an offensive truth

"Now my debt is paid
It is paid in full
By the precious blood
That my Jesus spilled"

"Jesus paid it all

All to him I owe,

Sin had left a crimson 

stain, He washed it white

as snow"

These were the words Rwandese believers of Jesus sang together in one voice. Epiphany: Even some genocide perpetrators could be among us, also uttering these same words. Does this truth also apply to them? I mean they massacred strangers and neighbors alike. They planned this attack-- It was well organized. At times they even denied doing this treacherous act. Generations will forever be marked by this moment in time. How could this beautiful sacrifice also apply to them? AN OFFENSIVE TRUTH, offered to ALL by one man: Jesus. Is He really a just God? The rain falls on the just and unjust. It seems He isn't selective. 

Kelly

She gave up vacation time to come help. A well versed woman in literature, world affairs, and supporter of Hillary Clinton for President. Woman power. My companion for 2 weeks who never failed to make us laugh even while she led our academic boot camp. For many hours and days, she sat with our girls so they could get extra english speaking practice. A fabulous coach, wonderful encourager, and generous giver. Kelly, you are already missed.

Jeri really LOVED Kelly. Someone had a little crush

Jeri

Mischievous and oh, tooo charming. Jeri belongs to Susan and James Mbabazi. Susan, my new african sista, is OAD program manager. A sacrificial woman who laid aside her personal dreams so others can find their own AND she's happy to do it. Dreadlocks-wearing suburban-looking US mom (as kelly would put it). I gotta say, Susan rocks the dreads so much so that I even considered doing the same. Don't worry mom, I'll pierce my nose before I get dreads.

Josiane

Orphaned at age 2, another genocide victim. For many years only ate one meal a day. She was taken in by her extended family who supplied her emotional and physical needs. The trajectory of her life was altered when a Jewish school (Agahozo Shalom Village) took her in and educated her. Jojo, from early childhood, jumped many hurdles in life, one of which is her lagging behind academically. Upon taking the pre SAT, she confessed that it was her first time to see such word problems. She made an average score. She is innovative, sharp, and quite perceptive.

Her dream: to be an agro-business woman and own many houses to rent out so the money goes to helping fund other children's education. The hardest worker among many. Her fight for abundant life will take her beyond our biggest dreams. Her relentless pursuit for MORE deems her worthy of the best life can offer. Go, girl!

The following excerpt is written by Kelly Uphoff (white lady pictured up top)

Hotel des Mille Collines (Hotel Rwanda)

Genocide. To me, it felt like the 1994 Genocide permeated everything. Not that it was audibly and observably spoken about to us (and it is of course inappropriate to ask people about it unsolicited unless maybe you are close with them). However, signs (literally and metaphorically) of it abound and once you hear several personal stories you can feel it in the air. I would go as far as to say that anyone spending time in Rwanda has an obligation to visit the memorial in Kigali. The grounds serve as mass graves and there is a great museum that demonstrated how my previous and limited knowledge of the genocide was a major misunderstanding. In my mind, the genocide was a spontaneous burst of ethnic violence that pitted neighbor against neighbor. At the museum, however, you learn that it was a well-coordinated and methodically organized campaign with deep roots in colonialism, eugenics, the impotence of the UN, the complicity of the French, the blind eye of the US, class conflict, organized militias, a corrupt government, and other factors like the ethnic distinctions of “Hutu” and “Tutsi” that was largely created by the Belgians, who divided Rwandans based on cow ownership (seriously) and the misguided Eugenics-related association between Caucasian features and intelligence. These distinctions were exploited by internal and colonial powers, with one group favored over another. Mix in a little propaganda and the other markings of a pre-genocidal build-up, and you know the rest...

You can taste redemption here in this beautiful country. AMAZING!