Sunday in Rwanda

Children's Dance Troupe

by Gale Wiley

Sunday was an emotional roller coaster.

We began the day with rain beating on the roof of Cathedrale St. Ettrenne as we watched an Episcopalian (not Anglican as I reported earlier) service. A choir of young people (drum, electric piano, and guitar) sang hymns in African harmonies. The text of hymns were displayed for the congregation in PowerPoint slides high up on a wall behind the priest.

Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness , holiness is what you want to give to me…

Next we visited the Kigali Genocide Museum.

Imagine your neighbor whom you've known for years suddenly knocking on your door. He carries a machete. His intention is to kill you and your family. Imagine this scene and mass killings sprouting up around the country. This was the story in 1994 when the Hutus slaughtered between 800,000 and a million Tutsis.

The genocide museum like the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. is not for the faint of heart. You begin with the early divisions and hatreds between the tribes, the effect of colonialists, the brutal power struggles between the tribes, the slaughter, and now 15 years later and a long period of reconciliation, relative peace.

The museum is well worth the visit.

In the afternoon we dropped in on the Rwamakondera Children’s Dance Troupe where children performed tribal dances, following the tradition of each dancer soloing to hypnotic drums and chants.

In the evening we had dinner with Dan and Campbell Vogel who work with Bridge2Rawanda and who are helping teams make contact with Rwanda government officials.

On Monday teams with Rwanda ministry officials and begin their work, making contact with NGOs, hospitals, manufacturers, and suppliers.