Genocide

One of the three genocide memorials we visited.

So this morning woke up and had a delicious breakfast! We then loaded a bus and drove outside of town. It was so gorgeous! Driving past kids playing and the smell of fresh air was wonderful compared to the town. We went to two genocide memorials. The first one we went to was a catholic church and 5 thousand people lost their lives (including women, children and the old). They thought they would be safe from the Hutu because they were at a Church... But the Hutu found them and killed them. We walked into the church buildings and there was still a stench to it, blood still spattered the walls and the clothes of the victims pilled high as a reminder to all of the horrible killings that took place. Walking through the buildings was so hard for me. I couldn’t imagine having the capability to kill, to know the feeling of losing my whole family, or to be one of the few to survive and wake up to bodies all around me. The second memorial was also a church where 10 thousand died. The building was literally the size of a basketball court. One section was covered with blood. The brick wall was covered with the blood of children as the soldiers bashed their heads into the wall. Looking up their blood was spattered on the ceilings. We went to the cemetery where we looked at thousands of skulls. I could see the machete, the bullet, the club that had ended this life simply because they carried the label of a Tutsi. How does this happen? How does mankind get tricked into thinking they are better than their neighbor? These memorials stand to serve as a reminder of the dangers that lie with hatred, belittlement, and the lies of propaganda.  A reminder that stands for the future generations.

So today was definitely a challenge... After though Nicky, Megan and I went to lunch. We then took the bus to downtown and explored a craft market. So much stuff! It was super awesome that we got their and back without getting lost :)Then we had pizza for dinner and am listening to friends play guitar and listen to songs they have written. A wonderful feeling of just relaxing.