The interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

As we struggle to deal with the issues of our world, it is sometimes helpful to remember there is an independent web of all of existence of which we are a small part, and to step back and have a look at the world of others. The world of my dear friend Kim could be an interesting example. She is from Rwanda the fourth smallest country in Africa which has consisted of two main tribes, the Tutsis and the Hutus. On April 6, 1994 their President Juvena Hayarimana died in a plane crash. Media coverage rapidly spread claiming that the Tutsi’s were responsible for the crash, and on April 7 Hutus started slaughtering Tutsis. It is estimated that in 100 days over 800,000 people were brutally slaughtered.

Kim’s mother, father and two brothers were among the slaughtered. She recalls jumping over bodies when running from their home and ending
up in the cellar of a friend of her mother. After three weeks there she was lucky to end up in an orphanage with 700 other kids run by a staff of 45.
One effect of Kim’s world then is that for almost one year she did not speak but she did write and draw increasingly frequently. Her life at the orphanage also gained her a sense of family among the other kids.

Paul Kagame has been the president of Rwanda since 2000, and his leadership is also worth reflecting on. A government commission was formed to investigate the cause of the plane crash, and it revealed that his Hutus shot it down, and that the 1994 genocide was driven by colonial instigated ethnic divisions, and fear-based propaganda. What
did he do about this horrible past? He sided with love. He chose hope over hatred and unity over division. He introduced truth telling courts in villages and encouraged killers and victims to honestly talk about their experiences and listen to each other.

The outcome? The people of Rwanda committed to unity rather than division, so now, rather than ethnic identity their motto is “We are Rwanda. As an expression of pride, the entire country cleans up the last Saturday of each month. Empowering women has also been identified as a priority. They have also built genocide memorials to keep their
history alive. Further outcomes? Rwanda us now known as the cleanest country in Africa. Their environmental leadership. It’s the country with the world’s highest percentage of women in parliament. It is ranked as the safest and least corrupt country in Africa.

In this environment, Kim has established Shema Travel which is dedicated to enabling visitors to experience the post genocide priorities and accomplishments of her home. https://www.shematravel.com/ Can we build unity through our shared identity instead of our differences? Can we encourage truth telling and accountability to reap the rewards of collaboration? As we struggle to deal with the issues of our world,
how can we benefit from looking at the world of
others?
-Markly Wilson