“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Psalm 2:8
Rafiki in Rwanda actually started in Kenya. When Mwai Kibaki was president of Kenya (2002-2013), his wife Lucy invited me to be a speaker at the 2003 conference of OFLA (Organization of First Ladies of Africa) held that year in Kenya. Lucy had visited the Rafiki Village in Nairobi and was impressed at how Rafiki was caring for and educating orphans. She wanted me to tell First Ladies in other countries about Rafiki. Of course, I was delighted to do so! At the conference I saw Janet Museveni, First Lady of Uganda, where Rafiki had already established a Village. She grabbed me by the hand and dragged me to meet Jeannette Kagame, the First Lady of Rwanda. I found out later that Janet and Jeannette were good friends and together they had started OFLA.
Jeannette Kagame invited me to come to Rwanda where she would host our team to discuss the establishment of a Rafiki Village. She was true to her word and escorted us to the hotel and dinner she had arranged for us in the capital Kigali. Jeannette Kagame was (and is!) a gracious lady.
She made arrangements for us to see some of the beautiful countryside of this small country of less than 10 million people at that time. And she wanted us to learn their history. Therefore, we visited the Genocide Memorial where in 1994 over 800,000 people were slaughtered in just 100 days. If you do not know this history, I suggest that you read up on it. There have been a number of books written about the genocide, the most popular, made into a movie, is Hotel Rwanda. Others include “Life Laid Bare,” the story of a community of genocide survivors who spent the months of killing hiding in the swamps near their homes in Nyamata. The reason to read this book is because the village Rafiki finally established is in the town of Nyamata.
The genocide in 1994 left the country poor. It obliterated the country's economy, social fabric, human resource base, and institutions. To this day almost 90 percent of the population lives on less than US$2 per day and half of the population lives on less than US$1 per day.
Jeanette Kagame, knowing the situation in her country, was eager to have Rafiki help. Therefore, she found a piece of property for Rafiki but the property was only 12 acres. We wanted to be appreciative, but it just was not enough land for a Rafiki Village. When the government could not come up with other properties, we went to the CHURCH. That’s always where God directs us!
The EPR (Eglise Presbytérienne au Rwanda) has an interesting history. The Church was founded in 1907. That year, Germans from the Bethel Mission accompanied by Tanzanians came to Rwanda. After the departure of the German missionaries at the end of the First World War, they were replaced by Swiss and Belgians and later Dutch missionaries. In 1959 the name was officially changed to Presbyterian Church in Rwanda so that the church would not be seen as only presenting the gospel, but also meeting the social needs of the country. Rafiki would fit into their goals.
The head of the EPR was one of the nicest church leaders I have met. He told us that the church had “reasonably flat” land in Nyamata, 22 miles from the capital of Kigali. When we went to see it, we were thrilled. The 44-acre site was perfect and the road into it was lined with the most beautiful bougainvillea hedge I have ever seen. There was even a small church at the entrance to the road to our property. It would have been perfect except for the fact that there was no electricity or water on the property. Minor details!
In 2007 Rafiki sent missionaries Ken and Bev Merrill to oversee the construction of the first phase—including getting electricity and drilling a well! Sorry, we drilled several wells to get water, without success. Apparently, being on a hillside means you must drill very deep to find water. Today Rafiki buys water from the community around us. We also buy electricity from the government, and it is expensive!
Another problem was bricks for building. They were not available. So, our innovative missionaries bought a cement mixer and made our own bricks!
One other big problem had to be overcome—the language. President Kagame declared that English would be the national language after the genocide. However, the people only spoke Kinyarwanda or French. And at that time there were no teachers who could teach English.
But nothing stops God. “Though troubles assail us --- the Lord will provide.”
Thus, on February 25, 2009, the Rwanda Rafiki Village was dedicated by Jeanette Kagame. And it is flourishing with hundreds of children on the waiting list to get into our schools where they will be taught in English!
To God be the glory!
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