1. We need to understand the difference between mercy and justice (see Micah 6:8). Mercy means relieving the suffering of people who are victims of injustice. Justice means addressing the systemic abuses of power that plunge people into suffering.

2. Both are important. But if we only do mercy, we end up assisting those who perpetrate injustice by “cleaning up the mess” that they create.

3. For Americans (and other Westerners), we can do mercy by giving money, etc. Justice is often more costly for us, but it is often the place where we can have the most impact.

4. Many of the systemic injustices that plunge Africans into suffering arise in the West. For example,
a) Unjust trade policies in the West keep Africans from being able to compete in world economic markets. Bread for the World has excellent information on this kind of injustice - especially relating to the U.S. Farm Bill, which subsidizes US farmers (of cotton, for example) in ways that hurt African farmers.

b) When the US government supports dictators (in “the war on terror” for example), it hurts Africans who suffer under their regimes.

c) When the West ignores Africa - as it did in Rwanda in 1994 and is still doing in Sudan and Congo today - it aids and abets those doing injustice.

d) When the West elects candidates without vetting them for their commitment to Africa, it perpetuates an elitism that hurts Africans.

5. One of the ways Westerners can make a big difference is through fair trade. This involves seeing every dollar we spend as a vote for a “candidate company.” When we spend money on careless companies, we vote for injustice. When we spend money with companies who deal fairly with Africans, we vote for justice.

6. One of the most important things we can do is educate ourselves for sustained action over the long term. If people want to learn more about these issues, my book Everything Must Change could be of help, along with everythingmustchange.org.

7. We in the amahoro community need to develop a list of key organizations that are doing holistic ministry in Africa - And my guess is that new ministries need to be started - addressing issues like national debt, weapons dealing, free press and just journalism, land reform and land ownership for landless people, improving access to international markets, etc.

After my 10 days in Rwanda, going from one Genocide Memorial Site to another, from Museum to Church - meeting people from the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa and listening to their stories of horror and suffering, starving and brutal killings — but also about the enormous effort the Churches (and the Government) are now making to promote mutual acceptance, repentance, forgiveness, healing, unity and peace - which was deeply disturbing and moving  - I was and am heartbroken about the horror of what is now happening here! Here, where the miracle of 1994 had been an example for all the world!

It will take me a long time to process all the info from Rwanda — and some-how I am deeply concerned that this “forced” forgiveness and unity is much too soon and “too easy” and there-fore - even if they are absolutely serious about it and use all the best methods at their disposal - that it is more like papering over differences, shallow — in stead of doing a thorough surgical procedure, cleaning the wound and letting it drain and slowly heal from the inside…

And OUR wounds? So many of them, originating in the previous era of Apartheid, are still open and bleeding - and others are deliberately opened again and again.  Those that ARE healing have only JUST started to close from the inside out.  Now, once again, new injustice, new wounds, new pain — and new hatreds are born — partially because the old hatreds have not been addressed properly.  Now, a new group of people will want revenge…

In spite of the wonderful work which the TRC did, those who were either victims or perpetrators during the previous regime in SA have not been sufficiently counseled and accompanied on their way of processing that which had happened to them, their parents and grandparents. The result is that many young people amongst those who were previously dis-empowered and discriminated against today have this attitude of entitlement, coupled with the wrong perception of what democracy is all about. They feel they have a right to those things other people have to work for - and that democracy means: ‘I can do, or refuse to do, whatever I like without taking responsibility for myself, my family, my country….

Expatriates, on the other hand, even though they had to suffer many things, have come to SA to make a new beginning. They are willing to work very hard for little money.  Of course there are, as in every nation, some criminals, but, on the whole, they are honest people who have been trained in different skills. The forte many of them have is private enterprise. Others are professionals who bring their side in the companies where they have been appointed…

Shared by Annemie in an email after the The Gathering hosted by Amahoro Africa in Rwanda.  The processing continues as we each return to our home countries, our local contexts and we see afresh the need for deep reconciliation. K. Johnson