2023 Rwanda Delegation: Kayla Innocent

Rwanda

Jun 20

Social Work '24

6/25/2023

June 20th, 2023

Today was a hard day for me. I thought yesterday was a hard day but, today took the icing on the cake. Started the day not feeling well. However, I tried to push through the day. We had the opportunity to go to the prison fellowship at the Mbyo reconciliation village. Hearing their stories and how they were able to forgive each other and live beside one another got me thinking about my own life and about the forgiveness journey that I have to take within myself. We visit another genocide memorial at a church. Everything in the church was left the extract same as if the genocide happened the same day. It was heartbreaking walking through the mass graves and seeing all those open caskets. I completely broke down and got even more sick. No one should ever have to go through something like that. I was so thankful for the chance to hear their stories and be a part of their stories. Today was emotional.

Sn: sorry no pictures today.

~Signing off~

Kay <3

6/24/2023

June 19th, 2023

As I write this I come to the reader’s with straight gratitude. The first day was amazing. After a long 36-hour travel I had a chance to visit the Nyamirambo women's center. I met some of the most heartwarming women and was honored to see their village and where they work. (see pictures below) After a delicious meal prepared by one of the Nyamirabo women. My heart was completely broken while visiting the Kigali genocide memorial site. After hearing the testimonies of the survivors and getting the honor of meeting one of the survivors. The hardest part for me was not only seeing all of those pictures on the walls and bones in the glass cases but reading the stories of the brutal murders of the children in the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi will forever be embedded in my brain. Thankfully I got a chance to commemorate them by taking a moment of silence and prayer(yes, I did tear up). Overall, very thankful and blessed for the opportunity to be a part of the experience.

~Signing off~

Kay <3.