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David Nyonzima & Family It was the dark night of the soul for David Nyonzima when eight of his friends at the Quaker seminary in Burundi were murdered in cold blood. The men, who had been under his supervision, had asked to return to their families as the Hutu-Tutsie bloodbath moved ever closer to their seminary. Afraid that the men would sustain injuries or even death if they attempted to travel, Nyonzima forbade then to go. Then the unspeakable happened. All eight men, fathers and men of god, were shot to death. David's faith was so shaken that he felt he could not go on living. Blaming himself, reliving the murders again and again, he was unconsolable. "I was eaten alive by my own guilt for not allowing then to return home, and my hatred for the killers. Everybody knew who they are," he said. Then dawned the Light, and somehow David knew what he must do: he would have to face his own Goliath--the killers of the eight men--and forgive them for murdering his friends and colleagues. Although the killers denied that they had committed the crimes, David told them, "I don't care what you have to say. What's done is done. I just want you to know that I forgive you." Soon after this heart-opening experience for David, threats were made on his life, and he and his young wife and two small boys were forced to leave their homeland--to become one family among the thousands of Hutu and Tutsi refugees now streammomg into the hot, overcrowded city of Niarobi, Kenya. In Niarobi, David continues his ministry by gathering groups of refugees--Hutus and Tutsies together--and helping them to tell their stories face to face. They see that everyone is suffering. And that in order for the suffering to stop, they must find it in their hearts to forgive one another--exactly as David faced and forgave the murders of his eight friends. As the General Secretary of Burundi Friends Meeting, David is a respected clergyman and is able to draw members of both tribes to his church, where he uses the pulpit as a forum for reconcillation, and is translating peace literature into the common Hutu-Tutsi dialect. It's to see both the suffering in his eyes--and the love as he calmly speaks of bodies floating down the rivers, sometimes 50 corpses per hour, in his beloved Burundi homeland When asked how his work is paid and how he lives, David remarks casually, "People find out about what I am doing, and money comes in." But not enough. And today, although he would not admit it, David is worried, worried there will not be enough money to pay the bills to support his family. But he is compelled to continue the work of peacemaking If you can help, please contact: pj.toy@juno.com Footnote: Updates on David's and Burundi's unfolding situation will be published here as events progress. More info and links regarding the Burundi situation are planned for this site The Toys. |
