What a difference a few hours can make. Less than 24 hours ago, we were dancing, singing and joining in a totally joyful celebration. Any words chosen to describe the night would center around joy! This morning we went to the Rwandan National Genocide Memorial to join hundreds of genocide survivors in a ceremony for their official Day of Mourning. Even after processing the events of this morning for a number of hours, there are just no words to describe what we witnessed. The ceremony began with poignant music expressing grief, terror, unimaginable suffering. Two genocide survivors shared their own personal experiences. It is one thing to read about it, see movies or documentaries about the horror, but it is quite another to hear first hand from someone reliving atrocities before your eyes. As they spoke, the cries of those overcome with grief, experiencing what appeared to be flashbacks to what they endured, began to ring out over the enormous crowd. Special volunteers quickly responded to assist those needing support, medical care, and comfort. Their wails pierced our hearts. What they cried out, from Peace’s interpreting, revealed horrific memories, such unfathomable grief and wounds that reached into their souls. The crowds remained calm. Other speakers shared gratitude for those who have come since the latest genocide to help Rwanda recover and expressed hope for their country, pleading for peace, unity, commitment to not allow this horror to occur ever again, and for the people to have a resolve to be strong.
We surely participated in a sacred event this morning. Though we will never truly understand what these people have endured, for that point in time, we shared a small measure of their pain. We were compelled to pray in a way that I doubt we have before. For those moments, we were granted the privilege and pain of joining in their suffering.
I truly can’t find the words to express the depths of the sorrow and pain we witnessed, and this after fourteen years have passed.
Tomorrow as we meet with the widows and orphans who remain, our hearts will no doubt be more tender, our desire to walk alongside them dearer, and our prayers more fervent as a result of this day, as well as even more desire to support this ministry.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
II Cor. 5: 17-20
Diane
3 comments:
Diane, your description of today was powerful. The Genocide Memorial is in itself an overwhelming experience. I can't imagine hearing people voice their grief aloud on that site. The timing of your visit, to be in Rwanda on this day of remembrance, couldn't have been better. When we enter into another's sorrow, there is no sweeter fellowship or understanding.
Praying, thanking God for you.
Debbie
Diane,
I am brought to tears with your words describing today. I am so glad that the timing was such that you all got to take part in the ceremony. It makes what you all are doing there even more important.
Please tell Jason that I love and miss him! Thanks so much.
John and Diane,
Nancy Langford and I were wondering if you sent the Rwanda/Burundi trip blog address to the people who came to the Orlando event that Peace spoke at. We don't have their email addresses, but Suzanne might have brought them with her on the trip.
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