July 27, 2008 (KIGALI, Rwanda) — The spirit of sharing is strong among Rwandans, especially the children. Watching them play with some of the games and toys we brought for them is a lesson in ingenuity and cooperation.
The V.I. kids had been asked to come up with games to teach the children. And they did, but the Rwandan children made up their own and taught our kids a few to boot.
They play a more complicated version of patta-cake and developed a version of beach paddle ball with the toys we brought for them that involves not only the ping-pong type ball that comes with the game, but also a small football.
Our interpreter Peter Murara explains the complicated rules the children have made up as we watch two youngsters batting the ball down a drainage culvert in front of Amizero.
When one of the children feels left out or cries over a perceived slight, in seconds another comes to his or her aid.
To understand what happened in 1994, and then to see where the people have come is a phenomenon unparalleled anywhere else in my experience.
On Wednesday, we went to the Genocide Memorial.
When viewed from any one of the Kigali hills, the memorial looks like an upscale contemporary house. But in fact it is home to 258,000 bodies of Rwandans brutally murdered in Kigali during the killing days of April 1994.
Olive, an attendant at the memorial asks, "Did you know about the genocide before you came here?"
The answer for me is yes, of course. But it was different for our V.I. teens.
"I would say people in St. Thomas really don’t know about it," says Twanna Hodge, who only learned of it through Barbara Young, her teacher, and Sonya Melescu, the photographer who had put Barbara in touch with Vickie, the students’ "adopted" daughter.
"Looking at the pictures makes you know it happened," Karlen Talbet says after making her way through the labyrinth of photos of the slaughter and videos of survivors, which takes about two hours.
"The part about how nobody helped them is pretty bad," Twanna observes.
But if ever a group of people has learned from their past, it is the Rwandans.
It is currently the most stable country with the fastest growing economy on the African continent.
It is also the safest.
Observing several armed guards posted near the orphan centers where we have been working, I ask if it is normal for them to be there.
Freddy Budaramani, our guide, adopted brother and interpreter, says it is a sign of respect for us.
Florida Mukarubuga, excutive secretary of one of the aid organizations we have been working with, expands on that. "The security was provided because they thought the white people would be afraid."
Barbara Young and I explained we had no fear in Rwanda after coming from the United States where guns are everywhere. Florida was shocked to learn about our homicide rate.
"It became simple to kill after the genocide," she says. "But now it is rare."
So is stealing. One of us sent laundry to be done, but left money in one of the pockets. A few hours later the laundry personnel called to let us know about it.
On a less dramatic note, litter is also rare.
Once a month on the last Saturday, Kigalians voluntarily take to the streets to pick up litter and plant trees and bushes. It’s called "public works" day, Freddy explains.
He also explains that the gesture he makes to impatient motorists is a peace sign – very commonly used in the country – not the gesture you would find on our highways when someone cuts you off.
President Paul Kagame is extremely popular. It seems everyone loves and respects him.
"There is no corruption," Freddy says. "He is completely straight."
That statement has been universal repeated by everyone I have spoken with.
The people I have met are not so keen on our president, George Bush.
His recent trip was roundly criticized.
"We felt like prisoners," Peter, who is a 25-year-old university student and regular volunteer at Amizero Childrens Center, says.
Florida echoes his sentiments, "We were so relieved when he was gone," with his military planes flying overhead and his security forces badgering the taxi drivers and residents.
Kigali and Rwanda are not without their problems. The gentrification of the city is of concern, especially to Peter. And HIV/AIDS, a 6 percent birth rate and poverty still threaten to overshadow the progress.
But, in general, everyone is hopeful about the future and willing to let go of the past.
"If you don’t forgive, it will just keep going on," says Freddy, who lost half his family in the genocide.
"They really have come a long way," student Sharee Miller says in a moment of reflection.
To be continued…
Editor's note: For more about the trip, read first lady Cecile deJongh's Travel Journal.
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