The 5 Best Sacred & Religious Sites in Rwanda, Rwanda

Reviewed By C3965HGpeterh

We had already visited the main genocide memorial in the capital of Rwanda, and found that experience extremely moving. But a few days later, we made a trip to Bugesera Province, and stopped at the Nyamata Church, and found the experience almost overwhelming, but at the same time, you could do nothing but feel to your core that it is our duty to bear witness to the horrible events that happened there. The main genocide memorial in the capital of Rwanda is a well-curated exhibit, with lots to see, and also the burial site for hundreds of thousands of the genocide victims. At Nyamata Church, you feel less that you are at a "memorial," and more that you are stepping into a crime scene--- because you are. The clothing remains of the numerous victims are stacked in the pews of the church, the bullet holes and the damage to the entrance of the church from grenades and crow bars to pry open the metal gates are still visible, and less you have any doubts about what happened there, you can, and should, descend to the lower vault where the skeletal remains of hundreds if not thousands of victims are visible. Rwanda is a young, vibrant country with a lot of promise and potential, and we were really glad we spend a significant portion of our first trip to Africa there. The genocide that happened in 1994 is part of is a tragic part of the country's history, but we were impressed, the more we read, about the extensive efforts since then that the country has undertaken for forgiveness and reconciliation. There is still a lot of trauma rippling through the country, and we only saw small glimpses of it as visitors. But the world's tourists should be coming to visit Rwanda, a beautiful country, and yes, be sure to bear witness to the worst that can happen if you stoke hatred, ethnic division, and combine it with the general indifference of the rest of the world.