“Not all people are bad”

In an earlier post about orphans of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda moving ‘beyond survival‘ at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, I mentioned a song they had written and performed at the village opening.

The students,who have been learning English for just six months, have made a translation of the song from its original Kinyarwanda (for those who don’t know, the Rwandan government decided in October last year that all education would now be taught in English. Formally speaking this was a consequence of Rwanda joining the East African Community. But one can’t help also see it as an unsubtle indication of what the Rwandan government thinks of the French).

Here is their translation (with accompanying warning – this made me cry!):

WHEN WE WILL MEET AGAIN.

I.

I am longing to meet you my lovely parents.

We shall meet when I have resurrected the whole family.

I am missing my lovely parents.

We shall rejoice together, when we meet again with:

Friends and relatives.

Parents and children.

Those who separated.

Even me I will meet my father and we shall rejoice again.

II.

Daddy and mummy you left me when I was very young but it wasn’t your wish.

You left an incomplete work,

Don’t worry I am alive and alright.

III.

Not all people are bad,

Now I have got other parents, who welcomed me.

They are so lovely and merciful parents.

Please let’s join hands together to thank them for the wonderful love they show us.