The Rwandan community in the United States welcomed the Right Reverend John Rucyahana; Honorable
Francis Kaboneka, MP; and Honorable Connie Bwiza, MP, in Washington, D.C. area on Friday February 7th
, 2014 to discuss Ndi Umunyarwanda.
The event attracted mainly Rwandans from the greater Washington, D.C. area, but it also included the representatives of the national leadership committee of the Rwandan community in the United States of America and regional leaders from Texas, New York, Indiana, Ohio, and California.
The delegates expressed their appreciation for the Rwandan community’s continued determination to solidify their community and engage in their country’s development. The topics discussed included the history of Rwanda covered by Honorable Kaboneka.
“Healing the wounds of the past, apology and forgiveness,” covered by the Rt Reverend Rucyahana; and “Introduction to Ndi Umunyarwanda,” presented by Honorable Bwiza.
In addition, there was a screening of a documentary film titled Ndi Umunyarwanda that highlighted the divisive politics that led Rwanda into the genocidal pit in 1994.
This interactive discussion was very exciting, interesting, emotional, informative and sincere, prompting
some community members to revisit their dark history dating back to 1959. One of the attendees shared with the audience her struggles to survive that started when as a baby she escaped death in the killings of Tutsis in 1959 as her parents’ home was set on fire.
“I became an American citizen because no other country wanted to guarantee me citizenship. Rwanda, my motherland had turned me down; Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo had turned me down. Becoming an American was not a choice,” she emotionally recalled.
She rejoiced in the fact she is now Rwandan. Ndi Umunyarwandakazi, she repeatedly yelled out. As the discussion continued, many Rwandans reflected on their personal fight for their Rwandan Identity, highlighting the high price paid by a number of Rwandans to regain their right to citizenship and national identity: Ndi Umunyarwanda.
They discussed many distortions of Ndi Umunyarwanda initiative that have been circulating in various forums and in the social media. In conclusion, the attendees saluted the initiative and appreciated the Ndi Umunyarwanda message.
They also vowed to own and share it in their local communities. Honorable Kaboneka reminded all that for this initiative to be successful, every Rwanda must play his or her role.
They all vowed to continue working together to maintain this kind of engagement and enhance and carry forward this important message.
The conversation continued on Saturday February 8th , 2014 at the 12th Prayer Banquet held at the Sheraton Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Organized by the Rwandan Community led by Madame Antoinette Kanyabutembo, the Rwanda Prayer banquet attracted about two hundred Rwandans and friends to pray for Rwanda, praising the Lord for the achievements recorded and asking for blessings and wisdom to propel Rwanda forward. H.E. Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana and the Rt Reverend
Rucyahana hailed Dave Jenkins and Rev. Janice Davis Steele and many devoted Christians who joined Rwandans in a prayer for our continued efforts to unite and prosper.
As said by Rev. Steele and echoed by the Rt Reverend Rucyahana, “Our God is a God of precedence. If he has done it elsewhere; if he has done it before, he will do it again.” They both reminded the attendees that God will always answer their prayers if they pray with a purpose and conviction.
“Never, never, never pray in vacuum,” they both pleaded. The Rt Reverend Rucyahana eloquently called Rwandans to leave behind their divisive identities and embrace their national identity: Ndi Umunyarwanda. “We are too broken to be corrupt; we have no luxury to nurture hatred. We have the pain, the wounds are real but some politicize it. We have killed, we have lost; we have no luxury to lose more,” lamented the Rt Reverend.
H.E. Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana rejoiced in spirit and invoked the God of Rwanda to continuously guide Rwandans and their leaders in their quest for a common identity and vision.
“Our God did not come to Rwanda when Jesus was introduced to us. Our God existed before, our God spends the day elsewhere but always sleeps in Rwanda. In 1994, many Rwandans did not see God, but God never left Rwanda. At times, many thought we were dead, but we managed to rise due to the grace of our God,”she reminded the attendees.
She applauded the event organizers for being our country’s ambassadors and saluted many friends of Rwanda who attended. She beseeched the audience to support Rwandans in our quest for a common identity. Ndi Umunyarwanda is the only way we can preserve the legacy we fought so hard to build. We count on friends of Rwanda like you to water this initiative.”
The evening ended with Madame Kanyabutembo’s heartfelt thanksgiving to the Lord, who has raised Rwanda higher than we could imagine twenty years ago. The attendees joined her to thank God for this amazing grace and vowed to work together to promote unity and the overall welfare of Rwandans.
Amariza n’Amasonga, a Rwandan cultural dance group, brought the audience on their foot to savor Rwanda’s beautiful culture in celebration of Rwanda’s achievements and promising future prospects.
UM– USEKE.RW
