Birthday Message to President Kagame

October 23, 2012

Dear President Kagame,

I certainly hope you will read this, though I am not naive enough to believe that you will.

I wish to send you greetings on your Birthday this year.  May God work in your heart to be a faithful leader of Rwanda and an instrument of God's Peace in the Great Lakes Region and all of Africa.

While you celebrate another year of life, I pray that God moves your heart to humbleness and you ask for forgiveness for the innocent people who died under your commands who will not have the chance to celebrate another year of life.  I pray that the survivors of those people will one day be able to forgive you too.

I pray that as you celebrate your Birthday, you remember those who just wish to live one more day - just survive -  as they live in fear of the M23 militia incursions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  If, as you say, you have nothing to do with this militia, then I pray that you take decisive steps to end the suffering of the innocent and helpless civilians of the DRC.  You have the power that they do not have.

On your Birthday, I pray that God gives you a sense of peace that you no longer have to twist the words and make and carry out threats to those who question your actions.  I pray that you speak the truth, no matter how hurtful it may be to you, because God is a just and merciful God - always ready to forgive.

I do not write this greeting in malice, but in the genuine hope and prayer that you, in your power, can turn your authoritarian rule into a rule of dignity. I pray that you end your fear based rule and begin ruling with true humility and service to the people of your nation.  I pray that all Rwandans: Tutsis, Hutus, and Twa can live together as one people, though obviously of separate cultural distinctions, for the betterment of Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region.  I pray that you will use your powerful role to promote and enforce peace in the area and help the weaker nations to develop into self-reliant nations of their own.

May God bless you with these blessings for your Birthday!

T.H.

(For documentation of anything I speak about, please see a previous post "Africa: Your Brother's and Sister's Blood Cries Out to Me From the Ground")