About Rwanda
Annonciata's story:
I am a very old woman. I have no children. I was born in 1934. I got married in 1959 when I was in Uganda. I had 8 children from this marriage but they all died. I care for grandchildren who lost their parents. It is a boy and a girl, respectively 18 years and 17. Nevertheless, I do not have the ability of looking after them. The boy goes to school but the girl could not. Instead, she cares for me. Later I came to know about Solace Ministries. They help me in various ways because I am like a handicapped person. They visit me and comfort me through our community in Jari which has become my family. I take this opportunity to appreciate the work of Solace Ministries and the leadership of the Solace community of Jari. They are so close to me, I was in darkness but they comforted me and I do not feel lonely anymore.
Catherine's testimony:
All began in 1990 when the war started in October. We were harassed because of being Tutsi. Very often stones were thrown to me saying that I was not joining their political parties. It went on up to 1992, and this took another dimension, where by the soldiers of the former government started to rape women. I left and went to seek for refugee, when it was the 7th April 1994, I went back home, the interahamwe came and took me out took all our things, I left into the forests I was 7 months pregnant. I had also 6 children. 2 were killed with their father and we went to Kabgayi. It was on 9th April 1994 . We stayed there eight days. It was not an easy thing. On the 28th April I was thrown into a pit latrine. There were many dead bodies. Fortunately, I was not dead and managed to come out. On the 2/6/1994 , Inkotanyi (RPF soldiers) reached Kabgayi and they were so hurt to see us in that condition. We then moved out to Burundi, and then later I went back to our home and found that my husband had been killed, I survived with orphans, and now we all altogether 10 people living together. Life is very hard but Solace is always close to us. I came to Solace and they listened to me.
Veneranda's testimony:
I am a widow because of the genocide. I had one son and who was 12 years and 2 daughters. My son was killed with his father. I live now with my two daughters and one boy who is an orphan who survived . This boy suffered a lot from during the genocide. His genitals (testicles) were smashed and taken off. His head was hit hard with a lot of damages. He is so traumatized that he refused to go to school. I stayed with him when he was two years but now he is 19 years, Things that happened to me in 1994 were so horrible. A soldier raped me for 2 days. After he threw me outside and gave me to interahamwe who were killing people. I was beaten and fell down but I was not dead. Other bodies piled up on me. After the killers left I tried to move out. I realize that my arm was broken and I can’t really use it. After the genocide when we were coming back from the refugee camps, I realized that I was pregnant from the rape. Temptation to go for abortion was there but finally I abandoned. Later, after I came to the Lord, I brought the issue to the Lord. I found out that I was not infected and then I gave birth to a baby girl. I did not like her, but these days I love her because Solace received me and comforted me, I live with my daughter but I have no house and when this girl gets traumatized she chases me out, she asks me about her father and I feel so bad, and I tend to think that a dead person is better. I thank Solace for the great work they did for me to get back to normal.