Featured Rwandans See AWF for the First Time.

Dear Friends,

I had an incredible experience while on my recent trip to Rwanda.  I showed the film for the first time to Rosaria, Saveri, John and Chantale—the subjects of the documentary.  I was a little nervous, wondering what they would think about seeing their own very personal stories of reconciliation on the screen of my laptop.  These are people who have rarely—if ever–watched a TV show!

As we viewed As We Forgive together, Rosaria sat side-by-side with Saveri, the man who brutally murdered her sister.  Today, they live as neighbors once again after deciding to reconcile. When the film was over, Rosaria looked up and said, “I am happy that so many people will hear our story through the film, and hopefully it will help others to reconcile as well.”  Next, Saveri offered his thoughts: “All that you have shown here is true.  This is really how it happened.”

We talked at length about their thoughts, and needless to say, I was overjoyed at their encouragement and excitement about us showing the film to people across the world.  Both of them appeared to be happy and healthy, and they talked together about how their friendship had deepened as they continued to live as neighbors in the new village.

As many of you know, Rwanda is in the midst of the 100-day commemoration period of the 1994 genocide.  During this time, we want to introduce you further to the Living Bricks Campaign, our viewer action initiative.  We’ll be sending out regular updates on the village we’re building through the support of our viewers.  It’s a place where killers and survivors live side-by-side as neighbors through reconciliation.  We’ll also update you on our plans to take As We Forgive on a nationwide screening tour throughout Rwanda, showing the film in villages, schools, universities, prisons and churches.  We hope you’ll get involved in Rwanda’s incredible reconciliation movement by joining the Living Bricks Campaign.  Click on the link below to “give a brick” which will help build a home within the Living Bricks Village.

Learn more at: www.LivingBricksCampaign.org

Stay tuned for our next update about John and Chantale’s response to seeing themselves in the movie!

Sincerely,

Laura

Rosaria and Saveri show their proximity of living side-by-side in the village.

Laura had the honor of sharing the film with Rosaria and Saveri for the first time
during her trip in early April.

This Week: Rebroadcast of Laura Waters Hinson on Sirius/XM’s The Bob Edwards Show

Bob Edwards will rebroadcast his January 2009 interview with Laura throughout the week of April 27-May 1, 2009.  Click here to find out the schedule and learn more about how you can tune in!

Introducing…THE LIVING BRICKS CAMPAIGN

Rebuilding Homes. Rebuilding Lives. Rebuilding Rwanda.
A Partnership of As We Forgive and Prison Fellowship International
www.livingbrickscampaign.org

Dear Friends,

I’m thrilled to officially announce to you the Living Bricks campaign!  When so many of you asked us what you could do to give to Rwanda after seeing AWF, we realized what an excellent opportunity we had to mobilize you, the audience, to contribute to the phenomenal reconciliation process happening in this country.  Remember Rosaria and Saveri?  The ones who had reconciled and worked together on processing Rosaria’s sorghum?  They are part of a village that Prison Fellowship Rwanda helped construct, a place where genocide killers and survivors live together again in reconciliation.  Through Living Bricks, we’re asking all of you to “give a brick” (or two!) to help the Rwandans construct a second village just like the one in AWF.  Please read on to get involved!

What is LIVING BRICKS?

Living Bricks is an initiative to restore hearts and homes in Rwanda following the destruction of the 1994 genocide. Seeking to equip repentant genocide perpetrators with the tools to build much-needed housing for their victims’ families, Living Bricks is a campaign to further establish new villages where former killers and survivors live together again as neighbors through practical reconciliation. To date, over 10,000 ex-prisoners have asked for the supplies to build these houses of hope.

The goal of Living Bricks is to empower people across the world to join in Rwanda’s national movement of reconciliation, helping former enemies who are forgiving one another to physically and emotionally rebuild after genocide. The Living Bricks Village will serve as a hub for cooperative economic projects and other educational and spiritual development programs. The building of each new village is managed by an indigenously led team at Prison Fellowship Rwanda, an organization that has already successfully built one of these villages in the Bugesera district of Rwanda.

The Living Bricks Website

We are proud to be launching the Living Bricks Campaign website on the 15th anniversary of the genocide as we desire this site to become not only a statue of the hope that continues to triumph in Rwanda, but also a community for sharing stories of continuing Rwandan reconciliation, following the screening tour of AWF through the Rwanda, and a place for you to share your stories of how the Rwandans’ ability to forgive has effected your own life.

GET INVOLVED: 100 DAYS OF HOPE

On April 7, 1994, Rwanda endured 100 days of a genocide that would claim roughly 1 million lives and devastate the country’s livelihood.

As the Rwandans continue to make great strides in the restoration of their country, we invite you now to join us in celebrating and taking action during 100 DAYS OF HOPE. During the next 100 days, we hope that you and those around will you will consider getting involved in one (or all!) of the following:

GIVE A BRICK :   The first goal of Living Bricks is to build a new village in the Bugesera district of Rwanda, near Mbyo, the original village of reconciliation featured in the documentary As We Forgive. The Rwandan government has already donated the land for this new community, and our goal is to raise $250,000 to build the first 50 houses. Come alongside Rwandans as they continue to rebuild their country by providing them with the tools they need.

SPONSOR A HOUSE :  Mobilize your friends, family, university, school or community group to raise the funding to build one home in the Living Bricks Village. Your family, church or campus group can adopt Living Bricks as a cause!

One great way to sponsor a house is to organize a Screening of AS WE FORGIVE as a fundraiser.

SHARE YOUR STORY :   Our Forgiveness Wall not only shares more details of many of the characters you met in AWF, but also features a blog where you can share your own story of how the power of forgiveness or Rwandan reconciliation has effected your own life.

We look forward to working with all of you in spreading the HOPE!

Sincerely,
The AWF Team