Reduce, reuse, recycle…redemption: A lesson from Rwanda

In a Rwandan woman’s compelling story of survival against all odds, we witness how God recycled the pillage of genocide and reused it to heal human hearts.

This year, I have been trying to clear out clutter and organize my house. As I do this, the words reduce, recycle and reuse have been floating through my mind as a mantra. These very practical goals used to assist us in taking care of the environment, can serve as excellent spiritual goals as well.

The principle of reduction can easily be applied to our spiritual lives. St. John the Baptist said it best: “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Living a life for God is focused on fulfilling the purposes for which we were created. It’s not about self-promotion or controlling other people’s lives to conform to our ideals of a Godly life. John the Baptist knew that his job was to prepare the way for the Lord. Honestly, that’s all any of us can do; be an example of love to pave a way for God to act. That kind of attitude takes a lot of silence. I have learned the hard way that the best way to move someone’s heart is to pray more and speak less. Reducing my words by choosing them wisely is more effective than belaboring a point or nagging.

God is very good at recycling. I have said for many years that the Lord wastes nothing. I can honestly say that every trial in my life has somehow been recycled and reused by God to become a blessing in someone’s life. Sometimes we see God recycle our pain and reuse our struggles quickly. For example, when I met a woman in the pediatric ICU whose daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I was able to offer her practical tips and encouragement. God reused my struggle for her gain and helped us forge a strong bond these past ten years. Other times it is hard to see how God will recycle and reuse our struggles because it can take a long time before we see the fruit.

One dramatic example of this started 15 years ago. My daughter Johanna was 18 months old when we realized the extent of the neurological disease that was causing frequent hemorrhages in her brain. When we learned the diagnosis of this rare disease, we were devastated.

At that time, I saw a picture in the newspaper of a Rwandan woman who was carrying one child on her back, while holding another one in her arms. She was surrounded my mobs of refugees, terrorized survivors of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. At this time, the world was only beginning to understand the evil that occurred in those 100 days of April to July in 1994. As trials were conducted to prosecute the perpetrators, more and more of the gruesome details hit the press around the world. I remember sitting holding my baby in my arms, her head filled with staples from her recent brain surgery and feeling so connected to this Rwandan woman who clutched her babies close. I knew the Lord was speaking to my heart as these words came to mind; “For whatever trial you face with this little one, remember this woman, your sister in Christ, who has shielded her children from bullets and machetes and struggles to provide for them every day.” I cut the picture out of the paper and named the woman “My Rwandan Sister in Christ.” My husband framed it for me and I set it out in on a table in my prayer room and took it with me during hospital stays.

Throughout the years I prayed for the recovery of my Rwandan sister and the protection of her children. Then three years ago, I met her.

Her name is Immaculee Ilibagiza. She is a woman of profound faith and courage, who survived the Rwandan genocide by hiding in a tiny bathroom, with seven other women, for 91 days. Her New York Times bestseller, Left to Tell told her incredible story of terror, faith and forgiveness and God launched her new career as a world renowned author and motivational speaker.

I first heard Immaculee speak at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island in Manorville. She spoke of the intense suffering of the genocide, her ability to forgive the murderers who killed her family and the grace of God poured out to her as she prayed for mercy as she hid in a tiny bathroom for three months. While I knew she wasn’t truly the woman in the picture, I felt connected to her as my Rwandan sister in Christ for whom God had used my struggles to call me to pray. I listened intently to Immaculee’s stories and read all of her books. Her words confirmed for me that truly our God is an avid recycler. He takes all the garbage in our lives, recycles and reuses it to work for the good for those who love him.

A year after I heard her speak, we were asked to sing at Immaculee’s next presentation and to have dinner with her after the day of prayer. She brought her children with her and a priest from Rwanda who is building an orphanage and school for all the children who lost families in the genocide. An entire society had to be rebuilt as over 1 million people were murdered in those horrendous 100 days. At the dinner, I shared my story with Immaculee, who now lives in Queens and travels all over the world bringing her message of God’s transforming love and forgiveness. In Imaculee’s witness I saw how the Lord recycled the pillage of genocide and reused it to heal human hearts.

That picture of My Rwandan Sister in Christ still sits in my prayer corner reminding me that our God wastes nothing. He recycles our pain to reduce our pride and reuses our struggles as tools to transform the world.

To learn more about Immaculee’s ministry go to immaculee.com.

Eileen Benthal has a B.A. in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is a writer, speaker and wellness coach at 40DaysToFocus.com and NOFO Wellness Center. She works with clients locally and around the U.S. who are excited about balancing their health in body, mind and spirit.

Eileen and her husband Steve live in Jamesport and have four young adult children. Their youngest, 16-year-old Johanna, is a teenager with special needs. Eileen can be reached at eileenbenthal@gmail.com and facebook.com/40DaysToFocus.

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