| Imagine if you witnessed someone you knew murder | | | | of her sister and her children. |
| your entire family. The tragedy of witnessing | | | | Saveri, a 40-year-old Hutu, who killed seven Tutsi |
| something this horrific was beginning to subside, until | | | | civilians during the Rwandan genocide, is the |
| the murderer is released early and sent back to the | | | | confessed killer of Rosaria's family members. Saveri, |
| same community in which you lived. Would you be | | | | who said he was forced to kill or face retribution from |
| able to forgive someone who completely destroyed | | | | his fellow Hutus, is still haunted by the nightmare he |
| your life permanently? | | | | caused for Rosaria's family. He does not believe that |
| That is a question that many survivors of the | | | | God will ever forgive him for his atrocities. |
| Rwandan genocide in 1994 had to answer when | | | | However, by participating in reconciliation workshops, |
| Rwandan President Paul Kagame released 50,000 | | | | hosted by the local Anglican Church, Saveri builds |
| Hutu inmates, convicted of killing one million Tutsi | | | | houses for Tutsi survivors including Rosaria in an |
| civilians in less than 100 days from early April to mid | | | | attempt to gain their forgiveness. |
| July 1994. The inmates' re-assimilation into a new | | | | Chantale is 36-years-old and was married with a child |
| Rwanda is captured beautifully in the documentary "As | | | | before the Rwandan genocide. She watched the |
| We Forgive," produced and directed by Laura Waters | | | | murder of her husband by John, a close friend of her |
| Hinson. | | | | husband. Chantale and her brother are the only |
| Although minorities in Rwanda, the Tutsis were initially | | | | survivors in their family of 30 people. |
| the landowners and the Hutus worked the land, which | | | | Of all of the Tutsi survivors, Chantale finds it most |
| caused a socioeconomic divide, not ethnic. However, | | | | difficult to forgive, because before the uprising John |
| the Belgians would use the Tutsi minority to oppress | | | | was a close family friend, who regularly drank beer |
| the Hutu majority, which caused them to seek revenge | | | | with her husband. She is initially hesitant to show any |
| when they gained power. | | | | mercy for the Hutu killers and is unable to attend |
| The documentary is a terrific portrayal of the power | | | | church because the congregation is almost completely |
| of forgiveness, as survivors of the Rwandan genocide | | | | Hutu, after the murders of all the Tutsi members. |
| are encouraged to participate in a program, which | | | | Despite the reluctance of the adults to reconcile their |
| allows the perpetrators to seek the mercy from their | | | | difference, the film also features a student named Joy |
| victims in an attempt to build a more unified Rwanda. | | | | who was a child during the Rwandan genocide. The |
| The film focuses on five people, with very different | | | | Tutsi teenager is class president at Son Rise School |
| perspectives of the Rwandan genocide. | | | | and represents the new Rwanda, with less ethnic |
| Rosaria is one of the Tutsi survivors who, pregnant at | | | | tension and more unified pride. |
| the time, was sliced with a machete and beaten in the | | | | Despite the savagery of the Rwandan genocide, "As |
| chest with a gun. Of all of the members of her family, | | | | We Forgive" is a beautiful reminder of how strong the |
| she and her unborn daughter were the only ones to | | | | human spirit is, and how powerful forgiveness can be |
| survive the Rwandan genocide, witnessing the death | | | | in healing a family, community or country. |