Taken from Immaculee Ilibagiza's e-newsletter:
Next Saturday April 7, will mark the 18th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. I still remember it like it was yesterday. In 1994, it was 3 days after Easter; this year, it will fall on the Saturday before Easter. While I miss my parents greatly, I can’t help but to feel the joy of knowing that even in the darkest hour, God’s love is even more palpable. Suffering has a way of opening your eyes to another level.
Few years ago, I met a fellow survivor who shared her story and it deeply touched me. When the war started,Rosette and her family run to a nearby church. Soon after, the killers attacked the church and killed most of the thousands of people hiding inside. A few people were able to escape, including Rosette and her father who was badly wounded. They went to hide in the nearby forest, but they didn’t have any food or medical supplies to help the father. Then her father looked at her and told her, "My daughter you must live, I won't make it but you have to go on. I am going on the road, and I will get you food to eat." Then the father crawled to the road and begged people who were passing by from the market to give him food. Some were merciful and gave him food, dry and cooked. At night he called his daughter from the hiding behind the bushes, to come and take the food. The daughter asked him to eat with her and the father said, "I am dying, my child, you need to eat to live. I want to make sure you have enough food to last you until the war lasts."
When the killers found him on the road, they wanted to kill him at once but he begged them not to finish him since he was already dying. So instead of taking his life, they hit him and broke his bones so he could no longer move. He thanked them and he started begging for food again after they left. At night he called to his daughter to take the food. Before he died few days later, he told his daughter, "My journey is over on earth and you must continue yours, we will be waiting for you on the other side."
This is a Holy Week, tomorrow is Good Friday. Jesus died on the cross for us. Rosette’s father died for his daughter. Both stories teach me a great deal about love, and I realize how much my love has a long way to grow. Sometimes I wonder, "If I lived in Jesus’ time, could I have been the one to shout Him to be crucified or would I have defended Him even if I might not have been sure He was God or not." The idea of betraying Him breaks my heart now that I know Him, but who knows what I could have done. However, everyday I choose what I can do in the similar situation. With this, I challenge you my dear sisters and brothers, to look inside your heart and see if there is anyone being crucified by your attitude, your words, your actions or your rejection and know that, that can easily be Jesus. And if so, please decide to be kinder towards that person.
