I had the privilege of going to Rwanda with Comfort International in the summer. It was a wonderful trip, and I particularly appreciated the team that I was with –Â kindness, thoughtfulness and love in every moment!Â
Going out on this trip, I was very conscious of the history of Rwanda and the genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. I wondered how people managed to live again after years of such violence and brutality. Visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial was beyond moving and elicited so many tears, as you heard the different very personal and complex stories, and of the frustration of General Dallaire, the Commander of the UN Peacekeeping mission, at the lack of action from the international community.
The genocide was the context to everywhere we visited and all the people we met in the next two weeks. We visited genocide survivors up in the western hills, who shared their stories of what had happened to them, and the family members that they had lost. Seeing the pain in the eyes of these widows, and the awfulness of missing close family members for so long, showed us their extraordinary courage and faith in the most unimaginable circumstances. A particular story of forgiveness between two people in devastating circumstances was both challenging and inspiring, and will I think be remembered by all of us forever. Comfort International and their partner organisations such as Good News International support many individuals and communities where the ongoing consequences of the killings all these years ago are still very real. Everyone is a shaped by these events, whether it was personal memories or of family members.Â
We also visited other amazing partners – for example Solace ministries, who continue to bring a holistic approach of counselling, prayer and support for those who need a safe place to heal after trauma and violence. God blesses this ministry, and vulnerable people can find people who will listen to their stories, and who understand them. God’s healing grace brings transformation and hope to many.
Listening to these stories were heartbreaking, but hearing of their hope and desire to rebuild was wonderful. We visited Comfort Babies, a number of the Street Children’s projects eg at Giranze, and a vocational centre to see how God’s love was being shared with every generation. Being involved in the building of the Transformation Centre ( I did some not very great painting! ) was also unforgettable, as being able to offer accommodation to some of those most in need in the future is so important to keep vulnerable children and adults safe. So much work has already been done here – it will be exciting to see it finally finished.
I feel so privileged to see the work of Comfort International and their partners first hand. Callum and Izzy led wisely and with style, we met so many Rwandan team members, who are dedicated and full of the love of Christ for all. We listened, danced, sang, did drama with every age group, and were so humbled by the way that God is working through this important ministry. It is life changing to visit, and if you feel you might be called to go on such a trip, do pray and talk to one of the Comfort Team for more information.
 I will close with the words of Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko from Buvaku- ‘the only response to the excess of evil, is the excess of love.’ An excess of love is what I experienced on this trip, and I would just invite you to consider praying, and giving to support these ministries that are making such a difference in seeking to build a new future for people of all ages in Rwanda today.