Memorial

Ask anyone what comes to mind first when they think of Rwanda and the most likely answer will be danger or genocide or war. I cannot quite put into words the extreme brutality that happened here nearly two decades ago. I mean, I have read the stories and been told countless times of the horrors that happened here, but I didn't quite understand the entire concept until I went to the Genocide memorial museum.

Just a quick note before I go into detail about this. Rwanda has picked up the pieces of its life together and is now a thriving country with a lot to offer. However, the mental and emotional scars of that time run deep and I must warn you that the word “genocide”is not to be used very often and out loud. It could cause a lot of bottled or repressed emotion to come to the surface. It is a measure more for the people's comfort and safety that for your own, but really, you wouldn't want your fellow human being to suffer, would you?

Back to the main point. My friends and I arrived in Rwanda during the time that Rwanda was having the anniversary of the genocide for one hundred days. This ends on Sunday, the 1^st of July this year. The solemn faces and quiet, sombre mood were quite enough to gauge the seriousness of the ceremony. I knew I would absolutely have to visit the memorial some time during my stay here and I did.

Last Sunday, my friend invited me to the Memorial Museum, as it is called here. Anyone who has been there will most likely recommend that you pay a visit there and I will now proceed to do the same. The Museum is very well maintained and has a gorgeous outward view. The staff there are very friendly and (in my opinion) very brave. Not many locals go there, if any, since the memories that come with it are rather painful. I can understand this, having been there myself.

I would recommend that if you do not pay for a guided tour, you take the audio device with you. It will go a long way in explaining some things that the boards do not. I will also warn you here that nothing is hidden from the audience. Some of the pictures there are graphic but very telling of the situation that took place those many years ago.

I will have to save the rest of the information for your tour there since I do not want to spoil the visit for you. There is a lot to be seen and a lot to be learned, some of which you will not find in text books or on the internet. Seeing the pictures and watching the videos brings to reality the carnage, despair and trauma that some of the Rwandan people lived through and I also think it helps one to understand a lot about the country itself.

After that trip, I have learned to appreciate some of the things the people do and live with. I have conceded as well to the rules set in place since I believe they are for the greater good. I have learned not to take for granted the peace that exists in my own country. I have also learned to appreciate the friends and family that I have. I admire the courage and effort that the people of Rwanda have put in moving forward. I can properly understand just how far Rwanda has come from that terrible time in the past to the beautiful and happy country she is today.

Every time I see a smile on a Rwandan's face or hear them laugh, I am deeply moved. I sincerely hope it does the same for you.