LIFE STORY/AS TOLD BY MARCEL GILLET - ASSISTING OUR BROTHERS IN RWANDA

 In 1994 more than 1,000,000 people were slaughtered in a genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Tragically, some of our brothers and sisters were also killed. Soon a group of brothers were asked to arrange humanitarian relief for our country. 

When our group arrived in Kigali, the capital, we found the translation office and literature depot riddled with bullets. We heard many tragic stories of our brothers and sisters who had been murdered with machetes. But we also heard accounts of Christian love in action. For example, we met a Tutsi brother who had hidden in a hole under the ground for 28 days, protected by a Hutu Witnesses. During a meeting in Kigali, we provided spiritual comfort to over 900 brothers and sisters. 

We next crossed the border in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) to search for a large number of Rwandan Witnesses who had fled to refugee camps near the city of Goma. We could not find them, so we prayed, asking Jehovah to guide us to them. We then saw someone walking toward us, and we asked him if he knew any Jehovah's Witnesses. "Yes, I'm a Witness," he replied. "I would be glad to bring you to the relief committed." After an upbuilding meeting with the relief committee, we met with some 1,600 refugees to provide them spiritual comfort and encouragement. We also shared the contents of a letter from the Governing Body. The brothers and sisters were deeply touched to hear the assurance. "You are constantly in our prayers. We know that Jehovah will not forsake you."  How true those words were from the Governing body proved to be. Today, over 30,000 Witnesses are thriving in Rwanda.

Next time: LIFE STORY/AS TOLD BY MARCEL GILLET - DETERMINED TO REMAIN FAITHFUL

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