In this tender month of April,
Grant me the moment to entreat.
For within this season’s embrace,
Memories abundantly flow.
A path through trials, battles faced anew,
Life’s tapestry woven, by pain and strength tried.

♦

In ’94, hell engulfed Rwanda,
The land of a thousand hills that once gleamed with light.
Rolling hills and lush green, a paradise’s hymn,
Now veiled in the blood of my kin, a tragic tale.
Silent world, their crime?
Physical features they couldn’t curtail.

♦

I harbor no grudge, my word stands strong,
Bitterness won’t mend the past.
No victim’s stance, I claim my place,
Resilience carries on, a path unmarred.
From the ashes rising, steadfast in my stand,
Forgiveness, not vengeance, a lighter hand.

♦

Three decades on, wounds still tender and raw,
Their memories revered, a pledge of eternal splendor.
Their absence echoes, a void within my heart,
Their journey truncated, a poignant call to persevere.
Allow me, O world, to unveil my story arc,
Of valor, endurance, and transcending the dark.

♦

I vow, no tale of despair shall you find,
Instead, one of strength against fate’s bind.
From shadows, a journey to illuminate,
Survivor by name, warrior within.
Carving purpose from chaos,
A new life to behold, another chance to cherish.

♦

Each trial conceals a lesson’s profound lore,
And within every warrior, hope eternally soars.
In brokenness, faith endures in tranquil sway,
In this April’s remembrance, my heart doesn’t tarry.
Allow me to raise this resounding anthem high,
To honor, to unite, in hope’s enduring embrace.

💓

Paying tribute to my dad, mom, brother, and sister who were taken from me so soon, during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, in Rwanda (4/7, 4/17, 4/24). 
💓May their memories forever remain a blessing💓