Outside of the concentration camps in Austria and Germany, there's a sign. On this sign, in many different languages, it simply says, "Never Again". After spending ten days in Rwanda, I wish that promise had been kept and the voice of justice and peace would have rung true.
Before we even left on this journey to Rwanda, we spent some time talking about it and we watched a documentary. During the video, it talked about the makings, the warning signs, the beginnings, the full on horror, and the current reconciliation projects. They also talked about the U.N. and the western nations which debated what "genocide" actually meant and if Rwanda was a genocide or something else. They debated while over 800,000 people lost their lives in a blood bath. Just watching the documentary was enough to make my heart break.
Genocide is always ugly. It is always a representation of the darkness in the human heart. However, Rwanda was different. It was a genocide the effects every corner of the country. The killing was done by neighbors, childhood friends, and fellow church-goers. One of the most horrifying experience of my life was standing in a Church where over ten thousand people were murdered. The churches were thought to be a refuge, but those who worshiped together then killed each other in the same place.
I knew the story of Rwanda well. However, I had no idea what being here, in the building, walking through the mass grave, and hearing stories from those who lived through it would do to me. It literally changed my heart in ways I do not even understand yet.
I also was hit by the fact that this happened in my lifetime. Darfur happened in my life time. The LRA and child soldiers happened in my life time. This isn't ancient history. This is history for my generation, too. In the movie Hotel Rwanda, a news reporter got footage of the massacre. They ask him if he can get it out to the world and help them. He looks at them and says something to the effect of, I'm sorry, but the western world will see this on their tv's and say "oh, that's sad, and go back to eating their dinners."
I never want to be so desensitized that I can see such an injustice and simply go back to eating my dinner.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
