A Refugee Student Says, "Thank you" ITMI!

Mukeshimana Manasse was orphaned in the 1994 Rwanda Genocide and made his way with great difficulty to South Africa, where he found Cedar College of Education at KwaSizabantu (KSB), near Durban. While in his final year, Manasse said, "Since I've got nothing worthy to reward God for what he has done for me, my vision is to serve Him fully and in truth in the field of Education as a missionary, wherever, whenever he might send me." Manasse is one of several refugee students that ITMI, with the generous gifts of ITMI donors, has been able to help equip for ministry with a quality, Christian education from Cedar College of Education. After his graduation, he penned a touching thank you letter to those who sponsored his education.

The Rwanda Genocide of 1994 was the culmination of years of civil unrest and ethnic prejudice and bitterness between the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsis. In April 1994, the Rwandan President, a Hutu, was assassinated, and this sparked the Genocide. The violence in the capitol city, Kigali, was forcibly “encouraged” by Hutu soldiers and police officers. The Hutus were possibly taking revenge on the Tutsis for the assassination, although it could have been committed by Hutus to prevent the President from signing a peace treaty with the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a group of Tutsi rebels. The ripple effect was widened within hours of the assassination as recruits were dispatched all over the country to propagate the wave of violence. The Genocide lasted until the Rwandan Patriotic Front captured Kigali. The event took the lives of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, and caused the displacement of an estimated 2 million Hutus after the Rwandan Patriotic Front gained control.

When Manasse was 21, his family of eleven was scattered during the genocide, and he fled on foot to the Ituri forest of the country that is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he faced terrible hunger, diseases and wild animals while avoiding being killed by roaming armed groups. During this time, Manasse witnessed many people killed. At one point, he even slept next to a corpse to save his life. At long last, he arrived in Durban, South Africa. When he arrived, he found Cedar College of Education at KwaSizabantu.

KwaSizabantu, means “the place where people are helped”. It is a large self-sustaining mission compound with: the ability to house 4,500; an auditorium to seat 10,000 that is frequently filled to capacity; a staff of over 160; Domino Servite school; Cedar College of Education; Tabitha Adult School training illiterate adults; 340 hectares of farm land; a green house; bakery; dairy; water bottling plant; and vineyards. One of ITMI’s projects, Moreson Children’s Haven in Malmsbury, South Africa, is a satellite branch of KwaSizabantu. It was at KwaSizabantu that Manasse found refuge from his refugee journey and was offered hope and a future. Whether he was saved when he arrived is unknown, but he left Cedar College of Education equipped to return to his community and spread the Gospel through teaching in the face of growing Secularist influences in schools.

ITMI has been sponsoring the education of refugees through Cedar College at KwaSizabantu since 2003. The program was originally started for Sudanese refugees or “Lost Boys”. Two of these Sudanese students, Hilary Lokudu (left) and Joseph Achippu (right), have since graduated, returned to Sudan and are ministering in the schools of their extremely deprived homeland. In areas of deprivation, war and famine, such as Sudan, those with educations are esteemed and have the opportunity to make a great difference in their communities. Most locals with educations tend to flee these areas, since they can find employment elsewhere. Manasse has also been equipped for ministry by a quality Christian education. In November 2006, Manasse penned the following letter.

To: My Sponsors

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to sincerely thank you for your financial support during these four years of my B. [Bachelor} Ed degree course. By God’s grace, I have now successfully completed the course. I don’t have the proper word to express my full thankfulness and joy from heart, but I only trust that the Lord will reward you heavenly. I accept the responsibility to serve the Lord fully and in truth in the field of education, wherever the Lord might send me.

May God bless you richly.

Yours faithfully,

Mukeshimana Manasse

We echo Manasse’s thanks for the sacrifices made by ITMI supporters. Whether you gave to the Refugee Students at KSB or to one of ITMI’s other projects, we want you to know that you are helping quality, worthy people like Manasse, making their lives better, reaching them with the gospel and impacting eternity.

Written by Summer Kelley

BBC News. Rwanda: How the genocide happened. 1 April 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1288230.stm

Doyle, Mark. Rwanda’s mystery that won’t go away. BBC News. 29 November 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6196226.stm

Hammond, Dr. Peter. Joy! Magazine. Kwasizabantu. Issue 1 2006. http://www.joymag.co.za/mag/1-2006/kwasizabantu.php.