Facing the Genocide

Elijah and Jean, Founder of Solace Ministries

For over a year, I believe the Lord has been preparing me to travel to Rwanda. I believed (and still do a little) it would have been for our next adoption, not for a missions trip.

I can't recall which came first, our church adopting the village of Mugina or reading my first book about the genocide. Shortly after both of these things took place, Jean Gakwandi, founder of Solace Ministries and a survivor himself, came to Wisconsin for the first time. I wasn't as involved with our Missions Ministry at the time but was excited to hear from him at the spaghetti fundraiser dinner planned. Imagine my son's excitement when Jean came into his classroom that Sunday and told the children he's from Africa. My (then 4 year old) jumped out of his chair and said "I'm from Africa too! I was born in E-P-O-pia (Ethiopia)". I think this picture captures how happy Elijah is to meet another person from Africa, in his own church!

David and I attend the fundraiser dinner with about 200 other people to hear about the ministry Jean had started 14 years ago that helps widows and orphans rebuild their lives after total devastation. What an amazing ministry God has called him to.

So after listening to Jean, his testimony and survival story, I knew I needed to find out for myself and research the genocide. The first thing I did was watch the movie, Hotel Rwanda. I had prepared myself, knowing this would be incredibly difficult. And, oh man, it certainly was. Next I read a book that tells of a woman who survived by hiding in a bathroom with (I believe) four or five other women called "Left to Tell". The following book was a collection of survival stories from several people called "Beauty from Ashes". That book has Jean's survival story included that I've now read over and over again. Most recently, I've read "My Father, Maker of the Trees" about a man who survived by hiding in a tree for weeks during the genocide. If interested in learning more about the Rwanda genocide, I would say the movie is the least graphic. Or maybe you need to read one of these books to understand how horrific this experience was for them. All are available on Amazon.com.

This week, I'm gearing up for my rummage sale! The generous folks who have helped with contributions is amazing. I am so humbled by people willing to help me with this, I can't even describe how thankful I am for each of you who have helped in one way or another. <3

Please continue to pray for this trip as God prepares my heart. I'll be sharing the gospel with people who (most likely) may have never heard of Jesus. Pray that I would be able to put my thoughts together to clearly articulate a way to sponsor children in Mugina through our church. And finally, my study time has been primarily through the book of Acts to prepare for this trip. Pray God would speak to me through this text and I would learn with new eyes things He would be teaching me.

In His Name,
Amanda