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The presence of brothers in Nairobi makes it possible to maintain links with many people in East Africa. From 13 to 23 November 2010, two of the brothers visited Rwanda. They took part in the annual forum for young Catholics that was organised this year at Gikongoro. Two thousand participants from all over the country, as well as delegations from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, came together for four days of reflection and prayer on the theme “Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The brothers were invited to lead a time of prayer around the Cross on the Friday afternoon, followed by an itinerant prayer that made its way across the city. On Sunday 21 November, at the St Paul Centre in Kigali, young people who had taken part in previous meetings prepared a day of reflection on baptism. The brothers also followed up contacts with various Church leaders: Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini and his newly elected successor at the head of the Episcopalian Church, Onesephore Rwaje; Pastor Pascal Bataringaya, vice-president of the Presbyterian Church; Bishop Servilien Nzakamwita of Byumba, in charge of youth ministry in the Catholic Church. Young people from Rwanda are taking part in retreats organised by the brothers in Nairobi. Over two hundred participants, from Kenya and different neighbouring countries have signed on to take part in the meetings during the first half of December. In April-May 2009 Two brothers from Taizé visited Rwanda where they met the young people who had taken part in the meeting in Nairobi – a stage of the pilgrimage of trust on earth – in November 2008. The region of Kibuye In Kigali, Butare, Kabgayi, Kibuye and Ruhengeri, we meet those that participated in the meeting in Nairobi. The presence there of two hundred and sixty Rwandans had made a strong impression on the Kenyans. It is good to be able to pass this message on and to thank them for having made the journey. After watching the film of this stage of the Pilgrimage of Trust, everyone had the chance to share what had particularly touched them. Several recurring themes emerged: the warm and attentive welcome offered by the families, the sense of unity despite all differences of origin and background, the moment of corporate silence at the centre of each prayer. “We didn’t know who was from which country and even without speaking the same language we were able to communicate. We found that others are just as shy as us when it comes to sharing their faith and talking about their inner life…” “In our parish, the young Kenyans gave each of us a membership card for their youth group as a sign that from now on we were a part of it too.” “You could sense people trembling with emotion as they shared their innermost thoughts and feelings.” In order to keep this up in the long-term, the young people of Kigali have formed a “fraternity of hope.” They meet each trimester for a time of prayer and sharing. In Kabagayi they plan to split into groups to visit and witness to the twenty five rural parishes. Kibuye was “full” of people escaping the capital for the May bank holiday weekend! The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful with lushly forested slopes that plunge down to the ever-changing mirror of lake Kivu. Dotted with wooded islands, the coastline is serrated by long fjords that branch off into countless creeks. A few small boats ferry people from one bank to the other, a boatman calls out to potential customers, passengers sing and beat tambourines to encourage the rowers. In the evening a reddish glow appears on the northern horizon: the lava lake in Nyiragongo’s crater is reflected in the plume of smoke rising from the cone. But the landscape also bears the scars of the country’s tragic history. Entire mountainsides lie fallow, large plots of land remain abandoned and mud brick houses are left to crumble. In this region the purge was more radical and prolonged than elsewhere. Burial of the remains of 127 victims of the genocide, memorial of Saint John Home, Kibuye, 2 May 2009 On Saturday the 2nd May, we celebrate with the local residents and pastors of all confessions a prayer of commemoration of the genocide… For an hour and a half, people take it in turns to read out the 38 pages listing the names of victims. This is, however, but a fraction of the 11,400 victims killed in one day from this parish alone. Then there is the burial of the remains of 127 corpses recently exhumed in the hills. Prayers are said by representatives from the Churches and the mosque, survivors share their testimonies and official speeches are delivered by the authorities…the governor, mayor and two deputies arrive from Kigali to address the gathering. Sunday 3rd May, eucharist in the Kiziba camp, home to the 18,000 Congolese Rwandophone refugees that have fled their country since 1996… People are thankful to be able to meet fraternally. The youth choir shows off its virtuosity. They glow with pride when it is announced that they will be in charge of leading the celebration at the next diocesan youth gathering. The twenty kilometre walk to get to the meeting does not faze them. Isabelle, a Spanish nun, is in charge of 200 social workers… From the minibus that takes us from Kibuye to Kigali, from the terraces of the Congo-Nile watershed, a series of at least a dozen ridges stretches out as far as the eye can see. Eucalyptus trees flash silver against the ochre-coloured earth and the infinite shades of green that eventually fade into the distant bluish horizon. Small adobe houses with Roman tile roofs nestle beneath the banana trees. Only the streams seem to find their way through the maze of hills. Where the valley widens, the papyrus is cleared in order to grow corn, sweet potatoes and cabbage in this more fertile soil. At each fork in the dirt road, clusters of bicycle taxis wait for customers. On the approach to the villages, heading for the market, most people travel by foot… Sunday morning service at the camp at Kiziba Behind the smiling face of Rwanda, there is the weight of past suffering, the harshness of daily life and the numerous challenges still faced. Dr Ezechias Rwabuhihi has devoted himself to the needs of the country, first as Minister for Health and then as a Deputy. “A huge effort was required to put the country back on its feet. The restoration of security, reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, and rebuilding of functioning institutions is a good start. It is encouraging, but we do not want to stop there. The major work of the Tribunals is nearing completion. The regional integration of Rwanda into the East Africa Community is an important step towards opening up our landlocked countries, isolated and left to their own resources for too long. Eliminating the extreme poverty that characterizes the lives of a large percentage of the population remains the greatest challenge. We still have a lot of work to do.” In spite of the capital’s striking dynamism and the impressive amount of construction underway, many people nonetheless face severe economic difficulties. “We are often stopped by mothers or even children asking for food. As I get to know their situation a bit better, I am struck by their courage. It is the only country in Africa where I have seen female labourers going right up to the top of scaffolding on building sites,” comments a resident of Kicukiro. In the countryside, the average size of a land parcel is half a hectare: not always enough when there are ten mouths to feed. Valley swamps are developed for rice cultivation. Prisoners choosing to carry out community work in order to reduce their sentence build hillside terraces which decrease the loss of soil fertility by leaching and increase the cultivable area. Education, training and self-help projects are the keys to development. There are numerous initiatives and the Churches play an important role. General view of the camp at Kiziba The community of diaconesses of Rubengera celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. These nuns, who come from different Protestant denominations, serve the local population through social development projects: orphanages, visits to the poorest and the isolated, a bakery, crop farming, dressmaking workshops, home-made cards from banana plant leaves… They take on part of the pastoral work of the parish and offer a spiritual welcome. In the main hall of Ruhengeri’s diocesan centre, Father Janvier runs a vocational training programme for girls and young women: hairdressers try out their skills on one another, others beaver away at their pedal sewing machines or are hard at work embroidering. A few kilometres away there is a brand new university campus where two thousand students are already enrolled. The Churches were not spared by the tragedy of 1994 and its consequences. And yet more people are attending than ever before. The language used in the liturgy, the songs and the texts proclaimed all resonate deeply with their history. It is here that many discover a path of consolation and of life. The churches are overflowing, even during the week. Four hundred priests have been ordained since 1994 which is more than between 1917, the beginning of the mission, and 1994! There are currently 270 in training at the Grand Seminary. So much accumulated suffering remains inexpressible. Little by little light begins to iluminate the darkness as people begin to talk and as, with each newly exhumed body, mourning becomes possible. Giving close ones a fitting burial is an essential part of the healing process and allows survivors to move on with their lives. A refugee Finding someone to confide in is invaluable. “We can offer people an attentive ear. Often someone will admit, ‘That’s the first time I have told anyone all of that.’ Sometimes several sessions are necessary. Even if we can’t solve all the problems, listening is an important first step. From there, a fresh start can be made. Meeting people that have lost everything and yet are able to get on with life is always a great encouragement to me,” explains Little Sister Stephanie. As I watch them continue their lives, I’ve come to realise that each Rwandan carries within him or herself a source of hope, “ shares Martha, Daughter of the Heart of Mary, in Butare. “It is only really when all the suffering can be voiced that we can confidently speak of being together. And yet it is only this fraternal unity which will bear authentic witness,” insists François Xavier, community leader. During a work placement, students of clinical psychology from Butare recognised the scale of the challenge facing them in their profession. They decided to form a group, the “Life oriented group” to support one another by sharing their experiences and in prayer. Father Innocent lost all of his family in the genocide. Nonetheless, he was one of the first to be ordained after the events of 1994. Today he is in charge of a large parish near the airport. Like all those who have lived through the tragedy, he starts by recounting his experiences, before continuing:”It is not humanly possible to understand what happened. First we thought that the end of the world had arrived. Then there was a very strong sense of abandonment: we felt that the rest of the world was ignoring us. As the years pass, these feelings gradually melt away, as we feel listened to and understood. Some people are tempted to seek external relief and comfort, but instead of fleeing into an illusory world, you have to help people go down into their “cellar”, the very depths of their hearts. It is only when they examine what they find there in the light of Christ that they will resurface, free from their shackles. Finding ourselves alone in our ordeal taught us to rely only upon ourselves. Before, we were often caught up in relations of dependency, reliant on paternalistic powers. Now we have grown up. The church in this neighbourhood is the second biggest in the country and its construction was financed entirely by contributions from the congregation. It is the first time that this has been achieved and shows us that we are capable.” In the course of our meetings, we hear from those who did not give in to fear or to the insane violence, those who hid, protected or fed their neighbours, sometimes sacrificing themselves in the process. We also meet people who, after a long personal journey, have rediscovered an inner freedom and now devote themselves to the service of others. Each of these different paths testifies to man’s capacity to free himself from hate, bitterness and the absurd, and revive beyond all power of comprehension those faded impressions of generosity and self-sacrifice, pouring himself out for others… Here there are treasures to be found that will challenge and encourage others, whatever their origin or the situation they find themselves in.
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U regiji Kibuya «U Kigaliju, Butareu, Kabgayi, Kibuyeu I Ruhengeriju smo se sastali s mladima koji su sudjelovali u Susretu u Nairobiju. Nazočnost dvjesto šezdeset Ruanđana ostavila je jak dojam na Kenijce. Dobro je moći prenijeti tu poruku i zahvaliti im što su se odlučili na to putovanje. Nakon filma o Susretu, svi su imali priliku razgovarati o onome što ih je osobito dirnulo. Nekoliko se tema ponavljalo: topao i brižan prijem u obiteljima, osjećaj jedinstva usprkos svim razlikama u porijeklu i pozadini, trenutak zajedničke molitve u središtu svake molitve. ‘Nismo znali tko je iz koje zemlje i, čak i kad nismo govorili istim jezikom, mogli smo komunicirati. Otkrili smo kako su i drugi sramežljivi poput nas kada treba s drugima podijeliti svoju vjeru i govoriti o svom unutarnjem životu…’ ‘U našoj župi mladi su Kenijci svakome od nas dali člansku kartu svoje skupine mladih kao znak da smo od sada nadalje i mi njezin dio.’ ‘Mogli ste osjetiti kako ljudi drhte od osjećaja dijeleći svoje najdublje misli i osjećaje.’… Kako bi ovo potrajalo, mladi iz Kigalija osnovali su ’bratstvo nade’. Sastaju se svaka tri mjeseca radi molitve i razgovora. U Kabagayiju se planiraju podijeliti u skupine koje će posjećivati i svjedočiti u dvadeset i pet seoskih župa. Kibuye je bio pun ljudi koji su proveli slobodan vikend izvan grada. Krajolik oduzima dah ljepotom, a s bujnim pošumljenim obroncima koji se spuštaju do svjetlucave površine jezera Kivu. Istočkana šumovitim otocima, obala je omeđena dugim fjordovima koji se granaju u bezbrojne grebene. Nekoliko brodića prevozi ljude s jedne obale na drugu, kapetan broda zove potencijalne mušterije, putnici pjevaju i udaraju o bubnjeve kako bi ohrabrili veslače. Navečer se na sjevernom obzoru pojavljuje crvenkasti sjaj: jezero lave u krateru Nyiragongoa odražava se u oblaku dima koji se izdiže iz stošca planine. No, ovaj krajolik nosi i ožiljke tragične povijesti. Čitavi obronci leže prazni, velika područja zemlje napuštena, a kuće od cigala od zemlje propadaju. U ovom dijelu zemlje genocid je bio radikalniji i trajao duže nego drugdje. Sahrana ostataka 127 žrtava genocida, spomen-dan Saint John Home, Kibuye, 2. svibnja 2009. U subotu, 2. svibnja, s lokalnim stanovništvom i pastorima svih konfesija slavili smo komemorativnu molitvu za žrtve genocida… Ljudi se sat i pol smjenjuju kako bi pročitali listu žrtava dugu 38 stranica. To je, međutim, tek dio od 11.400 žrtava ubijenih u jednom danu samo iz ove župe. Slijedi sahrana ostataka 127 leševa nedavno ekshumiranih u brdima. Predstavnici Crkava i džamije izrekli su molitve, preživjeli su ispričali svoja svjedočanstva, a predstavnici vlasti održali službene govore… guverner, gradonačelnik i dva zamjenika stigla su iz Kigalija kako bi se obratili skupu. Nedjelja, 3. svibnja, misa u kampu Kiziba, domu 18.000 Ruanđana iz Konga, izbjeglica koji su od 1996. izvan svoje zemlje. Ljudi su zahvalni što se mogu bratski sastati. Zbor mladih pokazuje svoju vještinu. Sjaje od ponosa kada je objavljeno da će biti zaduženi za vođenje slavlja na sljedećem biskupijskom okupljanju mladeži. Ne smeta im šetnja od dvadeset kilometara kako bi stigli na susret. Isabel, španjolska redovnica, zadužena je za 200 socijalnih radnika. Iz minibusa koji nas vozi od Kibuyea do Kigalija, od terasa porječja Konga i Nila, niz od bar desetak gorskih lanaca proteže se dokle god seže pogled. Stabla eukaliptusa srebrno svjetlucaju nasuprot zemlje boje okera i beskrajnih zelenih sjena koje naposljetku nestaju na dalekom plavičastom obzoru. Male kuće s krovovima od crijepa izviruju ispod stabala banana. Čini se da samo riječni rukavci mogu naći put kroz labirint brežuljaka. Tamo gdje se dolina širi, raščišćava se papirus kako bi se uzgajao kukuruz, slatki krumpir i kupus na ovom plodnijem tlu. Na svakom raskrižju zemljane ceste, skupine taksija-bicikala čekaju mušterije. Na prilazu selima, prema tržnici, većina ljudi ide pješice… Nedjeljno jutarnje bogoslužje u kampu Kiziba Iza nasmiješenog lica Ruande je težina prošlih patnji, surovost svakodnevnog života i brojni izazovi s kojima se još suočavaju. Ezechias Rwabuhihi posvetio se potrebama zemlje, prvo kao ministar zdravstva, a kasnije kao zamjenik. «Bio je potreban ogroman trud da bi zemlja ponovo stala na noge. Ponovna uspostava sigurnosti, rekonstrukcija i rehabilitacija oštećene infrastrukture te ponovna izgradnja institucija koje funkcioniraju dobar je početak. To ohrabruje, ali ne želimo tu zastati. Najveći dio posla Tribunala bliži se kraju. Regionalna integracija Ruande u Zajednicu Istočne Afrike važan je korak prema otvaranju naših zatvorenih zemalja, izoliranih i predugo prepuštenih svojim vlastitim resursima. Najveći izazov ostaje iskorijeniti ekstremno siromaštvo koje karakterizira živote velikog postotka stanovništva. Imamo još puno posla.» Usprkos dojmljivoj živosti glavnoga grada i impresivnog broja građevinskih radova, mnogi se ljudi svejedno suočavaju s teškim ekonomskim poteškoćama. «Često nas zaustavljaju majke ili čak djeca tražeći hranu. Kako malo bolje upoznajem njihovu situaciju, dirnut sam njihovom hrabrošću. Ovo je jedina zemlja u Africi gdje sam vidio žene radnice kako se penju do vrha skela na gradilištima», komentira jedan od stanovnika Kicukira. Na selu je prosječna površina zemljišne parcele pola hektara: to nije uvijek dovoljno kad treba nahraniti desetero usta. Nizinske močvare prilagođavaju se za uzgoj riže. Zatvorenici koji su izabrali društveno koristan rad kako bi im se smanjila kazna grade terase na obroncima brežuljaka koje umanjuju gubitak plodnosti zemlje zbog ispiranja i povećavaju područje za uzgoj biljaka. Obrazovanje, usavršavanje i projekti za samopomoć ključ su razvoja. Inicijative su brojne, a Crkve igraju važnu ulogu. Pogled na kamp Kiziba Zajednica dekanata Rubengera ove godine slavi svoju 25. obljetnicu. Ove redovnice, koje dolaze iz različitih protestantskih denominacijama, u službi su lokalne populacije putem projekata društvenog razvoja: sirotišta, posjeti najsiromašnijima i izoliranima, pekara, uzgoj biljnih kultura, krojačke radionice, ručno izrađene karte od bananinog lišća… Sudjeluju i u dijelu pastoralnog rada župe i nude duhovnu pomoć. U glavnoj dvorani Ruhengeri biskupijskog centra, otac Janvier vodi program stručnog usavršavanja za djevojke i mlade žene: krojačice isprobavaju svoju vještinu jedne na drugima, ostale pritiskaju pedale šivaćih strojeva ili vrijedno vezu. Nekoliko kilometara dalje potpuno je nov sveučilišni kampus koji već pohađa dvije tisuće studenata. Crkve nisu pošteđene tragedije iz 1994. i njezinih posljedica. Pa ipak, u njih dolazi više ljudi nego ikad prije. Jezik koji se rabi u liturgiji, pjesme i tekstovi svi duboko odzvanjaju njihovom poviješću. Ovdje mnogi otkrivaju put utjehe i života. Crkve su prepune, čak i preko tjedna. Od 1994. zaređeno je četiri stotine svećenika, što je više nego u periodu između 1917., početka misije i 1994.! Trenutačno ih se 270 školuje u Bogoslovnom sjemeništu. Toliko akumulirane patnje ostaje neizraženo. Malo pomalo svjetlost počinje obasjavati tamu, kako ljudi počinju govoriti i kako, sa svakim novim ekshumiranim tijelom, oplakivanje postaje moguće. Dostojno pokopati svoje bližnje bitan je dio procesa izlječenja i dopušta preživjelima da nastave sa svojim životima. Jedna od izbjeglica Neprocjenjivo je pronaći nekoga od povjerenja. «Možemo ponuditi ljudima pažljivo slušanje. Često netko prizna: ‘Ovo je prvi put da sam nekome sve to ispričao’. Ponekad je potrebno više sastanaka. Čak i ako ne možemo riješiti sve probleme, slušanje je važan prvi korak. Otuda može krenuti novi početak. Susret s ljudima koji su sve izgubili, a ipak mogu nastaviti sa životom za mene je uvijek veliko ohrabrenje», objašnjava mala sestra Stephanie. «Gledajući kako nastavljaju živjeti shvatila sam kako svaki Ruanđenin u sebi nosi izvor nade», kaže Martha, Kći Srca Marijinog, iz Butarea. «Tek onda kada se doista može izreći sva patnja, možemo s uvjerenjem govoriti o zajedništvu. A ipak, samo ovo bratsko zajedništvo može uroditi autentičnim svjedočanstvom», inzistira François Xavier, vođa zajednice. Tijekom radne prakse, studenti kliničke psihologije iz Butarea shvatili su raspon izazova s kojima se suočavaju u svojoj profesiji. Odlučili su formirati skupu «Grupa okrenuta životu» za podršku jednih drugima razmjenom iskustava i molitvom. Otac Innocent izgubio je u genocidu čitavu svoju obitelj. Usprkos tome, bio je jedan od prvih zaređenih nakon događaja iz 1994. Danas je župnik u velikoj župi u blizini aerodroma. Kao i svi oni koji su preživjeli tragediju, on počinje sređujući svoja iskustva, prije no što nastavi. «Čovjek ne može shvatiti što se dogodilo. Prvo smo mislili da je došao kraj svijeta. Onda je tu bio vrlo jak osjećaj napuštenosti: osjećali smo da nas ostatak svijeta ignorira. Kako prolaze godine, ovi se osjećaji postupno tope, budući da osjećamo kako nas slušaju i shvaćaju. Neki su ljudi u iskušenju da potraže izvanjsko olakšanje i utjehu, no umjesto bijega u svijet iluzija, morate pomoći ljudima da se spuste u svoj «podrum», u samu dubinu svog srca. Tek kad istraže što će ondje pronaći u svjetlu Krista, isplivat će na površinu, oslobođeni okova. Samoća u našem redu naučila nas je da se oslonimo sami na sebe. Prije smo često bili zarobljeni u odnosima zavisnosti, oslanjajući se na protektore. Sad smo odrasli. Crkva u ovoj četvrti druga je po veličini u zemlji, a njena je izgradnja financirana isključivo prilozima iz kongregacije. To je bio prvi put da se to postiglo i pokazuje nam da smo sposobni.» Na našim susretima slušamo one koji se nisu prepustili strahu ili luđačkom nasilju, one koji su se sakrili dok su ih štitili ili hranili njihovi susjedi, ponekad pri tom žrtvujući sebe. Upoznajemo i ljude koji su, nakon dugog osobnog putovanja, ponovo otkrili unutarnju slobodu i sada se posvećuju službi drugima. Svaki od tih različitih putova svjedoči o čovjekovoj sposobnosti da se oslobodi mržnje, gorčine i apsurda te ponovo oživi, nadilazeći svu mogućnost shvaćanja, te izblijedjele slike velikodušnosti i požrtvovnosti, dajući se drugima… Tu se blaga koja će potaknuti i ohrabriti druge, kojega god porijekla bili i u kojoj se god situaciji zatekli.