Wherever there are shadows, there are people ready to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight. This is Bleeding Daylight with your host, Rodney Olsen. Welcome to this very special episode. Please connect with Bleeding Daylight through Facebook and Instagram. Links and other episodes are at bleedingdaylight.net. Please share this episode with others. Today, we're travelling back 30 years to a disturbing period in the history of one African nation.
I'll be talking to someone whose life and family was torn apart. If you find my guest's accent difficult to understand, please listen to this episode on a podcast platform that uses subtitles or listen directly at bleedingdaylight.net so that you don't miss this compelling story. Around 10 years ago, I visited the African country of Rwanda, a land of remarkable natural beauty, but also the scene of a shocking period in world history.
Today, we'll delve into the remarkable journey of Emmanuel Kwisera, a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Orphaned at just five years old, Emmanuel's story is one of unimaginable loss, but also of profound resilience and hope. Through the support of Compassion at his local church, he found solace in the midst of tragedy.
Today, Emmanuel is a partnership facilitator with Compassion and leads the ministry of Compassion Alumni, supporting local churches and advocating for children in poverty. It really is such an honour to welcome him to Bleeding Daylight today. Emmanuel, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you so much, Rodney, for having me here. It's my joy to join you. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi, where over a million people were killed in just 100 days.
I'm wondering if you can help me understand the events around the genocide. 30 years ago, this country of Rwanda faced something that you can't imagine. That is genocide against the Tutsi. So for you to understand, the country had three ethnics, Tutsi, Hutu and Twa. And then with ideology that was spread all over the earth, it happened that one ethnic killed another one. Within 100 days, more than one million people were killed because of how they are born. Because of how they are looking.
Because of who they are. And they were killed. When we think about 30 years ago, for us it's like yesterday. It was horrible. And we are victims. If you come to Rwanda, everyone was affected in one way or another. But we thank God that the hope is rising by his grace. As you say, 30 years ago in some people's minds seems like a long time ago.
But when we talk about so many of the people that are alive in Rwanda today, who either lived through that or had those people that they knew that were lost during that genocide, it's still very much marked in the imagination of the country, isn't it? It very much shapes how Rwanda is progressing today. You're right. During 1994 genocide, many people were killed. And surprisingly, they were killed by neighbors. No one came from outside.
Our neighbors, people that we know, people that we lived together, people that we stayed together, even some church members, they did that. Let me give you a simple example. My dad was a teacher, but also an elder at one of the Anglican churches in our community. But during 1994, he was killed. And he was killed by people that he was working with, people that he was serving with. And he was a good man, just because of who he was.
We have families, extended families, who were wiped away, like completely. You can't trace even one child. This last Saturday, it was a commemoration at my village. And because, you know, in Rwanda, we had this understanding that if you go to church, one of the church premises, no one can kill you because they fear God. So during 1994, people went to the Catholic churches and other church premises, hoping that they will find refuge.
So my family with other families, they went to this church that was nearby. And genocide perpetrators, they didn't fear even coming to the church, I mean, to the house of God and kill people. When they were recording people that were killed in that church premises, can you imagine that they said more than 8,000 people are buried in that same Catholic parish? So it was really hard. Even now, it's hard to understand. That's why I'm saying that to us, it's like yesterday.
But the journal of hope is also amazing. And we thank God for that. Because when you see where the country is coming from, from darkness, actual total darkness, if I may say, it gives you more reasons to thank God for what He did. I understand at the time, you were just five years of age, and you had gone to stay with an uncle and auntie. Tell me about that. A few days before genocide started, I was really young. And I went to visit one of my aunties, just three miles away from where we stayed.
My aunt had a husband who was a Hutu. Because even though you are married to a Hutu guy, they said that the children, the wife, all of them, they had to be killed. That's why he was like taking us to different bushes for hiding so that we may not be found and be killed. So we could get like one day meal. He could cook and bring food for us in those bushes. And maybe during the evening, he would come and see us. But also sometimes we change places. Because if we are found, we had to be killed.
It was during the rainy season, you could find bushes around. So that's where we were escaping the killers. It wasn't easy even for him. Because if he was found, that he's hiding people, even himself would be killed. But we thank God that no one was found in his house until the soldiers came. Those who stopped genocide until they came in our village and found us. But I will tell you that many people in that village were killed during that time. So that's how I managed to escape by God's grace.
When was it you found out that your parents had not survived during the genocide against the Tutsi? When we were found, we were taken to a camp. And that's where I get to reconnect with some of my family members. And that's when I heard that my dad and my mom were killed in that Catholic premises. It was so sad. Even though I was young, but I cried so hard. But everyone was crying because no one was not affected. It was devastating, if I may say. You can't believe it.
You can't believe someone that you knew, he was a Christian, God-fearing man. But all of a sudden, you feel like he was killed. Not only him, but also other many people that you knew, like in your community. When genocide came, the first target were adults, young people. So children, like orphans, were so many in that area. It was like a normal thing to find someone is total orphan. Even you could find someone, siblings, parents, everyone was killed and is remaining only alone.
So that's when I get to know in that camp that my parents, I mean both parents, were killed. Not only, but also other many more. Not only that, but also some of our neighbors, they brought fuel and surrounded our home and burnt it to scratch. And I'm sure that there were things that a child should never have to see that you encountered during that time. It must have been extremely traumatic, not just losing your parents, but the things that you had endured at that time as well.
Yeah, you're right. It was really hard. It was really hard, but also because it was not happening to me alone, but with many other more people. Many kids who survived the genocide, orphans. It was not only me, but also others. It was like a general message, but we needed someone to comfort us, someone to strengthen us, someone to stand with us, saying that you're not alone, but I'm with you. That's when Compassion opened a program, a project just nearby, and I was registered by God's grace.
I remember my uncle taking me to the project on his bicycle and then registered me in that project. That's where I hope that started coming from, because I was connected to my sponsor from UK. His name is David, and I would say that in that difficult moment, that's where he came in. He would pray for me and ensure that he loves me and telling me those positive words, because I was emotionally down.
But with him and other more people that God brought into my life, I was able to revive again and be strong and be able to face the day. I know that at the time that this was going on, there were many organizations that exited from Rwanda. And yet Compassion was one of those organizations that said, we're not only going to stay, but we're going to expand. That must have started to bring great healing to the areas that Compassion was working in.
It was a miracle to have an organization that reached to us in such time as that. Compassion being an organization that serves alongside with the church. It's like a hope to those who are dying. During that time, the country was facing many orphans. We had no food to eat. We had no shelter. As I told you, our house was burned to scratch. But Compassion intervened. They provided everything that I needed. Scholastic materials, school fees. Not only that, it was so emotional.
I told you about my sponsor, David. I would say that he was like the very first person to tell me that he loves me and he's praying for me. To me, he was like a father. To me, he was a person that I would send in my academic reports saying that I performed this and this. And he would tell me, son, well done. And because I was connected to church, I get an opportunity to receive Christ as my personal savior. I remember I used to go in the bush, cry, and being lonely.
By the time I met Christ, he wiped away all my tears and said, now you're my son. As his word says, he is the father to the fatherless. He proved indeed that he is the father to the fatherless. From that time I met him, he totally changed my life from that time even now. He gave me a smile. He gave me joy that no one can give. And with the church, I was mentored. I was discipled. And here I am serving as a pastor in my church.
And a pastor for children's ministry, raising a generation that will not face what we faced. A generation that will serve God. A generation that will bring influence, not only in their families, but also in their nation and nations. I know that the church was there to serve you, which was supported through compassion. But tell me, how important was it to have that sponsor? You've mentioned David a number of times. He obviously had a big impact on you. How important is it?
Maybe there's people listening at the moment who have sponsored children. What would you say to them about the importance of sponsoring someone and being in contact with that child? I would say that there is nothing so good in life than investing in someone's life. Unfortunately, I came to learn that my sponsor, David, passed on. But I have hope that one day I will meet him in heaven. Because of him, I was able to go to school. Because of him, I was able to get food to eat.
Because of him, here I am, serving, impacting many lives. What I can tell sponsors and anyone who is hearing me now is to tell them the power of investing in someone's life. You change one, you change the whole nation. You change one, you change the entire community. And when it comes to poverty, sometimes poverty becomes like a cycle. Where you find a child is born in poverty and his children are likely to be in poverty because the dad was not able to take them to school.
And those children, they grow up in poverty and even their children become poor because it is a cycle that is going on. By changing one, you cut that cycle and you change the entire family. You change the nations. So, investing, giving time, taking time to pray and also to write those letters, it means a lot. Every time when I saw my sponsor writing to me, getting his letter, it was like meeting him face to face.
I never had a chance of meeting him, but I was like, I'm connecting with him through his letters. Some of them, I still have them. In my mind, I still remember his handwriting, very beautiful one. So, what I can tell sponsors is that whatever moment they take to pray, to write those letters, and also to invest financially in their children's lives, it's not only for that child. It's for the family and it's for the nation and the entire Church of Christ.
You mentioned that life changed dramatically for you when you met Christ. When you understood Jesus' sacrifice for you and what that meant for you personally. That Jesus was able to wipe away the many tears that you had been crying. Part of understanding the forgiveness that Jesus brings means that we must forgive others. I guess it must be very difficult in the sort of situation you're in to look towards those people that had killed your parents and many others and offer forgiveness.
What place does forgiveness play in your life? I would say that meeting Christ was like meeting a total package, like a full package. When we say forgiveness, some people think that it's just a simple thing. It's hard, especially when it comes to a situation like what happened here in Rwanda. As I told you, they are neighbors, people that we know. It was initially hard.
It was more harder on us, I think even for them, because if you don't forgive, you are like carrying that person, that pain, wherever you go. As you said, meeting Christ, he was the one to set us free. I remember him telling me, son, give me your life. I gave him my full package, including my pain, including my shame, including my tears. Forgiveness, forgiving my neighbors and forgiving people who burnt our house, who killed. It was not easy. It was a process.
But with time, God taught me how to forgive them. And with it, not only me, but also my family, we extended forgiveness to them. And we are now living in harmony. But I would say that it's not a one-time thing. It's a process. I'm still forgiving. I'm not saying that I'm there yet 100%, but it's a process and we did it. If I say that forgiveness is not a human thing, it's a divine thing, I wouldn't be lying. But forgiving is setting yourself free and setting others free.
But you can't do that by yourself. You need God's help to help you, because whoever the son sets free, he is free indeed. There's a lot to be learned there in freeing ourselves from the burden of unforgiveness, being able to forgive others. As well as compassion providing for your schooling, you went on after school and studied even further to get to where you are now. I mentioned that as well as being a pastor, you're a partnership facilitator with Compassion.
Maybe you can give us a bit of an understanding of what does a partnership facilitator do for Compassion? What does that job involve? My job is to make sure that holistic child development at church level, to the churches that partner with Compassion, is well done. Under my care, I have 13 churches that have over 4,000 sponsored children. I serve alongside those churches with social workers to make sure that children are known, are loved, and are protected.
We make sure that they are holistically developed. God brings them when they are three to five years and is like, I'm giving you my children. Work with me to make sure that they are released from poverty in Jesus' name. So my big role is to pray to God, to partner with the church and say, what are we going to do? And come up with a plan of holistically releasing them from poverty and empowering them to be who God intended them to be. So we identify the needs for those children.
We plan together with the church, and then we implement different initiatives, measure the impact, make sure that everyone, everyone is reaching the potential of what God intended that person to be. And especially me, who went through the same process. I understand it. It's my heart. And it's always my joy and my honour. I love it. And I love to see children's lives being transformed.
And it must be a very powerful testimony to the children there to know that you're not just someone who came from a privileged background, but you've walked the same roads that they have, that you've seen poverty the same as they have. And it must be a great testimony to them to know that God has great things in store for them as well. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Whenever I go there and I introduce myself, you know what? One day I was like you.
And sometimes I showed them like my picture at the project. Now their attention is like. So whatever I tell them, they're like, I want to be like you. And that's what we do even in our alumni. When we graduated from Compassion program, we mobilized with other graduates. We said, now God blessed us. So are we going out today and then just enjoy the blessings? No, we said we have to return the blessing, come back to the community. We were inspired with what Jesus did.
So whoever he healed or did something good for that person, he was like, go back to our village and tell them what I did for you. So we said that at least in our busy schedules, let's spend some time and go back to our churches, meet children, share with them testimonies. Some of them, it will be like an inspiration. Mentor them, make sure that we disciple them, we help them in the career guidance and so on. So this is not about me alone, but we have other many more who are passionate.
I mean, to go back to the church, meet children, mentor them, make sure that they get even more than what we received at the program, because we are like live testimony of what God did. Tell me, what are some of the people in the alumni now doing? Obviously, you're as a pastor now and part of Compassion's program. What are some of the other things that the alumni are doing these days? Thank you so much. That was a good question.
Actually, when we say alumni, my heart is like, because the alumni is the product of Christ. You remember the mission of Compassion is to raise children from poverty in Jesus' name. So in that name, alumni was born. The church empowered young children, and now they are serving in different capacities. If you come to Rwanda, they are in different fields. We have doctors, we have lawyers, we have people in different fields.
So when we go back to our churches, we meet children and we empower them, help them in the career guidance. Some of them, they are dreaming to be the kind of people that we are, dreaming to be doctors, dreaming to be lawyers. But not only that with children in the program, but Compassion is helping like a few number of children, but we say that we can be a voice even to the rest of them.
So what we do, we provide the little we have, maybe by taking few to school, providing scholastic materials as we can, and also helping others to get health insurance. And it's really beautiful. Like last year, we were able to provide health insurance for more than 500 children who are not in sponsorship across the country. We're able to take to school more than 300 kids by only alumni. In my church, we had a few classrooms when we were in the program.
But when we graduated, we said, no, our young brothers and sisters, they don't have to suffer like the way we suffered. We said that we can partner with the church to set up facilities and build classrooms, more classrooms that fit children there. And we started that. We have alumni who completed the classrooms for children, and it's really beautiful.
Alumni partner with the church to sit and plan together for their young brothers and sisters because they understand well what they need and what they can do to reduce them from poverty in Jesus' name. If someone is listening at the moment, and maybe they've never considered sponsoring a child, in a country like Rwanda or many of the other countries where Compassion works, what would you do to encourage them to make a difference in a child's life?
I would say that investing in one is changing the entire family and the nation. If you see the statistics in Rwanda, we have many kids who are dropping out of school. The government sets facilities, but families are not able to sustain them. They don't have scholastic materials. We have many who are facing stunting and malnutrition. Maybe you can't do everything, but changing one is changing the entire nation. And nothing's so good than investing in someone's lives, as I said.
I just love every day when I meet children. I just remember what Jesus said, whoever that welcomes one of these little children is me that he welcomes. So meeting them is like meeting Jesus. I would say that if you do that, if you invest in one child, you're serving that one who created them, who loves them. Investing in that person, you're touching the heart of God. I sponsor a child from Haiti, and it's my joy to be part of his life.
Every time I receive his letters, I'm like, Lord, thank you that at least I'm contributing something in your kingdom. So I would encourage everyone who is hearing me, start by one, that one, then you will change the nations. Because of my sponsor, I am who I am. And I think what many people don't realize is that you actually release a child to dream. Because many of us, we've had dreams since we were very little of what we might be when we grow up.
And yet many children who are facing poverty, they don't have the luxury of dreaming because they don't believe it will ever happen. And yet when a child is sponsored, they're given the absolute joy of having a dream. Was that something that you experienced taken from where you were in very desperate circumstances to being told you can have a dream, you can have something to look forward to? Yeah, you're right.
When you are in a desperate situation, when you are in a hopeless situation, it's hard for you to dream. When you are not hoping to have another meal, maybe in the evening, it's hard to dream about tomorrow. If you're thinking that you won't find where to sleep in the evening, it's hard to dream about school. But when you get basic needs, you think about tomorrow. When you go to school, your hope keeps raising and you keep dreaming that tomorrow you will join high school.
When you join high school, your hope is built and then you dream higher. So back to children in poverty, sponsoring them is building hope. They are surrounded with darkness and it's hard for them to see the light. But if one invest in that and bring light in their lives, they are able to dream higher.
I'm going to put links in the show notes at bleedingdaylight.net so that people can find Compassion in whatever country they're listening from so that they can consider sponsoring a child and making a difference just as we've discussed. But Emmanuel, I want to say thank you so much for talking to me about what was a very difficult period of your life, but also the change that Jesus brought in your life and the difference that it made to have a sponsor through compassion.
So thank you so much for being part of Bleeding Daylight. I really do appreciate it. Thank you so much Rodney for having me. It's my joy. Thank you for listening to Bleeding Daylight. Please help us to shine more light into the darkness by sharing this episode with others. For further details and more episodes, please visit bleedingdaylight.net.