"Papa Wanjye"

Last night on my way home from school, Andrew called me and asked me if I could help drive someone to the hospital. This is not that unusual of a request, and often that might just mean they need to go to a local clinic. When I arrived at church I discovered that Jacquline, one of the genocide orphans that the church helps support, was in a very traumatic state. She saw her father being killed during the genocide, when she was about five years old. Every once in awhile, usually during April in the time of mourning, she relives what she saw. It was a pretty sobering experience to go to her home, watch Andrew pick her up and carry her to my car, and drive her to a counseling place. As we drive to the place, Jaquline was wailing in the back seat of my car,”My father, My father, they are killing him, they are killing him, they are cutting him, they will throw him into the river, My father, My father.” I can’t understand any of those words in Kinyarwanda except for “Papa Wanjye(My Father).” Hearing her sob “Papa Wanjye” over and over again will always be something I remember. Her sister, Gloriose, (not a sister by blood, but she is also an orphan who has grown up with her) also witnessed her parents being killed in the genocide, so it is of course very difficult for her to watch. It starts an ugly cycle of each of them reliving the trauma they have been through. This morning Andrew called me and they are borrowing my car to take them back to a medical counseling center as they are both in a bad place again. People all over the world experience from trauma and the post-effects of that. And we should always be praying for them. But today, for me, and hopefully for you, it becomes more personal. Please be praying specifically for Jacquline and Gloriose today.