ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 24, 2008
Lutherans, Others Gather for Youth Conference in Rwanda Since Genocide
08-050-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Considered to be the first ecumenical
youth gathering in Rwanda since the 1994 genocide there, more
than 100 high-school-age and young adult Christians from six
African countries and the United States gathered March 27-30 for
the "Great Lakes Youth Conference: We are the Future of Africa!"
in Kigali, Rwanda. Participants, 75 of them Lutheran, gathered
to "bear witness" to the more than 1 million people killed in the
genocide and to work toward building a future of peace.
In an effort to come to terms with what happened in Rwanda,
participants planned visits to two churches where killings took
place and arranged to hear testimonies from Rwandans who
witnessed and participated in the killing of the Tutsi people.
The visits stirred up suppressed grief and anger, said
Gaylord M. Thomas. "They cried and heaved at the sight of bones
and blood-stained walls," he said. "Most of the kids at the
conference had mothers and fathers, grandparents, aunts and
uncles, and other family members that died in the genocide."
Thomas is program director for East Africa, Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) Global Mission.
Most of the "clothing, bones and skulls" of Rwandans killed
still remain, particularly in the church in Ntarama where 5,000
people in hiding died when a grenade detonated, said Thomas.
Participants also visited the Catholic church in Nyamata, run by
a Belgian priest and Rwandan nuns who offered 10,000 Tutsis safe
haven but soon afterward turned them over to be killed. The
priest and nuns were later some of the first people tried for war
crimes.
"But in the midst of the horror and tremendous sadness
experienced by the young people, there was healing," said Thomas.
A man explained to us what he saw during the genocide, said
Elizabeth Masolele, 20, a participant from Tanzania now living in
California. "He participated in the killing of the Tutsi," and
it "was really hard for him to explain everything that happened,"
said Masolele. "He was trying to apologize to Tutsi youth at the
conference," she said. "Some people seemed to have understood
and forgave him."
"I want to advise youth all over the world (that) I think we
should learn from what happened in Rwanda," said Masolele.
People need to pray that such a thing will never ever happen
again, she said.
The Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR), Kigali, hosted the
gathering with support from ELCA Global Mission, Lutheran Office
for World Community, New York, and the Lutheran World Federation,
Geneva.
"We want you to transform the world by becoming peaceful,
(calling for) justice and forgiving our enemies," the Rev. George
W. Kalisa, bishop, LCR, told youth at the conference. Know the
value of all humankind, he said. "We see sorrowful images, but
with God's trust we are urged to love each other, help each other
and work hard."
Other highlights of the youth conference included sessions
on learning to start and maintain a small business, tips on
effective project management skills, learning how to open a bank
account, media training, worship, music and more.
"In the United States we have this inherent right to gather,
to meet with one another," said Emily Davila, assistant to the
director, Lutheran Office for World Community. "The youth in
Rwanda have the same desire to gather, and they place a lot of
value in meeting with one another. We should support youth
leadership development in all of our (Lutheran) companion
churches, and encourage and accompany youth in their endeavors,"
said Davila, adding that participants of the conference in Rwanda
consider their gathering to be the first youth gathering for
Lutherans there.
Davila, the Rev. David Ntidendeza, youth minister, LCR, and
Monica Victorious, assistant to the bishop, LCR, planned the
conference. Participants took the initiative in leading the
conference, held at the Presbyterian Centre, Kigali.
Participants were from Burundi, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania and the United States,
and represented Anglican, Assembly of God, Catholic, Lutheran and
Presbyterian churches, as well as the YWCA. Participants from
the United States came from the ELCA Sierra Pacifica Synod,
Oakland, Calif.
The youth conference was funded in part by a grant from the
2006 ELCA Youth Gathering, San Antonio, Texas.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
