Comfort My People Ministry is a Christian organization that helps people and the church that focuses on evangelism using the Word of God and the actions of the Good Samaritan based on the scriptures found in Isaiah 40:1-3. Isaiah 40:1. It says, "Comfort my people, comfort them. This is what your God says.”

On this Wednesday 10/04/2024, this organization joined with 30 families of survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi in April 1994, in the Karama Sector, Kamonyi District, where they healed the souls of those who were there (many of them were bereaved parents), distributed meals and talked about the Word of God, in order to emphasis this sentence which is often used: "A living soul in a living body".

Comfort My People Ministry was founded and led by Pastor Willy Rumenera, who is currently the National Director of Teen Challenge Rwanda and the Director of Teen Challenge in the East Africa Regional Detector.

Pastor Willy Rumenera used the story of Lazarus as found in John 11:43 which says: "When he had said this he cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out." Rumenera consoled the families who lost their loved ones during the Genocide against the Tutsis in April 1994, and said that just as God raised Lazarus, he will raise those who died because of injustice.

He said that he is confident that all the Tutsis who died in the Genocide against the Tutsis because of how they were created by God will go to heaven, because when they were hunted they took a moment to talk with God and reconcile with Him.

This was confirmed by the President of IBUKA in the Karama Sector, Mr. Nsabimana Fabien who said: "If our people who died in April 1994 went to heaven, we have a great duty to those who survived the Genocide." He asked everyone to strive to find their loved ones in heaven and reminded everyone to be kind.

In this charity event, the Community Comfort My People once again gave meals to 30 families in which the majority of the people are bereaved, as it did in April 2023. At that time also gave goats to the needy families.

Donatile Nyiramakuba who lives in the Bitare Cell, Kajevuba village took the floor as a representative of these 30 families, and expressed her gratitude to this family. Talking to Paradise, she said that she and her colleagues are happy with this event.

She said: "We are very proud of this work done by Comfort My People". She added, "If you looked at our faces, you would see that we’re happy, especially that this is the first time that non –government organization have come to support us at a time like this (remembering time).”

She said this to emphasize the kindness shown by this organization during the time of infidelity in the 10th month of the year 2023, where Speciose was helped to get the shelter. She asked the organization to prepare a special day of prayer for them to have more fellowship and reconciliation with God.

Donatile, who lost his husband and four children in the Genocide against the Tutsis, thanked the government of the unity of Rwanda for giving her confidence after the difficult times she went through and settling her in the village.

This mother, who was a former primary school teacher, said that for 8 years she suffered from depression as a result of the effects of the Genocide, which led her to quit her job.

Speciose Mukantagengwa, from Bitare Cell in Cyinkeri Village who is the one of the recipients of the grant, praised the organization after they did maintenance of her house. This bereaved parent said: "I thank this family after they took me out of the house which hasn’t any cement, and put me into the good one.”

She told Paradise that she is currently one of the people who is happy to sleep in a comfortable place, in a house with painted, cement, and ceilings, and she asked for the blessing of the founders of this organization.

Speaking to the media, Nsabimana Fabien, President of Ibuka in the Karama Sector, said that the fact that the organization has chosen this sector is a commendable act.

He said: "Indeed, these times are not easy when Genocide survivors go back to their old times, even though it’s been 30 years, but they find themselves in those times again and bring back the trauma. He added that the Comfort My People organization made other non-governmental organizations to be trusted by Rwandans, after the role they played in the Genocide and abandoning the Tutsis.

He said that now the Ibuka community has confidence in non-governmental organizations mainly due to the fact that before starting work they are given permission by the government and Rwandans have confidence in them to stop the Genocide against the Tutsis, and to create comfort among Rwandans.

When he was asked about the lives of the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsis in April 1994, 30 years later, he said that they have now reached an interesting level where the government and charitable organizations are involved.

He said that currently many have found shelters and others are getting domestic animals through the "Gira Inka" (Have a Cow) program and he praised the government for helping many to study, many of whom have continued to find work.

He only said that what worries many of the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsis is the Genocide ideology that is appearing everywhere, as he said that even in the Karama sector, a man recently told his wife words that contain the ideology of Genocide.

He said that they are worried that there are Genocide perpetrators who refused to admit the crimes they committed and apologize. He said that this continues to cause instability as some Tutsis were killed in the Genocide against the Tutsis but their bodies were not buried with honor because the killers refused to reveal where they were buried.

Pastor Willy Rumenera, the founder of the Comfort My People organization, said that this work to join the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsis in April 1994 is included in the Mission and Vision of this organization as seen in the Word of God found in Isaiah 40:1.

He said: "Indeed, we are very happy because of this work that we have done in cooperation with the management of Murama Sector". He said that he was surprised by the way these families expressed their desire to hear the word of God and emphasized that this organisation will not stop supporting these families.

On behalf of the Director of the Karama Sector, Mr. Alfred Rushirabwoba, who is in charge of welfare in this sector, thanked Comfort My People for joining this sector and providing support to those affected by the bad history, giving them food and comforting them in this time of remembering 30th Genocide against the Tutsis in April 1994.

He said that this activity has a heavy value in the heart mainly due to the fact that the bereavedparents in particular need people who come to talk to them and create confidence in their lives. He comforted these families by reminding them that the government cares and will continue to work with other families in order to preserve their lives.

Donathile Nyiramakuba

Pastor Willy Rumenera

Fabien Nsabimana, IBUKA President in Karama Sector

Comfort My People Ministry comforted the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994