Less than Three Weeks to Rwanda!!

I decided to go in February, raised money to go and now the trip is almost upon us.

There are about twelve people  from the Simple Church in Bossier City, Louisiana going to Africa New Life ministries in Rwanda. I look forward to meeting Emmanuel, the boy my wife and I have sponsored over this last year.

I have learned a few words in kinyarwanda and I hope I don't look too foolish sharing those words.

Let me share some brief background on Rwanda and Africa New Life.

In 1994, the swiftest genocide in history took place in Rwanda. More than 800,000 people were killed in just 90 days. The brutality is unfathomable to us today.

Hutu and Tutsi, Rwanda’s two most dominant ethnic groups at the time of the genocide, warred against each other. During Belgian colonization in the early 1900s, the minority Tutsis were given favor and considered superior to the majority Hutus. Hutu resentment built up. In 1959, more than 20,000 Tutsis were killed by angry Hutus. Thousands of Tutsis fled Rwanda and settled in neighboring countries: Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, Burundi.

In 1962, when Belgium pulled out of Rwanda, the Hutus took over the government. With the Hutus in power, the minority Tutsis were blamed for every problem and crisis in the country. Political tension increased.

Tutsi refugees—with support from some moderate Hutus—in Uganda formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) with an aim to overthrow the then-current President, Juvenal Habyarimana, a moderate Hutu, and return to their home country. President Habyarimana exploited the RPF’s threat. As a result, Tutsis still living in Rwanda were accused of being RPF collaborators and were mistreated.

In April 1994, President Habyarimana’s plane was shot down. No one knows who actually ordered the assassination. Regardless, the assassination was then blamed on the RPF and the killing spree began. Overnight, roadblocks were put up and thousands were armed with machetes, guns and clubs. Three months later, 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus had been slaughtered.

Between 250,000 and 500,000 women were raped during the 1994 genocide, which is believed to be the cause of the AIDS epidemic in Rwanda. Due to the genocide and the ensuing HIV/AIDS epidemic, more than 600,000 orphans lived in Rwanda by 2001.

Since the 1994 genocide, Rwanda is rebuilding itself. Many people involved in the genocide were tried and put to death or imprisoned. The educational system is strengthening. The economy is rapidly growing. There is growing reconciliation in Rwanda.

exists to break the cycle of poverty in Rwanda by providing education, spiritual insight and basic necessities to poor children and families. Since 2001, Africa New Life has shared the gospel using two hands: the hand of compassion—helping to meet basic needs and give hope for the future to those living in poverty in Rwanda—and the hand of evangelism—sharing the freedom and hope found in Christ.

Africa New Life