What does it look like for an entire nation to repent, to forgive, and to be reconciled? This is Rosalia, and Nemeye. Both lived in Rwanda in 1994, when chaos engulfed the country. Tensions between the Hutu and the Tutsi ethnic groups reached a tipping point. Then, on April 6th, 1994, the genocide against the Tutsi began.

Over the next 100 days, a coordinated campaign of massacres was carried out. By the time the Rwandan Patriotic Front stopped the violence, more than 1 million men, women, and children had been killed–a staggering 10% of the population.

In the middle of this horror were Rosalia and Nemeye. Nemeye was a perpetrator of the genocide. He was arrested, found guilty, and imprisoned for his violent crimes. Rosalia was a survivor of the genocide, having witnessed the murder of her husband and four children before barely surviving herself. The deep despair of the genocide was felt by everyone, but hope was not lost.

During his incarceration, Nemeye heard the gospel preached by Prison Fellowship Rwanda. He eventually confessed his wrongdoing, asked Jesus for forgiveness, accepted responsibility for his crimes and transformed his life.

At the same time, Prison Fellowship Rwanda was building the first Reconciliation Villages. These were physical communities where survivors and perpetrators were invited to live as neighbors, confess their sins, forgive one another, heal their relationships, and rebuild their country together through reconciliation.

When Nemeye completed his sentence, he was invited to live in the Reconciliation Village, next door to Rosalia. At first, it was incredibly difficult and tense. Nemeye had killed Rosalia's sister. But Rosalia kept her heart open to God. Through His word and fellowship, Rosalia faced her deepest sorrow. These were her words.

“Years have passed, and my faith and resilience have been tested time and time again. But through it all, I never lost sight of the truth that God's love was greater than any pain I'd endured. Though the wounds on my body have healed, the scars on my heart remain. Yet, I knew that in forgiving, I was healing not just myself, but also the land, the people, and the very soul of Rwanda.”

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." Today, these two people, once enemies, are peaceful neighbors. Two people, once divided, are now united by the blood of Jesus.