Rwanda #4: Beyond Words

by Jennifer Ellis, for the team

This morning we were invited to share devotional time with the leaders of the Rwandan Presbyterian Church. They begin each day with scripture, prayer and song and we were blessed to be a part of this beautiful ritual. We toured the Headquarters and spoke to the leaders about their roles in Healthcare, Finance, and Human Resource Management of the Church’s seven presbyteries.

 The Vice President of the Church of Rwanda Julie Kandema is the first woman to serve in this post. She accompanied us on the short drive through the city to CPAJ (the Street Children’s Minisitry). Here Ebralie and Sara were invited to cut the ribbon on the new Assembly Hall, a gift from First Presbyterian Nashville! We then were escorted to the front and were guests of honor at a graduation ceremony for 79 of the students, complete with a traditional dance performance, a Kigali acrobatics troupe and inspiring words from church and community leaders.  Lunch was buffet style, delicious and shared by all. 

The Genocide Memorial was beyond words. It is difficult to hear the stories, see the visual reminders and learn the history of this horrific time in Rwanda’s history, only a short 25 years ago. But it is so necessary for us to know. The group agreed that the visit there left us with more questions than answers. 

We experienced beautiful downtown Kigali on foot this evening with a walk to a restaurant for dinner. Ebralie tells us that the city is changing by the day with new construction and commerce. We witnessed a presidential motorcade on our walk back, an exciting close to a full day. After family time on the patio we are feeling tired but so thankful for our time with Rwandan brothers and sisters today.