genocide memorial.

before we went to The Best Family on the first day in Rwanda, we went to the genocide memorial.

in Rwanda, there was a genocide in 1994 that in 100 days nearly 1 million people were killed.

it's terrible.  and horrible and you wonder HOW it could ever have happened.

I kept thinking, during the time this was going on, I was having my 10th birthday party and having NO IDEA.  

Going to the memorial, all I could think about at first was the last time I was here.  

with Jessica, Joe & Jack and Norbert.  When I was here to photograph their adoption (which I still need to post pics from :)  Jack might have had too much to eat at lunch so we didn't get to go inside but I was reminded of Norbert (their attorney) and his story.  It made this memorial come to life.  It wasn't just about "some people" but it was about my friends!  

Jessica blogged about Norberts story here.  

We sat outside at lunch with him one day & heard his story.  Please go over & read it.  

It is a beautiful story of how God could use brokenness and loss for something beautiful.  Norbert is helping orphans find their homes, he is volunteering his time every week to help those who don't have a voice, and he's doing it in Jesus name.  Beauty for ashes indeed.  

This is Norbert...

I'm about to tell you another very cool God story about Norbert & his involvement with my good friends Jenn & Chris.  Jenn blogged about Norbert here.  

If you haven't already seen it, I suggest you rent Hotel Rwanda.  It will give you a better understanding of what these beautiful people went through in 1994.  Spending time at the memorial before going to love on and spend time with children who were orphaned because of this horrific event, put it all into perspective.  

This country is rebuilding.  They are strong.  They love justice.  

I don't think I ever blogged about it, but when I was with the Honeggers in Rwanda my laptop (along with lots of other items of theirs) were stolen.  From the home we were staying at.  If this happened in the US, no one would care - but the police were over that night and within 48 hours they tracked down the theif and we had all of our stuff back.  Justice, people.  They care.  They fight.  

Lane Mears, in country director of International Justice Mission, wrote about it on his blog here.  

I was drawn to the pictures.  Pictures tell stories.  Pictures say things that words sometimes can't. 

It was a pretty emotional day.  Afterwards we went to lunch (traditional Rwandan buffet) and then headed out to the Best Family.