In the spring of 1994 Rwanda President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane exploded from a missile attack, killing everyone on board. Hours later the country plummeted into mayhem.
Machetes, hand grenades, farming tools, bulldozers and fire became weapons in the hands of the Hutu militia, government soldiers and Rwandan citizens. The target — the Tutsi ethnic group, who were suspected of orchestrating the assassination of the president. About 800,000 Tutsis — along with moderate Hutus — were slaughtered during the 100-day genocide, which ended when the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country.
Ten years later reconciliation and healing has become a reality in some areas of the country of 8 million people. Tutsis and Hutus are working together in some settings, and the churches have had a part in bringing these groups together.
Practicing forgiveness
Bruce Wilkerson, a senior vice president at the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision, said, “The premise that forgiveness is central to the Christian faith has led to a people recovering from their trauma more quickly because religion plays such a huge role in African life.”
Christianity Today reports a surge among Protestants, accounting now for 43.9 percent of the population. Catholics make up 49.6 percent of the population, while Muslims account for 4.6 percent.
Rusty Pugh, the International Mission Board (IMB) strategy facilitator for Rwanda, said rebuilding trust in the church has been a major obstacle for Christians. During the genocide some churches turned away people seeking refuge, he explained. Those people were killed. “There were so many killed in the churches that most people don’t want anything to do with God,” Pugh said. “They feel like He wasn’t there when they needed Him most.”
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