June 2, 2005
In 2001, Jane K. enrolled as a WEI student in Rwanda while serving as a nurse in a military hospital. She was in charge of the Intensive Care Unit. Jane was also involved in the League for Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (Pax Christ), a part of International Federation of Human Rights.
In 2002, Jane completed the first six books of the WEI English and Bible Courses and asked to be baptized. But before her American teacher could arrange to have someone baptize her, Jane and her husband were both arrested and put in jail as political prisoners.
Jane is a Tutsi, and her husband is a Hutu. They have two children and are responsible for a niece whose parents were killed during the 1994 genocide.
Jane says, “People in my country are killed, disappearing, and others are forced into exile. The government doesn’t want to talk about these injustices with human rights activists. That is why my husband and I were arrested in order to silence us.
“We have an association of genocide survivors in Rwanda (I am a survivor of genocide). It wants me to divorce my husband saying he is a Hutu, and Hutus killed Tutsis in genocide in 1994. Not all Hutus. I was hidden by a Hutu, so I refused.
“I was released from prison in November 2003, and in July 2004 I came to America with an American student who was doing her research about the genocide in Rwanda. I have no idea where my husband is, but I know that one time, God will unity us.”
In November, 2004, Jane sent an email saying she wanted to continue her studies with WEI. I volunteered to teach her. Instead, I have learned from her.
While studying The New Birth, Jane was granted political asylum by the U.S. government and was given a green card permitting her to work.
On April 28, Jane wrote, “I got a new job, and I got the news about my family. They are currently living in Uganda. My mind is somewhat settled, and I can go on with English and Bible study. And I request you to send me the Pastor.”
With great excitement, I contacted Mark Banks, minister of the Cole Mill Road Church of Christ in Durham, NC. He and his wife Catherine met Jane at her apartment and began a series of Bible studies. Jane wrote, “We had a good time together, we prayed together, and I hope the Holy Spirit will do his work in me. I am ready to do God’s will.”
At the Sunday morning worship service on May 15, Jane was baptized into Christ by Paul Watson. Two days later, she wrote, “I was baptized on Sunday. It was a good day, and I talked with my husband about my baptism, and he was happy.”
Jane has now been united with her Lord in baptism. Let us pray that she will soon be reunited with her family.
