It’s easy to miss the Assemblée de Dieu. It’s unassuming, nestled right in the heart of Kigali’s hustle and bustle, sharing a street with a market and a few other stores. You wouldn’t know it’s a place of worship if you didn’t have your guidebook in hand, if you didn’t know what to look for. But that’s what makes it so special. The Assemblée de Dieu is more than just a church. It’s a symbol of hope, a testament to the resilience of the Rwandan people. You see, the church wasn’t always just a place of worship. It was a shelter, a sanctuary, and a refuge for the people.
Imagine, back in 1994, with the genocide looming over the country, the Assemblée de Dieu was a haven for those who were desperate to escape the violence. The church doors were always open, offering sanctuary to those in need. Members of the community would gather here, their spirits shaken, finding solace in their faith. It was a symbol of hope, a light in the darkness, a safe space where they could find comfort in each other.
The Assemblée de Dieu plays an important role in the community, not just as a place of worship. But there’s something else you should know, something few tourists ever realise. During the genocide, the church was a secret drop-off point for families searching for their relatives, with people from different parts of the country making their way there, hoping somehow, to find a loved one who had gone missing. This was their last, desperate chance.
It’s something almost nobody knows, but the Assemblée de Dieu, because of its location and the church’s reputation, became a meeting point for families separated during the genocide. People felt safe to come to this place, even if that meant risking their lives, because of stories passed on from mouth to mouth. You could see the relief etched on the faces of the families, the tears of joy as they finally found each other. If you were to close your eyes and breathe in the air here, maybe you can imagine the echoes of hope, of prayers, of whispers telling stories of sorrow and of the will to survive.
This is more than just a church. This is a story of resilience, of humanity, of faith and hope. It’s a place that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there’s always a spark of hope, a reason to believe that things can get better.