By Dr. Frank Cadenhead
Letters to the Editor
Abeline Online Reporter News
June 10, 2009
The amazing story of Immaculee Nikuze (ARN article, June 8, Page 1) takes me back several years to September 1994 when Billie, my wife, and I journeyed to Goma, Zaire, now the Congo. Our Southern Baptist church had built a compound out of the flinty rock in that area, and we were caring for the many children there. These children were from the persecuted in the terrible war between the Hutus and the Tutsis, when thousands had been killed and executed.
When we flew over Rwanda to Zaire, the rivers of Rwanda were covered with the corpses in the waters. We flew into Goma, and as far you could see there were plastic tents housing the million or so refugees. The road to the children's compound was through much of this area. Scary. Each morning, when we opened the gates of the compound, we found many children left by their families for their protection.
There were many children (several hundreds to be exact) that were lost and bewildered. We gave them medical care, and taught them that there was a deep and abiding love for them from us and from our Lord Jesus. Many of the children became receptive to our care, and there was a great feeling among the care people that we were doing something to help. I felt that God would raise future Christian leaders from the uncertainty and turmoil. I noticed that Immaculee Nikuze was separated from her children about that time, and wondered if one of her youngsters might have been one of those we dearly loved.
Dr. Frank Cadenhead
Haskell
Related Materials:
Refugee in Abilene who survived genocide earns her GED
Mbandaka Terminus: The Path of Rwandan Refugees Mass Graves in Congo
Beyond the Myth Ex-FAR/Interahamwe and the Congolese Tragedy
Rwandan Hutu Refugees in DRC: Slaves of the 21st Century
Rwanda: Paul Kagame is implicated in war crimes and crimes against humanity
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