How Will We Remember?

Tomorrow, April 7th, 2010 is the 16th anniversary date of the first day of the Rwandan Genocide. In 1994, hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were brutally killed. Whole families were killed with no one left to tell their story. Survivors are marked not only with large bodily scars from being hacked by machetes but forever scarred with memories of the unimaginable. I have read that in only 100 days about 1,174,000 people were killed. That's about 10,0000 people murdered every day, 400 every hour, 7 every minute. Imagine the images (I won't post any gruesome photos). There are many, many books, movies, and websites that tell the horrible history.

April 7th is Genocide Memorial Day in Rwanda. I realize this is a day my family will need to commemorate in the future. It makes me wonder how will we do this. I hate having to make this personal and real in my life. Ask my husband... any movie or book that involves war or human atrocities I avoid. The pain is too real and disturbing. I know evil exists in human and spiritual form. Knowing how I am, I will probably focus on what this means for our lives... teaching our children about the importance of respect for different people and their cultures- something that we will be living out. I will be looking toward others who have walked this path and learn from them.

The beautiful thing is that God has done an amazing work in Rwanda since that time. My husband and I had the privilege of hearing the Rwanda president talk at our church last year on the topic of reconciliation. Paul Kagame has an amazing testimony and leads Rwanda with the heart of God. I'm happy to be part of a church that encourages individuals to get involved and help others, locally and across the world. The Bible teaches us that every ordinary Christian is a minister and missionary (don't leave it to the "professionals"). Your life counts and you can make a difference. Take a few moments to remember (or learn more about what happened in the genocide) and pray for the survivors and for the continued reconciliation and development of the Rwandan people.