Patchwork of Hope
Rose Busingye was wary when she heard an American was coming to Rwanda to teach about forgiveness and reconciliation. After all, what could an American know about the pain and trauma of genocide? When Rose learned that Marge Malwitz, a contemporary fabric artist from Connecticut, would be using quilt artwork to teach the sensitive topic, her doubts increased. But Rose was about to discover that God-inspired art can lead to tremendous breakthroughs. “I was proved wrong,” she admits. “This down-to-earth lady began to talk about her journey of pain, depression and utter hopelessness. She explained how God transformed and restored her life. ‘God wastes nothing,’ she told us. I could see God was using her and her art to bring healing to us.” Says Rose: “It was the first time I had heard someone explain the process of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation in such a simple yet profound manner.” The Veil Lifts
 | | Healing Together: Marge and Rwandan women create their own "story rope" - each telling the story of her personal journey of pain. |
As Marge shared her own hurts with the group of mothers and widows, others began to open up, sharing their own deep hurts and hidden struggles spun by the horrors of Rwanda’s genocide 14 years ago.
“It was as if a veil had been torn apart, allowing us to view each other with compassion and understanding,” Rose recalls. Mother-of-two Clementine says: “I had been keeping a lot of painful things locked inside. I developed problems with my blood pressure because I was carrying heavy loads in my heart. I couldn’t trust anyone to tell them my story. “After I shared with the group, I felt like a burden was lifted from me.” Many of the women wept as they confessed they had held grudges against one another, and they asked each other’s forgiveness. “The Spirit of God was at work,” says Rose. “He tore down the walls.”
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