Comments Made by Sam Shewmaker

Mwaramutse nyose

Karibuni sana mu Amerika

Your Excellency, we wish to express thanks to you and your people for honoring us by a visit to this campus today. Murakoze!

As a son of Africa myself, it is a special pleasure for me personally to witness the beginnings of a relationship between this Christian University and the Nation of Rwanda.

Your Excellency, as a citizen of the United States of America, I would like to express, on behalf of many of my fellow-Americans, and indeed on my own behalf, a belated, though deeply felt apology – that the government of the United States did not come to the aid of the people of Rwanda in their darkest hour. This fact is a stain on our national honor for which we are deeply sorry.

Some of us have visited your beautiful country and have met some of your beautiful people. While we have been moved to deep grief for the tragedy of Rwanda,

We do not pity the people of Rwanda, because they are not a pitiable people.

We see them as a resilient people who are growing in their hope every day.

Your Excellency, we believe that this is in large part due to your effective leadership. We believe that God has put you and your government in this position of leadership in Rwanda “for such a time as this.”

Many of us present here today represent a fellowship of Christian congregations known as churches of Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ both in belief and in action, it is our desire to partner with Rwandans in the planting of churches that, in a holistic way, will become communities of healing that meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of the people.

It is our desire to work in solidarity along side your people to achieve the goals of your national Vision 2020 – in whatever fields, be they in the field of spiritual development and the planting of churches, the fields of education, of training in business, information technology, in primary health care training, or in strategies to assist families to break out of the cycle of poverty.

We look forward to a harmonious working relationship with Rwanda that expresses Christ’s spirit of compassion and service.

In closing, let me say on behalf of churches of Christ, that we wish you, the government and the people of Rwanda great success and the bountiful blessings of God on your path to national unity, prosperity and well-being.

May God always abide in Rwanda. Imana Ikurinde.