Heads bowed in the Meyer Science Center lecture hall in a moment of silence Tuesday night, silently lifting up prayers and remembering those slaughtered in the Rwandan Genocide 21 years ago, where the Hutu tribe killed 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsis within 100 days. Sophomore Richard Ndekezi, a native Rwandan, initiated the night and the moment of silence. Globus hosted the event, titled “Redeeming Rwanda.”
Senior Nathan Heath, president of Globus, began the night by saying we do not focus on moment of silence, he said it is good to pause and remember but also to note change.
Although much of the labor force was eliminated in the Genocide when people killed their good friends and neighbors under a government that taught hatred and discrimination, Rwanda is now ranked the least corrupt country in Africa and is in the top ranks of the World Bank annual business reports. Reconciliation occurs through grassroot courts, and forgiveness is extended to anybody. The government says there are no Hutus or Tutsis, only Rwandans.
Genocide survivor Frida Gashumba called in from Ohio as the main speaker of the night. She told her own story or reconciliation after she watched her grandparents, parents and five siblings die. Gashumba herself was knocked unconscious and buried alive until someone heard her screams and dug her out.
Gashumba did not cry until later when she realized that everybody she knew and loved had been killed. She was angry and in pain and in denial for a while. She spent time in a refugee camp with some relatives of her murdered mother but said she was “hard to love” because she was “so broken.”
However, at the age of 18, Gashumba gave her life to Christ and found hope in Him. She said she finally had a reason to live. Despite the horrors she underwent, Gashumba knew others had it worse. For example, she knew some women were raped and contracted HIV, and others were mothers whose children and husbands had died. She said that with this in mind, she is inspired to live another day. A panel of students and faculty from Wheaton answered questions for an hour after Gashumba spoke. The panel began with Captain David Iglesias and Ndekezi, with Professor Carla Lovett joining upon an impromptu request. She was attending the event with her Contemporary African History class. Gashumba participated over the phone. Part way though, Lovett returned to the audience and allowed second year grad student and Rwandan Pastor Emmanuel Ndolimana to take her place when Ndekezi called him out to answer a spiritual question.
Ndolimana and Ndekezi pointed out that Rwanda has much to teach the world, and Lovett agreed that the modern day country is a model of Christian love and a “model to develop a theology of conflict-resolution.”
Ndekezi said, “The Rwanda we are describing (in this event) is the Rwanda of 20 years ago … The Rwanda of today is a different one. It’s a Rwanda where businesses are booming … where parents are sending their children to school … where everybody is looking for opportunities … we help bring peace to other war-torn areas.”
“It’s a country on the move, and it’s a country in which the Gospel has penetrated,” Ndekezi added.
Ndekezi said in an interview, “If Wheaton students want to see God’s practical work, it is important that they care about the Rwandan genocide. Rwanda is a key evidence that God can transform us regardless of how deep in sin we are. It’s hard to believe that in a country where at least 1 million people perished, the perpetrators and the victims now can sit together in churches, can work together and laugh together.”
“Rwanda is a demonstration that forgiveness is real,” Ndekezi continued. “This forgiveness would not have been possible if God was not in the midst of the initiators of this process. Therefore, Wheaton students definitely have skirmishes on different things sometimes, but if someone can forgive a person who killed her entire family, can’t you forgive someone who wronged you on a much smaller way?”
Rwandan native Ndolimana said, “At Wheaton I did a tough course, Systematic Theology. Though it was a lot of work, I feel that I’ve been equipped to articulate theology in appraising the issues … (I) can contextualize it and develop a theology to deal with the issues back home where we don’t have the resources … I’ll be going back to train others. That’s how I can appreciate the Wheaton community that’s been there for me.”
Ndolimana travels throughout Africa and the world to preach. “We are looking to be part of the global Rwandan story to tell it to the world. It’s not only the Rwandan story — it’s the story of Jesus Christ.”