As I was preparing to lead workshops on the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation in the country of genocide, Rwanda, I was challenged here on the home front.
"What do you, as a white woman from America, have to say to genocide survivors on the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation?"
A blunt but fair question. My answer -
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. But I have been through a very dark depression and I know what it is like to feel hopeless, to suffer & feel trapped, wondering if I would ever get better. And I do think I can make quilts to share about that and the process of healing. Yes, I think God can help me do that."
Transparency is powerful. When I was experimenting with story ropes before going to Rwanda, I tied clear saran wrap on after the very black area. That is where I started taking the risk of being transparent sharing my story of a very long, very dark depression, when self esteem was gone and hope lost.
Transparency helps the other person feel safe to share. Click on OUR STORIES on the navigation bar. God wastes nothing.
As Becca and I met with groups of genocide survivors, we both had a story to tell of our broken lives. We were not perfect white women as is often thought in a place like Africa. We had struggled & endured too. But nothing like they had. Never like they had. But our humble little bit of transparency along with honest compassion was enough to break down walls & their sharing after 14 years of silence was nothing short of amazing.
No comments:
Post a Comment