Not very far from Kigali, on the way back from Akagera National Park, we passed a huge church on the right side of the road, which had a small matching temple across the road, next to a Genocide Memorial.

The church is so strikingly gorgeous that we couldn't pass it by without stopping to take a picture. We parked beside the Memorial and I walked across the highway and up to the church whose huge doors were open and from where I could hear beautiful singing. There was a man walking on the road passing by and he accompanied me to the front door, and you can see how small he is in comparison.

While we were walking I think I understood him to say that they were having a good-bye service for a priest or bishop who would be leaving after many years. I could see through the door the choir, dressed in brilliant white, up near the altar and everyone in the pews standing up and singing along. The man told me to go inside, if I wanted to, but that he had to continue on his way. I didn't want to disturb anyone and so I just watched for another minute or so, and then went back across the street to the Temple and Memorial.

On the drive that day we'd noticed many other memorials attesting to the honour the survivors bestow on the victims of the Genocide and how they will "never be forgotten".

go next to 21. MURAMBI MASSACRE MEMORIAL or back to index at DESTINY DESTINATION RWANDA