he sang into the grave

A few days ago, we were honored to spend an afternoon with Archbishop Kolini. He is the head of the Rwandan Anglican Church (along with some Episcopal Churches in America who left U.S. control following their ordination of a homosexual bishop). Archbishop (or “Arch” as we affectionately call him!) is an extraordinary man. I have written and spoken of him before.

Arch drove us out to Bugesera to check in on a couple of really wonderful projects. Bugesera is now about a 25 minute drive from Kigali. The first time I went to Bugesera (2006) it was a 2 ½ hour drive. The government has really been investing in building good roads to connect the country, I tell you. They even have a new bridge that goes over the “Nile” that separates the Kigali and Bugesera provinces. (It’s not really the Nile, though it may be a tributary of the Nile. Like most central African countries, Rwanda claims to be the source of the Nile. Even the Arch calls it the Nile, saying: “It takes a lot of Rwandan soil to feed the Egyptians.”) I was really happy to see the new bridge because the old one may have been more dangerous than going to see the gorillas! As we were crossing the bridge, Arch said to me, “Ryan, during the genocide many of our people hid there in the swamps for several months. Eight of our children were born there.”

One of the real success stories in Bugesera is the Mother’s Union. It was formed by a woman in the diocese who lost her husband in the genocide. Like many women, she needed a way to find a way forward with life. This included a need for income, opportunity for children, emotional support, spiritual nurturing, and forgiveness in her heart.

The first Mother’s Union was formed there in Bugesera as women came together to meet and pray. They got a small grant and expanded their fellowship to include making soap. The business took off and they then opened a commissary. They expanded that by carrying trays amongst the people after weddings and church. They got a grant to buy a car to carry their soap to further areas. This time, we arrived to see their massive hall they are building. Really, it is quite something to see. They have build it to hold almost 1000 people. They will host weddings and big groups. The hall is having the floor installed now and with a little more money and work, it will be done. Bugesera is the site of a new international airport (which will be built when the government finds a way to fund it!). Because of the new road and new airport, these women are well situated.

Perhaps the greatest success has been in the area of reconciliation. Women are working, living, and praying side by side with one another. This includes women who lost their husband in the genocide and those women whose husbands are in prison for participating in the genocide. It has taken time, but God has worked among them. They are now focused on replicating the groups in Bugesera and around the country. They have over 750 groups now operating!

As we were walking past the church in the diocese compound next to the new women's hall, Arch turned and addressed me. During the genocide, the interhamwe came here because the pastor had been reported to be a "cockroach." They demanded that our pastor call his people to the church so that they could be killed. The pastor refused so they decided to drown him in the Nile. When they got to the riverside, the pastor asked for a moment to pray. His captors stopped and listened as the pastor prayed his prayers and concluded by asking for God to forgive his murderers. With that, they led the pastor into the water as he sang hymns to God. He sang into his grave.