Do you want to know who these men are? These are the replacement pastors who were picked one by one to replace those who had lost their lives during the genocide. Would you like to know the rest of the story?
In July of 1994, three short months after the slaughter happened, our host, pastor Denys went from village to village and church to church all over the devastated countryside and deliberately chose men from the Hutu tribe to be the replacement pastors in the churches all over this country. Why? Because he instinctively knew that if forgiveness and reconciliation was ever to take place, it would have to begin with the Christians and not the government.
Consequently, the non-participating pastors from the offending clan were chosen over the victim clan. Today all of these pastors, Tutsi and Hutu alike are no longer known by their tribe, they are known simply as Rwandans - Rwandans who love Jesus Christ and now are theologically and uniquely prepared to serve Him in their churches, communities, and nation.
Glory to God and much appreciation to all of our GBTF supporters and prayer warriors who are a part of this incredible ministry!
Eternity waits for the results.
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