Third Day:Inyakurama Women

Muraho! (greetings)

Diane here.  This is our third full day and we are now in Musanze, which is in the northwestern part of Rwanda, near the boarders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.  

We had the opportunity to spend an hour or so touring the Sonrise Primary and Secondary schools.  The order of the school and the children themselves were amazing.  Every classroom we walked into, we were greeted with song.  We saw the cafeteria pre-lunch.  All the food – a plate of rice, beans and veggies – was waiting for them.  We’ll post pictures and dialogue of the cafeteria setting, the kids, and the “Presidential” cow later.

This afternoon was the most amazing and touching experience.  We spent several hours with the Inyakurama ministry, which blossomed out of the long-standing Mothers Union, to bring reconciliation and hope to women survivors of the genocide.  After the genocide, many women were left without husbands and means of providing for themselves.  Many have shared with previous groups that they were afraid to go outside for fear of reprisal for being a Hutu or continuing to fear for their lives as a Tutsi – they were utterly alone and had no hope.  This ministry offers community to these women, teaches them skills, and helps them provide for themselves.  Through their faith in Jesus, believing that He cares for them and looks after orphans and widows, they now have hope.  Because of the changes in their lives and circumstances, they proclaim these blessings are from God and not of their own doing.

The women danced and prayed for us (I think Amy will talk about that part of the meeting a little later) and we also had a very real conversation about women’s issues.  We talked about providing for families with the rising food prices, what men think of their wives/relatives being successful in business, teenage rebellion, sex before marriage and drug use.  It was amazing how much we had in common.  While the weight of issues they face is much heavier than those of American women, it was mind opening to recognize that we face many of the same fundamental problems.  I am inspired to help these women create markets for their goods, but also to ensure that their stories of hope are shared with those who are not privileged enough to encounter them face-to-face.