Rwanda: The pain of memory

Lutheran, The, Jun 2004

Ten years after the genocide that killed 800,000 in 100 days, a young Rwandan prays at a worship service in a church at Nyarubuye, Rwanda. The church was filled with bodies after the genocide. It's one of several memorial sites established to keep alive the memories of the tragedy and to prevent its recurrence.

The Lutheran World Federation trained some of the 258,000 lay judges for community gacaca courts, which are trying the 85,000 still jailed for their part in the genocide.

The courts require the accusers, survivors and eyewitnesses to work out what happened, determine responsibility and seek reconciliation.

LWF has built more than 30 schools, since half of Rwanda's population is under age 15; helped repatriate refugees; developed water systems; built houses; and contributed to economic development and AIDS prevention and care.