Nicholas at the inauguration of Village of Hope 2.

Nicholas Habimana- victim of circumstances

BY PENINNAH GATHONI
“The spirit of a nation cannot be broken by wickedness .Fifteen years ago Rwanda became known for something really bad but the people of this country have shown the world that they can now live together, that instead of looking to Rwanda in despair we should now look to it for good examples.”
Cherie Blair said at the launch of loomba trust in Nyamirambo.
“Cherie pointed out that when you hear stories of what happened during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, one wonders how anyone could survive something that terrible,” she wondered.
Cherie is convinced that generous hearts will bring back hope in place of despair and a future to the people of Rwanda. She shares the same with many other Rwandans.
Nicholas Habimana, for example, believes that he survived for a reason. He says that God had planned for him to be Rwandan and for him to be around for his people at such a time as this.
“I asked many times long after the genocide why I had survived and I felt that there was a particular reason that made God rescue me from the hands of death.”
In 1994, Nicholas was nurturing a young family, He had just married his wife and they had a six month young son. He remembers his fear and disillusionment when the genocide against the Tutsis began.
People were being killed all over and he explains that he felt at the line of attack since he had married outside his ‘ethnicity’. I had to protect my wife and that made me a target.
“I needed to get my wife and child out of the country but my choices were very minimal. We decided to flee to Kenya where we would lay low until it all passed and by chance we were able to get a flight out.”
In Kenya they were faced by even larger hostility as the authorities could not let them step a foot off the airport and threatened to depot them back and at the time it meant death.
“My wife, our little boy and I slept on the airport floor in Kenya for a week before we got the chance to go to Britain where we stayed until the end of 2001.”
In Britain, he met well-wishers who were waiting to help him but he was still very reserved and he could not accept their love easily.
“It was hurting at the time,” Nicholas explains.
He explains that this was a terrible time for him to learn how to forgive those who hurt him. He remarks that he felt hurt and betrayed.
“I, like other people would have chosen to hold on to the pain. I would have chosen to hate those who wronged me, but I chose to forgive. Not forgiving would have hurt me more.”
In 2001, Nicholas came back to Rwanda.
“I would have chosen to stay and have a good life in Britain but I needed to come back. I felt a challenge inside me to come back and do something for people who were not as lucky. For those who had lived through it all. I needed to bring healing to my people.”
With the help of his wife and well-wishers, Nicholas set out to build a village of hope for genocide survivors in the outskirts of Kigali, in Gasabo district. Currently he has helped build over twelve homes. His vision is to construct 60 homes for orphans and widows.
“Through these homes we hope to bring emotional transformation and economic prosperity to people who lost much more during the genocide and others.”
Nicholas calls on for all Rwandans to forgive those they feel hurt them. To learn that forgiveness is more for personal benefit and it is in no way a gift to the offender.
“Forgiveness means willing to acknowledge what is really in our hearts when we are wronged, “Nicholas encourages the people of Rwanda to become agents of healing and transformation.
Nicholas explains now he is able to look back not as a victim but as someone who survived. During a Sunday, service in CLA last week Nicholas Habimana stood up at the pulpit apologized on behalf of his community.
“I might not have been involved directly but my community was, and for that I apologize. I am a Hutu but my wife is a Tutsi. I was therefore, a victim of circumstances. It feels better to have someone say sorry -it helps one move towards healing. We all need to own our own mistakes and those of our people and apologize .There is need to give each other a chance to heal. It will start with an apology.”
In truth, the spirit of forgiveness will transform our country into a home we will all share as a family once again, despite what our history holds.
“I am not Rwandan by mistake. I am here to bring healing to my people. It’s my calling, and in it I have found fulfilment.” Nicholas concludes.