World Cup Day 12
3:00 Sweden 2 England 2
Paraguay 2 Trinidad & Tobago 0
22:00 Portugal 2 Mexico 1
Iran 1 Angola 1
I was in the car today listening to BBC news. A Rwandan woman was being interviewed. She belonged to the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. For people who actually keep themselves abreast of political news, they will know that Rwanda had tragically experienced a terrible genocide twelve years ago. This 1994 genocide started with a clash between the Hutus and Tutsis, and ended with about a million Tutsi and moderate Hutus dead. This went on until the French troops appeared to bring an end to the unfortunate incident.
Anyway, this woman was a Tutsi genocide survivor. She spoke of how her family had sent her to a Hutu pastor's house to hide. She spent her days in the bathroom of a Hutu pastor's house, with twelve other people. Hiding there was how she managed to stay alive. She recalled that a couple of times, some people raided the house and searched every room, but for some strange reason, they always missed out the bathroom. Perhaps it was the prayer she prayed, or perhaps it was the cross which was hung on the door that did the work, yet whatever it was, God saved her life.
She is one of the very fortunate Rwandans to be able to be alive today. Almost all of her entire immediate family have parished in the genocide. Her parents, two brothers and her grandmother were killed. The only family she had left, was one of her brothers who had stayed at Senagol at that time.
I really admire this woman, whoever and where ever she is now.
After all was over, she had a chance to visit her family's killer in prison. Before that, she had made a promise to God that she would not bear hatred for anyone. Yet, despite this promise, she was worried about how she would react. Yet, when she saw him, she couldn't feel any hatred towards him. In fact, she broke down and cried and asked him "Why? What made you change so much in these 3 months?"
She didn't know at that time, but she had managed to save many other prisoners from torture. It was like God answered her prayers, and in return, she was there to save others. The Head of Prison was a genocide survivor as well, and yet, when he saw her generosity towards the man who had killed almost her entire family, his hatred for the genocide prisoners had vanished as well.
He sent a note to her, telling her he had stopped beating his prisoners.
~~~Adelyn's Self-Reflections~~~
When conflicts occur, they end up dehumanising people.
Everything becomes a number, a figure.
One million people died.
Two million refugees.
Yet every death is a life lost.
And in every life there is a story behind it.
The story ends when one dies.
And what is left are memories for the living to bear.
Yet another starts, with every survivor.
A new chapter, a fresh beginning.
Paraguay 2 Trinidad & Tobago 0
22:00 Portugal 2 Mexico 1
Iran 1 Angola 1
I was in the car today listening to BBC news. A Rwandan woman was being interviewed. She belonged to the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda. For people who actually keep themselves abreast of political news, they will know that Rwanda had tragically experienced a terrible genocide twelve years ago. This 1994 genocide started with a clash between the Hutus and Tutsis, and ended with about a million Tutsi and moderate Hutus dead. This went on until the French troops appeared to bring an end to the unfortunate incident.
Anyway, this woman was a Tutsi genocide survivor. She spoke of how her family had sent her to a Hutu pastor's house to hide. She spent her days in the bathroom of a Hutu pastor's house, with twelve other people. Hiding there was how she managed to stay alive. She recalled that a couple of times, some people raided the house and searched every room, but for some strange reason, they always missed out the bathroom. Perhaps it was the prayer she prayed, or perhaps it was the cross which was hung on the door that did the work, yet whatever it was, God saved her life.
She is one of the very fortunate Rwandans to be able to be alive today. Almost all of her entire immediate family have parished in the genocide. Her parents, two brothers and her grandmother were killed. The only family she had left, was one of her brothers who had stayed at Senagol at that time.
I really admire this woman, whoever and where ever she is now.
After all was over, she had a chance to visit her family's killer in prison. Before that, she had made a promise to God that she would not bear hatred for anyone. Yet, despite this promise, she was worried about how she would react. Yet, when she saw him, she couldn't feel any hatred towards him. In fact, she broke down and cried and asked him "Why? What made you change so much in these 3 months?"
She didn't know at that time, but she had managed to save many other prisoners from torture. It was like God answered her prayers, and in return, she was there to save others. The Head of Prison was a genocide survivor as well, and yet, when he saw her generosity towards the man who had killed almost her entire family, his hatred for the genocide prisoners had vanished as well.
He sent a note to her, telling her he had stopped beating his prisoners.
~~~Adelyn's Self-Reflections~~~
When conflicts occur, they end up dehumanising people.
Everything becomes a number, a figure.
One million people died.
Two million refugees.
Yet every death is a life lost.
And in every life there is a story behind it.
The story ends when one dies.
And what is left are memories for the living to bear.
Yet another starts, with every survivor.
A new chapter, a fresh beginning.
posted by Adelyn @ 11:52 PM
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