Rwandan Stories: Prisca

MINGGUS

When I met Minggus in Bali, he made quite an impact on me. Young-ish, with some interesting edges, he came up with mature answers, gently presented.

PLEASE NOTE: you may find the first part of this story distressing

"When I speak about the genocide it hurts me inside because it was so terrible...

"My husband was attacked by the militia. I ran inside another house with the children and hid but some of them came and they raped me..."

Antoine Rutayisire, from African Enterprise, said, "There are some cases, really, when you hear someone talking you say, "do I dare to talk about healing..." Yet the story of Prisca's recovery has touched people around the world, especially those who have their own story of pain. After hearing her story, Minggus - a young volunteer youth worker in Sumba, Indonesia - wrote:-

"You are not just a mother to Rwandese, you are a mother who brings peace to all nations. You are my mother as well. You have taught me about peace and love... I am moved and proud to have a mother in peace like you."

This is a little of Prisca's story.

Having decided that the local tradition of paying twenty cows for a dowry would enslave young men in a lifetime of debt, he works voluntarily with disenchanted youth. With determination and conviction he encourages them to have a bigger vision, whilst rejecting the costly tradition. And he has paid the price - his parents have disowned him - more correctly his father.

Minggus visits them as much as he can, reminding them of his respect for them as people but not for a tradition which makes life impossible for youth who have not taken up traditional shepherding or husbandry.

John Steward