Browsing by Author "Hakizimana, Aloys"

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    Courage! It's Me. Do Not Be Afraid.
    (Tangaza University College, 2005) Hakizimana, Aloys
    After the 1994 Rwandan Genocide which swept away around one million of people and left many psychologically traumatized, I kept asking myself "why such a horror of war was not reacted to by all those who could to save lots of lives? What is the meaning of life if at the end of the day people who differ on certain issues exterminate one another on the pretext of ending the quarrels? Had they have to engage themselves in a fratricidal war if they wanted to find peace?" These are questions which you cannot understand in a country like Rwanda, which, by any standards, was massively Christian. You wonder how far the evangelization had gone if as a result, Christians had to kill one another in a huge numbers. Faith was so fragile when it came to the test. The brotherly love had turned into fear and hatred. With all these facts above, I want to look into the matter, but I will be much more focused on the perspectives of the future. In spite of all this horror which deepened into a severe trauma, life must continue; Rwandese need to seat together and reorganize life anew; they need to mend the broken brotherly relationship by reconciling one another. Since this paper is of a biblical nature, I chose a biblical periscope, Matt 14: 22-33, of which a comparative study between the disciples and Rwandese Community shall be made. I will follow the biblical methodology of writing which has, but only three chapters. Each chapter has an introduction and a conclusion. In the first chapter, I will present a short overview of Rwanda and its socio-political situation all along, until and after the 1994 horror. I will also look at some possible causes of political turmoil which created disorder, thus leading to the Genocide. Then in the second chapter, I will present a detailed analysis of Matt 14: 22-33, along with some other necessary details of the text, taking into account that every single line of the text will be looked at. On the sea, the disciples are terribly shaken, to the extent of failing to recognize their Lord. Fear has overpowered faith. But the Lord consoles them: "Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." This Lord's Epiphany is of great importance to them, and so to us, since it revives their faith amidst tribulations. In my third chapter, I will look at the relevance of the text to the Rwandan situation. The disciples' and the Rwandese cases are similar. Both sides experience fear and lack of faith and doubt. Jesus comes to the disciples rescue. Rwandese need too the Lord's Epiphany. His healing hand will help them end their trauma and help them start the journey of love which is the opposite of fear. One conquers only with love.