PROSPER has built nearly 3000 houses for homeless refugees in his country,  Burundi. There are several hundred thousand still homeless. Each house costs $987 and houses 3 families. How many houses can we help him build? (Donate and add your dollar to help us house 30+ more families!)

 

 

 

It was 1994. In central Africa, the tiny country of Burundi raged in a civil war between Hutu, Tutsi and even the Twa pygmies. With few adult men left on any side, the soldiers were almost entirely youth. A four month period of brutal destruction in 1993 had left millions dead and hundreds of thousands without homes.

But this is a story of rebuilding....

Prosper Ndabishuriye sighed. His work as a minister and community leader was not improving the nightmare around him. He thought "I have a good connection with young people in schools, in communities, and in the churches. These are the ones who are being manipulated and misled. Perhaps if someone could turn these youth in a good direction, we could rebuild homes instead of destroying them."

Prosper is a big man, over 6 feet tall with a commanding presence. A charismatic speaker, he's capable of captivating any audience, great or small. Even so, the prospect of bringing enemy factions of youth together was a big IF. Every person was scarred with the loss of family members at the hand of the enemy. Hutu and Tutsi would not meet in the same place without bloodshed.

Prosper visited schools, churches, and community centers and talked to kids on the street. He invited youth and young adults to join him for a meeting to talk about peace. Though it was a huge risk, and no one had done anything like it before, his authenticity and conviction brought results. When the day came, 153 tentative teens and young adults joined him.

"Who is ready to risk their life

  and, if necessary, to be killed"

They sat and talked for four days. Prosper challenged them to make a stand for themselves and for their country, to work to end the war and to rebuild homes for the 500,000 or more refugees now homeless in Burundi. He spoke to them of standing together with conviction, for Hutu and Tutsi to protect one another as brothers, as family. It was a giant leap that has been attempted in conflict areas around the world, but where others failed, Prosper succeeded.

"We were Hutu and Tutsi together – and a time came [later] when they were building houses for their enemies. A Hutu building a house for a Tutsi who had been killing him. A Tutsi helping a Hutu to build a house, who had been killing him. We decided to go with one weapon – and the weapon we went with was compassion in action. Compassion in action. We demonstrated it. Compassion in action is caring for one another. Even for our enemies. It’s exactly what we did. We showed this example. Because living together and working together is the only way that we could live and also build a strong foundation.....

"We promote peace where there is no peace. And where there is no peace there is no security. And where there is no security, our life is in danger. That’s why we risk our lives in order to save the lives of others."

On the fourth day he asked two questions. To the first, "Who is willing to join us and to go in the field to help rebuild homes for the victims of the war?" All 153 said yes enthusiastically. But it was the second question that was the hardest. "Will you stand together and protect each other from harm, as one family? Who is ready to risk their life and, if necessary, to be killed, not because he’s killing the people who do not belong to a certain group, but because he’s saving the lives of innocent people?"

Peace starts with one person, from that person to the

 family, from the family to the community and from the community to the whole nation. ~ Prosper Ndabishuriye

 

Prosper says that it was a difficult time to ask such a bold question, when merciless bloodshed was at its peak, and the youth were facing gunpoint on a daily basis. One hundred said "No, I cannot risk my life for my enemy." But 53 stayed. And "The Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction" was born (www.jrmd.org – Jeunesse en Reconstruction de Monde en Destruction).

 

Over the next few years ceasefires began and with the help of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu a new government was formed. Hutu, Tutsi and Twa all receiving seats on the parliament and the senate. As of June 2007, the group of Hutu and Tutsi youth have built nearly 3000 homes. This year they are also beginning to build schools.

 

During the early years there were many terrifying moments where the group was met by a band of Hutu soldiers demanding that every Tutsi in the group line up to be shot. Other times it was Tutsi soldiers ordering the Hutu to line up. The group stood together protecting one other, and the depth of their conviction broke the soldiers' stance every time. They were set free again and again and again. In the years since that meeting in 1994, not one in their group has been harmed.

"As of June 2007, the group of Hutu and Tutsi youth have built more than 3000 homes"

I asked Prosper how he achieved reconciliation between enemies with generations of pain and enmity. When similar efforts have been being made in Israel, Vietnam, China, and so many other places, without success, what did he have that others lacked? He replied:

"According to my own experience, when people are really committed together, are really one team, not two teams, because you can go as one team and in your hearts, you are. I think that most important is working together with one heart, with one objective. I totally believe that Israel and Palestine will have peace. Time will bring them together, when they will say, if Palestine cannot live, Israel cannot live. But, in order for it to happen to Palestinian and Israel, they have to come together, to say – if we have to die, we die together.

"In South Africa it was very hard. You know that apartheid was very hard for white people and Africans. But there was a time when white people said: No, this cannot go on. We join our brothers because we have another system for this country and it can prevail. And they came together, committed. Things changed. I have to accept – risk my life or we cannot make peace. It’s not possible.

"You know, sometimes you can say that without coming from the heart. But, if it’s from the heart, people will start to trust one another. And if they live what they say, it will change immediately. Sometimes people are working to promoting peace and sometimes we say things we do not practice, we do not live. When we are alone or with certain people, our language changes. This does not help to bring change. It’s not possible. So that’s my one experience. We live the reality. What we preach, what we share with people, is exactly what we live. Then peace will happen."

JRMD relies entirely on donations to fund their work. The cost of a home that will house 10-14 people is less than $1000 USD. WPE received a call from Prosper just days ago, reporting that he has finished more than half of the 800 homes in Charama, but desperately needs 500 toilets, which cost $87 USD each.  He also needs $45,000 more for the school they are building in Ruhagarika. If we all donate a little, we can do alot! Every dollar counts. Donate to JRMD.

 

We are also looking for information on wells or other water systems that could help Burundians have clean safe water locally. A tremendous amount of their lives are spent in seeking water. Water could dramatically change their situation. If you have any information on water systems, please contact us at WPE.