When I shook the hands of murderers and met redemption in the flesh
More winding dusty unkept roads through the breathtaking mountainsides of Western Rwanda before we arrived in Mubuga. In the middle of the most beautiful nowhere.
It reminded me of those alive hills in the Sound of Music.
Am I right!? The hills are alive!
At first I thought we pulled over because of a problem or miscommunication. We had parked on a narrow unmarked road with a steep mountainside to our right. But evidently we had arrived. We unloaded the cars and begun our hike down the hillside, trying to take in the sights and prepare our hearts.
We parked near the top.
Today we were visiting a community group of widows and orphans from the 1994 genocide.
This was one of 23 community groups throughout Rwanda that our friend Ben started years and years ago. These groups provide survivors structure and support economically and emotionally. I've shared about the genocide before. Although it's been 22 years, pain, poverty, and anger still plague thousands of survivors struggling to live in wholeness.This group, however, was not like the others. This group included genocide perpetrators; people who committed unfathomable evil acts, went to prison, repented and are now free.
Survivors and perpetrators choosing to heal together.
Stew on that for a minute.
After a lot of walking, we crested over a hill to find a group of about 30 men and women waiting for us in the middle of their pineapple crops. (the total community is about 100 people).
We waited a few minutes for instruction. Us and them. Awkward waiting. Not sure how to interact. But Ben's words from earlier in the trip echoed in my mind.
Touch them. Be with them.
Breaking through the awkward divide I went up and shook a hand. 'Muraho'. Instantly the group followed. More hand shaking. More hugs. 'Muraho's.
First the leader of the community group shared a message from the Bible about love. Then a gal shared about her inability to have joy or even smile since surviving the genocide. She lived in so much grief. But she joined this community and found new joy - a message she shared through a beautiful resilient smile. Then another story, a man, finding purpose and healing in this group.
Ben had suggested I share about my loss with this group and so I did. For a few minutes I shared about losing Jeremy, about our suffering, and ultimately how God has shown great love for my family in the midst of our loss. I didn't dare suggest our sufferings were the same. They're not.
But I wanted them to know our hope is shared; the hope of heaven, it's reunions, and our full redemption.
The promise of being forever drenched in God's loving presence.
I confess, my emotions were all over the place as I sat there. I would be lying if I said it was all heart-warming. I was sitting in the midst of murderers. I had shaken their hands; hands that horrifically and brutally took lives. It made me uncomfortable. Until I remembered that also sitting in my midst were survivors who claimed God's unconditional love not just for themselves but for everyone.
If they could see past the brokenness and evil, if they could see changed redeemed people, so could I.
Ben was the last to speak that afternoon. He reminded us of his loss (140+ of his extended and immediate family). He shared about his journey of forgiveness. Then he called back up the man who had preached on love when we first arrived. Ben explained he was a perpetrator and now excellent leader for this community group.
Seeing these two men together was something else. A very tangible and visual representation of forgiveness. Unconditional love. Then Ben said these final words to us.
God is here. He defeats evil. Remind the world.
His words lingered in our hearts as we huffed and puffed our way up the hill with our new friends and said goodbyes.
So my friends, if any part of you feels too broken, too sad, too angry, or too shameful to be redeemed, let me remind you of my friend Ben's words. God's love redeems anything and anyone. He defeats evil. He makes things new.
He gives miraculous hope. We will experience it if we let Him into the painful dark parts of our minds and hearts. Take your raw emotions and relentlessly stubbornly lean into His sovereignty.
Remember His redeeming love. It's for everyone.
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.
Psalm 107:2
A quick but relevant side note: A few other Americans joined us that day and one shared with these people how we have our own divisions in America. Divisions in race. Divisions politically. Divisions economically. And animosity woven throughout. She shared that their insistence to be reconciled, to love no matter what, to treat each other as God treats us, is exactly the example we Americans need to see right now. This group set the ultimate example of not just tolerating but loving each other and living in peace despite their differences and even horrific mistakes. Let that sink in the next time you get defensive because someone disagrees with your opinion.