A delegation of 46 women from Methodist Church in Kenya, on Wednesday visited Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn from Rwanda’s past history and pay respect to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The delegates have been in Kigali since Wednesday morning for three days visit in the country.
Accompanied with their Rwandan fellows, the delegates took a minute of silence and laid wreath on the graves of victims.
After touring the site and listening to testimonies, they expressed how they were shocked by what happened in Rwanda and their commitment to ensure that this never happens again.
Tears rolling, Florence Naitore Mutiga said, “(silence)… crying… cleaning tears… in a low voice hard to hear, it is very sad, very… very sad. It was very painful. We have seen innocent children who did not know what was happening but they were killed. They could be alive today but they died.”
Mutinga noted that every human being is a child of God and they should love one another.
“We are here to love one another. We are all the children of God. We are supposed to live in peace because hatred destroys. People should love one another and live in peace because when there is no peace such things happen,” She added.
Her colleague Rebecca Gikabu said that what she had seen at Memorial Site made her heart break, thanking Rwandans for forgiving one another despite terrible past.
“What I have seen at the memorial has made my heart to break because of the torture. Rwandans should know that God loves them for their progress in reconciliation.
“I appreciate the way Rwandans have forgiven one another to live a new life. God will keep on blessing the country. People killed their brothers, parents and friends but now the country is stable,” Gikabu said.
She added, “I have learnt that forgiveness is very important. Survivors have forgiven even those who did not ask for forgiveness. I am at the age of sixty but I have never experienced such things I have seen at the memorial.”
Rachel Mukamudenge who welcomed the delegation urged churches to keep on taking measures to fight against anything that can bring segregation among the people.
Mukamudenge said that Methodist church in Rwanda had preferred to bring the delegation to the memorial to let them learn the history the country had faced.
“Our country has faced hard times where innocent people were killed during 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The perpetrators have fled and they keep on disseminating inaccurate information about 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. This is the opportunity for foreign visitors to come on the field and learn the Truth, ”she said.
The delegates have learnt how RPF soldiers intervened to stop the genocide themselves without an external support.
The delegates committed to share with their fellows in Kenya what they had seen and encourage them to be peace builders to fight against genocide and its ideology.
After the tour to the memorial, the delegation continued the tour in Nyamasheke district.
