Pastor John Rutsindintwarane

Greetings all from Vicar Sarah. Thank you to everyone for all your prayers - we can feel them.

This whole journey has been a lesson in contrasts. In the last three days we visited churches that became hell on earth when thousands of people were murdered inside; we witnessed hope in a Lutheran World Federation farmers project that trains women in sustainable agriculture; and we experienced the nitty-gritty work of reconciliation in the Gachacha court.

For me, one of the biggest signs of hope has come in Pastor John Rutsindintwarane's vision for Rwanda as a land where lasting peace will come through grassroots organizing and community building. He and Robin (Strickler, of the Rwanda School Project) can do it, are doing it. The many (many) hours we have spent bumping down the road in Pastor John's green landrover have been worth it because we hear over and over his and Robin's plans, hope and vision for the future.

This morning, at the Gachacha court (traditional court working on restorative justice at the local level), Pastor John opened with a prayer. In one hand he held the hand of one of the local leaders elected to preside over the court, and in the other hand grasped the hand of the perpetrator - a man accused of killing his own brother-in-law. This is Pastor John: he stands in the middle of the deepest conflict imaginable, prays with indomitable faith and trust in God, and through his precence helps to reconcile a community devestated by genocide. He is a miracle.

PS - Peggy and Leo say hello to all their friends and supporters - they are here, doing well, and having a remarkable time. They hope to add to the blog soon.