Hate & Love - Our Africa Adventure Lesson by Paula Grey

Rob and I just spent most of the month of August, 2017 in Africa...5 countries (Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa), 13 flights, 6 game reserves/parks.  It was a “trip of a lifetime” and I found a great love for the African people. 

Around the time that racial craziness was happening in Charlottesville, NC, we visited the Genocide Museum in Rwanda.  Thousands of people were killed by friends and neighbors 23 years ago.  The museum is dedicated to the memory of those killed and the education about how and why genocide starts. 

Genocide begins when people start identifying other people only by specific groupings (race, religion, culture, sex, etc.). Those seeking political power identify one group as “Bad” and works to make them a common enemy.  This common enemy creates an allegiance to a political leader. 

In the museum they pay homage to other instances of genocide such as Nazi Germany.  A direct quote in the museum from Hitler that startled me was his reason to get rid of the Jews was “he set out to make the country great again.”

Other countries then support the military of the political leader.  In the case of Rwanda, the UN, the press and the Catholic Church all ignored the growing problem resulting in mass murders and torture of thousands.

Hate begets hate and isolation.  Love begets love and togetherness.  We have both hate and love in our hearts.  Choose which one you want to grow.

I grew to love the Tanzanian people, especially Daniel, our guide for 9 days.  We became family in that short time and were in tears when we said goodbye.  I was able to open my heart and learn from other cultures.  As Daniel said, we are all brothers and sisters from a different mother.