“Sometimes in April” – a film I was given by a friend
to watch, to understand the tragedy that happened 20 years ago.
April 7 is named by the United Nations (UN) as the Day of
Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide. This day commemorates the
deaths of 800,000 people who were murdered in central Africa.
Every year around the world Rwandan communities
commemorate it. Why remember? Not to
repeat it again! It also takes time to
heal, to embrace the pain, to recover, to be able to speak about things. With time new details are emerging, giving
closure, justice, understanding and reconciliation. Adventist review has many posts this week
sharing inspirational stories.
Twenty years ago in its May 12, 1994, edition, Adventist
Review reported how
United Nations troops helped evacuate more than 200 foreign students from 18
African and European countries from the Adventist University of Central Africa
(AUCA). About 70 expatriate
teachers and staff from all over the world who were employed there were also
evacuated to Goma, just across the border from Rwanda, a few downhill miles
away. Some staff members stayed
behind, buried the bodies, kept the school farm going, and protected the
property from further looting. One man by the name of Sosthène saved the lives
of 104 people by hiding them on his property at the peril of his own life. One
of them, Amon Rugelinyange, went on to become president of the Rwanda Union
Mission.
Being
a Christian was not indicative of how one would act. There are many Christians in name only. While some Christians in Rwanda turned into
“savage beasts,” others chose to follow the selfless example of Christ, putting
his life on the line for the sake of his neighbor. One of the heroes is Carl Wilkens, who served
as ADRA director in Kigali at that time, and did not leave but continued
serving. He was the only American who
stayed until July there.
In a
recent interview he says “our denomination failed horribly in the genocide.. .
.We need to address the issue: why?... What resources did the church have, its
chains of command? How could we have
taken advantage of these resources to prevent something like this from
happening? Has the church learned from the genocide? We need to understand what
happened, perhaps make a case study out of it and teach it, especially since we
interpret the genocide as a ‘trailer’ of end-time events.” WOW!
The troubles of today are just a preview of the future end-times
tribulation that is yet to come upon the world.
Are we ready? Are we using our
influence, our relationships to make a difference, to offer salvation?
I am
reflecting on this as Russian intervention and annexation of Crimea rom Ukraine
continues. Is our church capable of
helping people? As citizens of heaven
how do we make a difference in countries we reside now? Can we go beyond fear, indifference,
self-protection, political correctness, non involvement and provide the
Sanctuary for people in need? Do we love
enough to care?
As a
culturally diverse congregation we have a potential for making a difference in
London, offering a model for friendship and multicultural relations. Are we doing it? Are we mingling with people who are
different? This is the time to get ready
for final manifestation of God’s Love in our lives.
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