There is an old Rwandan proverb which says ‘God travels round the world during the day but returns to Rwanda at night’. However, since the horrific genocide of 1994 when almost a million people were slaughtered within a 100 days while the world stood by and watched, Rwandan people have said, ‘God has forgotten his way home.’
Bad news sells newspapers and makes headlines. But the good news is that Rwanda is beginning to prosper. The hand of God can clearly be seen in the significant changes within the country. Ordinary people are forgiving those who have caused them unbelievable harm. There is repentance and forgiveness which is leading to reconciliation amongst many. More children than ever before are attending school; the infrastructure and roads are being built across the country. There is hope, as ’God has certainly not forgotten his way home’.
Life is very hard for most Rwandans who work on the land on family plots for about 1$ (70p) a day. This small country is one of the poorest on earth and the principal causes of mortality and morbidity in Rwanda remain communicable diseases. These illnesses can mainly be prevented through better hygiene and behavioural change. AIDS and malaria are rife.
However All Saints Church in Barry and St Baruc’s in Barry Island have formed a link since 2004 to a very poor community of widows and orphans in Rwanda. Rowan Hughes on behalf of the church has recently re-visited the community to offer further help.
Barry parishioners have sent out monies to help fund a scheme within the Parish of Kiyombe. The Kiyombe Cow Scheme operates by providing cows and calves to poor widows and orphans who are working on a geranium growing co-operative called ‘Ikirezi’ meaning precious pearl in Kinyarwanda. The cows provide much needed milk and good quality manure for fertiliser on their small plots of land. The cows are cross bred being 75% Friesian and 25% local breeds (Ankole); they will provide a high milk yield but will also have a good degree of disease resistance. Widows and orphans are helping to grow geraniums which are distilled to provide essential oils. This oil has many uses including anti mosquito properties which are vital in the battle against malaria which is the biggest killer in Rwanda. Many of those on the co-operative have now put their children in school, have health insurance and are building relatively better homes.
The Kiyombe Cow Scheme grows, as cows are artificially inseminated and new calves are handed onto other poor family groups when they are a year old. Over 20 cows have been either born or purchased via the scheme which has now been expanded to included a dry area in the East of the Country called Kibungo
Within Rwanda new churches are being built and they continue to grow strongly. Despite their hardships there is a great deal of faith and hope for the future. The level of Christian faith and belief in Rwanda is very high indeed and when Rwandans hear from some visitors from the UK that they ‘don’t believe in God’ they are very shocked.
When they said ‘Never Again’ after the Holocaust, was it meant for some people and not for others? Apollon Kabahizi
Do look at the website at www.barryallsaints.org.uk or get in touch with Rowan Hughes on rmh1958 [email protected] for further details.
