Content warning: This story refers to genocide, sexual violence, and other war crimes.
The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda shocked the world and devastated the country, leaving deep scars in the people. Neighbour turned on neighbour with swift brutality. Bible Society Australia (BSA) sat down with African Enterprise (AE) Rwanda National Director, John Kalenzi, and African Enterprise Australasia CEO, Simba Musvamhiri to learn about this dark time in Rwandan history, the work being done today, and the hope for the future of this nation.
Through the Jesus. All About Life (JAAL) and the Bright Future Through Improved Literacy project—supported by Bible Society Australia and delivered by AE Rwanda—thousands of Rwandans are being reached by the gospel and learning to read and write using Bible-based materials. According to John, this work is making a significant impact in communities once burdened by the pain of the past.
Over 100 days an estimated 1 million people were killed and between 250,000-500,000 women were raped in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The John explains, “We have many [orphans], whose parents died of HIV which they got during the mass raping that happened in 1994. We are supporting children who became oppressed and vulnerable because the property of their parents, and grandparents, was destroyed and taken away.”
Widows, orphans, and those living with HIV are at the heart of AE’s work. “We are dealing with trauma, counselling and healing,” John says, “and that trauma is related with the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.” He emphasises, “nearly all that we are doing is, in a way, related to what happened…and the side effects of the genocide.”
John shares that despite Rwanda’s Christian heritage, which was mandated by the King in the 1940s, gospel engagement and discipleship is needed today more than ever. For many people their Christianity is nominal, “they have not had a chance to have personal relationship with God.”
The Jesus. All About Life (JAAL) program has reinvigorated churches across Rwanda—calling them back to the heart of the gospel and energising discipleship.
“JAAL has helped us to awaken the churches to reengage with their communities and share their faith,” says John. “It has cemented unity amongst the churches… and last year we had over 32,000 people who gave their lives to Christ as a result of JAAL.”
Simba saw the transformation firsthand, “I met 7 or 8 pastors. All of them were saying, ‘Our church is growing—not just evangelism, not just sharing the gospel.’ You could hear, ‘We’ve now started three Bible study groups,’ or ‘We are baptising 90 people on Friday.’” He shares that “it was a sign of spiritual growth and the fact that they, are appreciating all the training received through AE.”
In one striking moment after JAAL outreach, Simba preached at a midweek Bible study for a church that was new to evangelism. “We walked in… several thousands of people gathered on a Wednesday afternoon,” he shares. “The pastor said, ‘now all these people, they’re about to go and evangelise…We’ve never done that.’” Simba recalls, “I walked out of it thanking God…That such a large church didn’t know about evangelism and now they know the urgency to share the gospel.” These accounts of baptisms, baptism classes and Bible study groups multiplying demonstrate both increased evangelism and spiritual growth in the church.
While evangelism is at the heart of JAAL, another critical arm of AE in Rwanda is the literacy program, supported by BSA and currently running in 45 public schools in one district. For AE, literacy is more than just an educational outcome, it is a tool to promote critical thinking, spiritual growth and reconciliation in a nation healing from trauma.
The painful learnings from the past are that Rwandans had previous not been taught to think critically or to read the Bible for themselves. Instead, they were educated through rote learning and trained to follow orders from people in authority without question. “Illiteracy and poverty were the major factors that made genocide happen… literacy doesn’t only mean that somebody is able to read and write, but also to think through. A pastor would stand in front of the congregation and say, well, the Tutsis who are our enemies and God has put them in our hands, so go out and kill them. But if these people were able to analyse that and say, what does the Bible say? Then they wouldn’t have done that,” says John.
“Not knowing how to read and write promotes nominal Christianity,” John continues. “These people cannot read the Bible by themselves… They just wait to listen to the pastor on Sunday.” John highlights that Christians grow in their faith when they can read the Bible for themselves. “If somebody goes to a Bible study and is able to read and write, then is given some Bible-based material to take home to read through… this helps us to get through challenges… Like the Bible says, ‘I kept your word in my heart.’”
John emphasises that “the literacy that is promoted by Bible Society is really going to help Rwanda write a different history.” He shares that “the literacy project has contributed to tremendous peacebuilding in Rwanda…we were teaching students in classrooms how to live in harmony, how to cooperate with each other. We are teaching them, not to identify themselves, the Tutsi or a Hutu… [but as] Rwandan.”
Not only is literacy vital for spiritual growth and harmony, but it is also a life skill that helps people engage in modern life. “If you are able to read…you can read the local newspaper and know what is happening in the country…you cannot be manipulated because in [African marketplaces] nearly everything is negotiable,” shares John. “Literacy is the most important part of our ministry because it is the key to almost everything.”
That message of forgiveness and reconciliation is core to the ministry of AE. “Forgiveness is a choice that one makes. And when one forgives, then he or she is relieved… I can concentrate on other things. But it’s also biblical… if you do not forgive, you are falling short of expectation as a Christian,” shares John.
In one rural farming community, a woman whose parents were killed now works side by side with the man who murdered them. “They’re growing their crops together. They’re flourishing. And that challenge is always in front of them. They read the Bible together. They pray. And I can say God is at work because God has reconciled the world to himself through Jesus who died on the cross.”
In another community there is a teacher, herself a survivor of rape during the genocide and a graduate from the literacy program is now teaching the grandchildren of perpetrators. “When she forgives, then her heart is free and she becomes very passionate about her job. She can help descendants of people who raped her or who made her become HIV positive. She looks at them as the young people that have a future,” shares John. “Forgiveness is playing a big role in the recovery of our nation.”
Despite the remarkable outcomes, the need is vast. Rwanda has 30 districts, and AE is only working in one. With more funding, they hope to expand literacy programs to more communities—breaking generational cycles of poverty and spiritual stagnation. “With more funding, we could actually roll out to different schools and also in different districts,” John says. He also highlights that “by 2050, all the population studies say that a quarter of the world’s population will live in Africa. We are at a critical stage in history where we are seeing the continent of Africa really open to the gospel. For how long? We do not know. So, there’s this urgency to clearly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
John and Simba remain hopeful for the future despite challenges to this work. With 60% of AE Rwanda’s budget through USAID recently cut or stopped, more resources are urgently needed to continue doing this good work. “Please pray for the thousands of people that give their lives to Christ Jesus during the previous year campaigns that are going through discipleship. Also pray for us to get more resources.”
John’s final encouragement is full of gratitude and hope, “thank you to BSA supporters. There’s a lot of good things that are happening in Rwanda. There are lots of individuals whose lives have been transformed. Without your support, that wouldn’t have happened.”
