Music...
00:00:01.70\00:00:37.63
In my darkness Jesus found me
00:00:37.67\00:00:44.31
Touched my eyes and made me see;
00:00:44.34\00:00:49.94
Broke sin's chains
that long had bound me;
00:00:49.98\00:00:57.75
Gave me life and liberty!
00:00:57.79\00:01:04.99
Oh, glorious love of
Christ my Lord divine,
00:01:05.03\00:01:11.30
That made Him stoop
to save a soul like mine.
00:01:11.33\00:01:17.74
Through all my days,
and then in heaven above,
00:01:17.77\00:01:24.35
My song will silence never,
00:01:24.38\00:01:27.82
I'll worship Him forever,
00:01:27.85\00:01:31.02
And praise Him
for His glorious love.
00:01:31.05\00:01:37.36
Oh, amazing truth to ponder,
00:01:37.39\00:01:43.30
He whom angel hosts attend,
00:01:43.33\00:01:50.34
Lord of Heaven,
God's Son, what wonder;
00:01:50.37\00:01:56.48
He became the sinner's friend!
00:01:56.51\00:02:04.29
Oh, glorious love of
Christ my Lord divine,
00:02:04.32\00:02:10.46
That made Him stoop
to save a soul like mine.
00:02:10.49\00:02:16.50
Through all my days,
and then in heaven above,
00:02:16.53\00:02:23.10
My song will silence never,
00:02:23.14\00:02:26.54
I'll worship Him forever,
00:02:26.57\00:02:29.54
And praise Him
for His glorious love.
00:02:29.58\00:02:34.75
My song will silence never,
00:02:34.78\00:02:39.75
I'll worship Him forever,
00:02:39.79\00:02:43.02
And praise Him
for His glorious love,
00:02:43.06\00:02:49.06
and praise Him for
His glorious love...
00:02:49.10\00:02:56.10
and praise Him for
00:02:56.14\00:03:00.54
His glorious
00:03:00.58\00:03:04.25
love.
00:03:04.28\00:03:11.15
Audience: Amen.
00:03:11.19\00:03:15.19
Pause...
00:03:15.22\00:03:17.69
My name is Phodidas Ndamyumugabe
00:03:17.73\00:03:22.63
and I don't expect you
people to know the name
00:03:22.66\00:03:26.94
because it's a long one
00:03:26.97\00:03:29.10
but you'll probably
come to know it later on.
00:03:29.14\00:03:32.51
As they told you, I come
from Weimar in California
00:03:32.54\00:03:38.21
where I teach in the
Department of Theology
00:03:38.25\00:03:41.02
but originally, I
come from Rwanda...
00:03:41.08\00:03:44.25
a very small country
in East-Central Africa.
00:03:44.29\00:03:49.02
Ahh...
00:03:49.19\00:03:51.03
I'm married, I have three
boys and one wife, of course,
00:03:51.06\00:03:55.90
there's no reason to say that
00:03:55.93\00:03:58.37
and this afternoon, I
feel the most privileged
00:03:58.43\00:04:03.74
and I mean exactly what I say.
00:04:03.77\00:04:08.04
I feel the most
privileged for two reasons,
00:04:08.11\00:04:12.78
it's not anyone who stands here
00:04:12.81\00:04:16.79
and speaks to such
large congregation,
00:04:16.82\00:04:20.89
but in a special
way, I feel privileged
00:04:20.92\00:04:24.49
because I wouldn't
be speaking right now.
00:04:24.53\00:04:28.10
I've a testimony
to share with you
00:04:28.13\00:04:31.73
and the testimony is entitled,
"Preaching from the Grave. "
00:04:31.77\00:04:37.21
So, and it is
exactly what I said,
00:04:37.24\00:04:41.18
you know, sometimes we
have titles which are beautiful
00:04:41.21\00:04:44.15
or, you know, thought provoking
00:04:44.18\00:04:46.85
or sometimes, just to draw
the attention of the people,
00:04:46.88\00:04:50.22
but this is not the case,
00:04:50.25\00:04:52.45
it is exactly what I mean,
00:04:52.49\00:04:54.79
"Preaching from the grave. "
00:04:54.82\00:04:56.66
So, if that is the case,
00:04:56.69\00:04:58.43
that means, if I happened
to be in my grave one day,
00:04:58.46\00:05:02.06
then, I wouldn't
be preaching at all.
00:05:02.10\00:05:04.23
I would be in my grave.
00:05:04.27\00:05:06.47
Ah...
00:05:06.50\00:05:08.30
it is a story of
what happened in Rwanda
00:05:08.37\00:05:12.01
and it is a story
about my own experience
00:05:12.04\00:05:15.61
during the genocide in
1994, about 24 years ago,
00:05:15.64\00:05:20.72
but it is actually not my story,
00:05:20.78\00:05:23.52
it is a story about
Jesus, can you say, "Amen. "
00:05:23.55\00:05:26.79
Audience: Amen.
00:05:26.86\00:05:28.19
Oftentimes, we have
stories in the Bible
00:05:28.22\00:05:30.93
and we read them,
00:05:30.96\00:05:32.29
but we probably need
stories even today, isn't it?
00:05:32.33\00:05:36.67
Ah...
00:05:36.70\00:05:39.27
pause...
00:05:39.30\00:05:41.80
the situation is
not the same today
00:05:41.84\00:05:45.24
because today,
Rwanda is very peaceful,
00:05:45.27\00:05:48.61
it's probably one of the most
peaceful countries in the world,
00:05:48.64\00:05:51.65
you can go there,
you have no problem
00:05:51.68\00:05:54.25
and it is a lovely country...
a beautiful country...
00:05:54.28\00:05:57.59
and in fact, some of
you might have heard of
00:05:57.62\00:06:00.72
what happened recently,
00:06:00.76\00:06:02.09
the gospel is being preached,
00:06:02.12\00:06:03.86
1,000s and 1,000s of people
are giving their lives to Jesus,
00:06:03.89\00:06:08.50
as you might have
heard the TMI, just recently,
00:06:08.53\00:06:13.03
we baptized only
within two weeks...
00:06:13.07\00:06:15.80
about 100,000 souls.
00:06:15.84\00:06:21.24
Audience: Amen.
00:06:21.28\00:06:22.61
Just two weeks... 100,000...
00:06:22.64\00:06:23.98
and I happened to be
part of the organization
00:06:24.01\00:06:26.25
and I was very happy
00:06:26.28\00:06:28.28
and I was also coordinating
two at the same time,
00:06:28.32\00:06:31.82
I was preaching in the morning
00:06:31.85\00:06:33.49
and I was preaching in
the afternoon for another...
00:06:33.52\00:06:35.59
and... so, today, it's peaceful
00:06:35.62\00:06:39.53
but 24 years ago, it
was not the situation
00:06:39.56\00:06:42.66
because of politicians
who fueled hatred and enmity,
00:06:42.70\00:06:50.51
they told people in Rwanda that
they have to hate one another,
00:06:50.54\00:06:54.38
there were two main
tribes, Hutus and Tutsis,
00:06:54.44\00:06:57.45
and told the Hutus that
Tutsis were their enemies
00:06:57.51\00:07:00.48
and so, they had,
actually to kill them all
00:07:00.52\00:07:04.22
and within only three months,
00:07:04.29\00:07:07.22
more than a million
of people were killed.
00:07:07.26\00:07:11.23
Three months... and 100 days...
00:07:11.29\00:07:13.90
more than a million
of people were killed
00:07:13.93\00:07:15.86
and I was there, personally,
00:07:15.90\00:07:18.07
I didn't have a place to hide
00:07:18.10\00:07:20.27
I just witnessed what
actually happened, as I said,
00:07:20.30\00:07:25.11
now, I was a
Preacher, I was still young
00:07:25.14\00:07:28.04
but I was a Preacher,
I was, in fact, an Elder,
00:07:28.11\00:07:30.68
I became an
Elder at the age of 22,
00:07:30.71\00:07:33.21
and when I was an Elder, I
preached all over the country.
00:07:33.25\00:07:38.19
I was invited to speak
00:07:38.22\00:07:40.12
and I conducted
several Evangelistic Campaigns,
00:07:40.16\00:07:43.29
I was excited...
but at the same time,
00:07:43.32\00:07:47.33
the devil was
preparing something terrible,
00:07:47.36\00:07:49.53
now, let me tell you...
who are listening to me,
00:07:49.56\00:07:52.53
this afternoon,
00:07:52.60\00:07:53.94
be careful what you pray for,
00:07:53.97\00:07:56.27
pause...
00:07:56.30\00:07:58.11
you know, sometimes we pray
00:07:58.14\00:08:00.31
and we don't even think
about what we are talking about,
00:08:00.34\00:08:03.45
if you are a man of God,
be careful what you pray for
00:08:03.48\00:08:06.51
because it can happen, amen.
00:08:06.55\00:08:09.38
Pause...
00:08:09.42\00:08:10.75
Well, I...
oftentimes when I read the Bible
00:08:10.79\00:08:13.72
the Old Testament...
00:08:13.76\00:08:15.09
I remember praying
about the story of Elijah
00:08:15.12\00:08:20.40
and I wanted to be like Elijah,
00:08:20.43\00:08:22.40
I said, "Lord, I
want to be like Elijah"
00:08:22.43\00:08:24.53
but I didn't think much
about what I was saying,
00:08:24.57\00:08:27.04
What does it...
what did it mean to me?
00:08:27.10\00:08:30.21
I just thought of
Elijah on Mount Carmel
00:08:30.24\00:08:33.31
praying for a miracle and
the fire came from heaven,
00:08:33.34\00:08:36.88
it destroyed the
sacrifice and that was all
00:08:36.91\00:08:39.51
but I didn't think
about the life of Elijah.
00:08:39.55\00:08:42.08
I prayed for being like
David, Daniel and others...
00:08:42.12\00:08:48.52
every time I read my Bible
00:08:48.56\00:08:50.56
and it actually happened
00:08:50.59\00:08:52.56
that God took me
through an experience
00:08:52.59\00:08:55.43
that was the most terrible one
00:08:55.46\00:08:57.43
but I praise God because I am
standing here right now, amen,
00:08:57.47\00:09:00.94
and now, the testimony
I'm about to share with you
00:09:00.97\00:09:04.54
ah... ah... ah...
it's not about just my life
00:09:04.57\00:09:08.14
that God saved my life
00:09:08.18\00:09:09.61
because, I can actually
still die even today, right?
00:09:09.64\00:09:15.42
And those who are
dying are not special,
00:09:15.45\00:09:18.75
I'm just like any one of them.
00:09:18.79\00:09:20.39
I believe God saved
my life for a purpose
00:09:20.42\00:09:22.96
it just for me to be able
to talk to you this afternoon
00:09:22.99\00:09:26.83
and tell you that
God is still in charge.
00:09:26.86\00:09:30.57
He is in control, amen.
00:09:30.63\00:09:33.13
Audience: Amen.
00:09:33.17\00:09:34.50
And I'm a... I'm a witness...
00:09:34.54\00:09:35.87
it's not just a testimony,
it's about God I have seen.
00:09:35.90\00:09:38.91
Now, I will humble myself
00:09:38.94\00:09:41.61
before I start the very
story I want to share with you
00:09:41.64\00:09:44.25
and then say a word of
prayer, let's pray together.
00:09:44.28\00:09:46.65
"Heavenly Father,
this is a great time,
00:09:46.68\00:09:50.65
I'm just ready to witness
about You and tell these people
00:09:50.69\00:09:55.49
how good You are
00:09:55.52\00:09:57.56
and how much You
are still in control
00:09:57.59\00:10:00.40
even over our lives today
00:10:00.46\00:10:02.56
and that You are in charge
00:10:02.60\00:10:04.67
and that nothing
can just happen to us
00:10:04.70\00:10:06.63
without You being aware
or without You allowing it.
00:10:06.67\00:10:10.14
So, please Father, I pray
that You will stand by my side,
00:10:10.17\00:10:13.98
You will speak just for Yourself
00:10:14.01\00:10:16.21
so that all of us... at
the end of this testimony
00:10:16.24\00:10:19.48
will have learned that
You are a God Who is in charge
00:10:19.51\00:10:22.75
in Jesus' name I pray, amen. "
00:10:22.78\00:10:25.15
Now, in 1994, when this...
00:10:25.19\00:10:29.22
I'm not going to
tell the whole story
00:10:29.26\00:10:31.43
but actually,
there is a good news,
00:10:31.46\00:10:33.53
I'm just going to
give you, maybe, one-tenth
00:10:33.60\00:10:35.73
or one out of twenty
00:10:35.76\00:10:37.17
of the testimony
00:10:37.20\00:10:38.53
and the good news
is, I'm writing a book,
00:10:38.57\00:10:41.67
it is entitled,
"Preaching From The Grave. "
00:10:41.70\00:10:44.71
I'm done with it, it's
going to come out very soon
00:10:44.74\00:10:48.01
and somebody offered a gift...
00:10:48.04\00:10:51.31
one of my Leaders
at Weimar College...
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.18
he told me that
I will let you know
00:10:54.22\00:10:57.05
that if 50 people...
00:10:57.09\00:10:58.99
who will actually come and
sign for it at Weimar Booth...
00:10:59.02\00:11:02.06
the first 50...
because you may be more than...
00:11:02.09\00:11:04.89
at the end... in the evening...
you will get a free book...
00:11:04.96\00:11:08.33
at least 50 of you...
00:11:08.36\00:11:09.70
so, you can come right
in the evening at that Booth
00:11:09.73\00:11:13.23
and you can sign for it
00:11:13.30\00:11:14.94
and we will
send the book to you.
00:11:14.97\00:11:16.87
Ah... so, in 1994, when
the genocide started in Rwanda,
00:11:16.91\00:11:22.04
many people were being killed,
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.41
it was on Thursday morning
when they started killing people
00:11:24.48\00:11:28.92
and... because
Rwanda is a hilly country,
00:11:28.95\00:11:32.35
it is called a
country of 1,000 hills
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.69
so everywhere you
see, you see mountains,
00:11:35.72\00:11:38.93
so, I can see on the other
side of the... the... the...
00:11:38.96\00:11:42.63
the mountain where I was,
00:11:42.66\00:11:44.33
I could see people being
taken out of their houses
00:11:44.37\00:11:47.80
put in front of their
house... just lining up
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.71
and then, shot at once,
the whole family... children
00:11:50.74\00:11:55.28
and people were
wailing... they were just...
00:11:55.31\00:11:58.05
they were just... it was beyond
what you could think about,
00:11:58.08\00:12:02.75
and when I realized
that it was a terrible...
00:12:02.78\00:12:07.36
I decided to pray
together with my friends.
00:12:07.39\00:12:10.03
I had learned to pray and
now something was interesting,
00:12:10.06\00:12:14.63
I don't know why it happened
to me because it is not usual,
00:12:14.66\00:12:19.20
even some
Christians will tell me,
00:12:19.23\00:12:20.80
saying, "No, why
did you do that?"
00:12:20.84\00:12:22.30
But I decided... because
they were Tutsis and Hutus
00:12:22.37\00:12:25.74
and they were
looking for Tutsis to kill
00:12:25.77\00:12:28.28
so, they entered every house
00:12:28.31\00:12:31.11
and every Rwandan
had been given an ID.
00:12:31.15\00:12:35.48
In the Identification Card,
00:12:35.52\00:12:38.12
it indicated the
ethnic belonging...
00:12:38.15\00:12:40.96
your ethnic belonging
00:12:40.99\00:12:42.72
so, if you are a Tutsi,
you've got to produce your ID,
00:12:42.76\00:12:46.09
you show them and
if they read "Tutsi"
00:12:46.13\00:12:48.30
then they slaughter...
they kill you immediately...
00:12:48.36\00:12:52.50
and I had an idea as
well, some of my friends said,
00:12:52.53\00:12:56.64
"No, we will just
destroy the IDs and hide them
00:12:56.67\00:13:00.71
so that when they come,
they won't know who we are. "
00:13:00.74\00:13:03.55
And I said, "I'm
not going to lie. "
00:13:03.58\00:13:06.01
I had learned
from the Word of God
00:13:06.05\00:13:08.78
that actually... lying is a sin,
00:13:08.82\00:13:11.49
and when you go to
the book of Revelation
00:13:11.52\00:13:14.69
chapter 14 verse 4
and 5, the Bible says,
00:13:14.72\00:13:17.89
"Those who will be victorious
00:13:17.93\00:13:19.96
are those who have had no
lie found in their mouth. "
00:13:20.00\00:13:24.40
In the book of Psalm
15, from verse 1 to 3,
00:13:24.43\00:13:29.54
the Bible says, "Lord, who
may dwell in Your sacred tent?
00:13:29.57\00:13:32.91
Who may live on
Your holy mountain?
00:13:33.21\00:13:36.24
The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
00:13:36.28\00:13:40.85
who speaks the
truth from their heart;
00:13:40.88\00:13:43.45
Whose tongue has no slander. "
00:13:43.49\00:13:46.45
And I had resolved
in my heart, I said,
00:13:46.49\00:13:48.59
"I'm not going to lie,
even if it means death. "
00:13:48.62\00:13:52.33
And so, I kept my ID
00:13:52.36\00:13:54.06
and I prayed, my
friends, and I prayed...
00:13:54.10\00:13:57.03
I remember actually, it
was a terrible situation
00:13:57.07\00:14:00.07
because one Saturday
morning, the militia...
00:14:00.14\00:14:03.10
as we were praying...
00:14:03.14\00:14:04.57
I invited people around my home
00:14:04.61\00:14:07.74
and they came to my
house and I took the Bible
00:14:07.78\00:14:10.65
and I took the book
of Ellen G. White...
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.48
The Great Controversy
00:14:12.51\00:14:14.02
and I was reading the chapter
entitled, "The Time of Trouble"
00:14:14.05\00:14:18.72
and I was telling the people
that in such a time of trouble,
00:14:18.75\00:14:23.26
God is still in control
and He can protect their lives
00:14:23.29\00:14:27.10
and He still loves us
no matter what happens
00:14:27.13\00:14:30.73
and as I preached, I
told them right at the door
00:14:30.77\00:14:34.07
I saw the militia knocking
and they were coming in,
00:14:34.10\00:14:37.31
they were armed with swords...
with knives... with guns...
00:14:37.34\00:14:41.94
and they knocked...
they forced us to open
00:14:41.98\00:14:45.05
and as they came
inside, they said,
00:14:45.08\00:14:46.95
"Your IDs up...
put your ID up... "
00:14:47.02\00:14:48.82
and everyone raised
their ID except those...
00:14:48.85\00:14:52.12
some did not
have... and I put mine up,
00:14:52.15\00:14:54.62
and as I put mine
up, they looked at it,
00:14:54.66\00:14:57.06
they said, "You are Tutsi"
00:14:57.09\00:14:59.09
and he called
another group of militia
00:14:59.13\00:15:02.73
and he said, "Get
ready to kill... "
00:15:02.76\00:15:04.27
now, they were ready to kill,
00:15:04.30\00:15:06.23
now, I had prayed and I believed
God was going to protect my life
00:15:06.27\00:15:11.17
as soon as I said
that, I took my Bible...
00:15:11.21\00:15:14.81
I was sitting and I
pointed it into his face,
00:15:14.84\00:15:18.41
I said, "In that
ID it is written Tutsi
00:15:18.45\00:15:21.05
but my heart... I am
a citizen of heaven. "
00:15:21.08\00:15:24.25
And when he saw that, he
was like... he was angry...
00:15:24.29\00:15:29.66
he took my
Bible... he threw it down...
00:15:29.69\00:15:31.69
he trampled on it...
00:15:31.73\00:15:33.23
now, that wasn't
a good thing to me,
00:15:33.29\00:15:36.33
because,
initially when I had prayed,
00:15:36.36\00:15:39.37
I thought... God was
going to fight for me
00:15:39.40\00:15:41.47
and now God was becoming weak...
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.27
I had waited for God to
do something to this man...
00:15:43.30\00:15:46.17
He did do nothing...
00:15:46.21\00:15:47.54
I said, "God, now
You're being despising
00:15:47.58\00:15:51.18
in front of these killers,
00:15:51.21\00:15:52.71
You're doing nothing
to defend Your honor... "
00:15:52.75\00:15:55.92
but praise God, God is
not like Phodidas, amen,
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.75
He doesn't
fight the way I fight,
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.92
and so, I kept
praying and the guy...
00:16:01.19\00:16:04.96
but God was in-charge,
00:16:04.99\00:16:06.46
even though he told
them to get ready to kill me,
00:16:06.49\00:16:09.30
they just raised their
knives on top of my head
00:16:09.33\00:16:12.10
but no one dared to kill me,
00:16:12.13\00:16:14.20
and they kept shouting
and shouting and shouting,
00:16:14.24\00:16:17.27
until finally,
he actually said...
00:16:17.31\00:16:19.64
pause...
00:16:19.67\00:16:21.74
until finally, he actually said,
00:16:21.78\00:16:23.95
he said, "No... we
are not going to kill you,
00:16:23.98\00:16:26.45
we will call the
policeman to come
00:16:26.48\00:16:29.45
and be the ones to kill you. "
00:16:29.48\00:16:30.82
Now, he was able to kill me
00:16:30.85\00:16:32.85
and the militia were
there with their knives,
00:16:32.89\00:16:34.92
why did he not kill me?
00:16:34.96\00:16:36.29
so, but when
they decided to leave,
00:16:36.32\00:16:38.93
one of the militia men got angry
00:16:38.99\00:16:41.56
with his knife, he struck me on
my head twice... very sharp one
00:16:41.63\00:16:48.50
and I praise God,
00:16:48.54\00:16:49.90
it exactly
happened in such a way
00:16:49.94\00:16:52.87
that afterward, I
touched my head...
00:16:52.91\00:16:55.78
my head... to just check to
see if there was even blood,
00:16:55.81\00:16:58.48
there was nothing...
00:16:58.51\00:16:59.85
God was in
charge... and they went away
00:16:59.88\00:17:04.95
but it didn't take long,
00:17:04.99\00:17:06.39
I'm trying to go
through it very quickly,
00:17:06.42\00:17:08.09
they left the home
00:17:08.12\00:17:09.49
but very soon, they
were going to come again
00:17:09.52\00:17:12.19
because they resolved,
"Now, why did we not kill him?
00:17:12.23\00:17:14.40
We have to go and kill him,
00:17:14.43\00:17:16.26
after all, we have
killed so many people. "
00:17:16.30\00:17:19.20
They came back to
the house, and right...
00:17:19.23\00:17:21.67
I saw them coming from the fence
I saw them coming to the house,
00:17:21.70\00:17:27.11
and I tried to escape backward,
I jumped the fence from behind
00:17:27.18\00:17:32.55
and when I jumped, they
had actually surrounded,
00:17:32.58\00:17:35.35
other militia had surrounded
the house with their knives
00:17:35.38\00:17:38.35
and when they saw me, they said,
00:17:38.39\00:17:39.95
"You lie down and we
are going to kill you. "
00:17:40.02\00:17:42.76
So I lay down right
there in front of them
00:17:42.79\00:17:45.29
as they were waiting
for the chief militia
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.80
to come and kill me
00:17:47.83\00:17:49.36
and he came with his
gun... with a knife...
00:17:49.40\00:17:51.63
and he lowered it on my throat,
00:17:51.67\00:17:53.94
he said, "I'm going to
kill you right away... "
00:17:54.00\00:17:56.67
as soon as he lowered
the blade of his knife,
00:17:56.71\00:17:59.27
and he was going
to touch my throat,
00:17:59.31\00:18:02.08
I still had my Bible
and I raised it again
00:18:02.11\00:18:04.55
and then I
pointed it to him, I said,
00:18:04.58\00:18:06.98
"Don't shed innocent blood. "
00:18:07.02\00:18:08.35
Brethren, you might not know...
if you have the Word of God,
00:18:08.38\00:18:14.09
you are more powerful than
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.39
1,000s and 1,000s
of soldiers, amen,
00:18:16.42\00:18:19.36
and this is a powerful weapon
and when I pointed to him,
00:18:19.39\00:18:23.26
he became like mad...
00:18:23.30\00:18:25.00
he didn't know
what was happening,
00:18:25.03\00:18:27.10
he raised... he rose it again,
00:18:27.14\00:18:29.14
he said, "So you're
bragging of praying. "
00:18:29.17\00:18:31.17
I said, "No, I
don't brag of praying... "
00:18:31.21\00:18:33.11
but he kept shouting
and couldn't dare kill me
00:18:33.14\00:18:36.08
and he said, "Why are
you running away, by the way,
00:18:36.14\00:18:37.95
you go back to your house. "
00:18:37.98\00:18:39.31
And I went back...
00:18:39.35\00:18:40.68
I walked back to
the house amen...
00:18:40.72\00:18:42.38
as soon as I...
00:18:42.42\00:18:43.89
now, it wasn't easy because
that was just the beginning,
00:18:43.92\00:18:49.49
one of my church members...
00:18:49.52\00:18:51.39
I told you... I
was a church Elder...
00:18:51.46\00:18:52.83
he came to me having
heard what happened to me
00:18:52.86\00:18:56.00
and he said, "Why
are you still here?
00:18:56.03\00:18:58.07
Let's run away...
go to another province,
00:18:58.10\00:19:00.54
let's try to save...
to run for our lives... "
00:19:00.57\00:19:03.00
and I told him, I
said... his name was Vincent,
00:19:03.14\00:19:05.81
I said,
"Vincent, how can I run?"
00:19:05.84\00:19:08.24
And he suggested
that I tear my ID
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.88
so that we can
lie that I am Hutu,
00:19:10.91\00:19:13.48
I said, "No, I can't lie. "
00:19:13.52\00:19:15.98
He said, "No, what do
you... what are you saying?
00:19:16.02\00:19:19.12
You have to lie so
that you can live. "
00:19:19.15\00:19:21.36
I said, "My life is
in the hands of God,
00:19:21.39\00:19:23.56
I'm not going to lie. "
00:19:23.59\00:19:24.93
Then he said, "If you can't lie,
then let's pray and go, amen. "
00:19:24.96\00:19:28.33
And we prayed, right
after we said the prayer,
00:19:28.46\00:19:32.27
pause...
00:19:32.33\00:19:35.07
we embarked...
but Vincent was smart,
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.31
he actually took my ID...
00:19:37.37\00:19:38.87
he took it... he
put it behind his
00:19:38.91\00:19:41.38
because he was a Hutu,
so, he was a good person
00:19:41.41\00:19:44.45
he said, "No, if this man
is not willing to hide himself,
00:19:44.48\00:19:47.72
I will try to cover him. "
00:19:47.75\00:19:49.45
He took his ID, put it under his
00:19:49.48\00:19:51.59
and we went through roadblocks,
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.46
now, roadblocks
were everywhere...
00:19:53.52\00:19:55.29
trying to stop
people... who ran to kill them
00:19:55.32\00:19:57.46
and as I moved through
them, Vincent was ahead of me
00:19:57.49\00:20:00.93
and every
roadblock, he showed the ID
00:20:00.96\00:20:03.20
they said, "Where is your ID?"
00:20:03.23\00:20:05.13
He showed his
and then they said,
00:20:05.17\00:20:07.04
when I reached the roadblock,
he said, "Where is your ID?"
00:20:07.07\00:20:09.44
I said, "That man has it... "
00:20:09.50\00:20:10.84
and he came back...
he showed his ID again,
00:20:10.87\00:20:13.38
which was Hutu...
00:20:13.41\00:20:14.84
so... and that saved me
just once... but very soon,
00:20:14.88\00:20:22.08
there was another
Tutsi boy who was with us,
00:20:22.12\00:20:24.39
and he was stopped... he
was not... he had torn his ID
00:20:24.42\00:20:28.06
but he was arrested...
00:20:28.12\00:20:29.46
they said, "No,
you must be a Tutsi"
00:20:29.49\00:20:31.03
they decided to kill him
00:20:31.06\00:20:32.39
but Vincent was
such a wonderful person,
00:20:32.43\00:20:34.66
he said, "I'm not going
to leave him, you try to go"
00:20:34.70\00:20:37.27
now, I was going
to go without Vincent
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.73
but I was with Jesus.
00:20:39.80\00:20:41.90
So, I decided to
move, I said a prayer
00:20:41.94\00:20:44.77
but ahead of us,
there were so many killings,
00:20:44.81\00:20:47.38
people were being slaughtered,
00:20:47.41\00:20:49.11
every time
people tried to run away
00:20:49.14\00:20:51.61
the whole city of Kigali...
00:20:51.65\00:20:53.48
and what happened
actually, I went...
00:20:53.52\00:20:56.32
I decided to say a prayer,
00:20:56.35\00:20:57.69
I said, "Lord, now I have
this ID... it is written Tutsi,
00:20:57.72\00:21:00.52
I'm going to ask
you to close their eyes
00:21:00.56\00:21:03.32
in the name of Jesus... "
00:21:03.36\00:21:04.69
every time I came
across a roadblock,
00:21:04.76\00:21:06.73
I said, "In the name of
Jesus, close their eyes. "
00:21:06.76\00:21:09.13
And
interestingly, it happened so...
00:21:09.16\00:21:12.93
but for a number of times
00:21:12.97\00:21:14.30
the first
roadblock I came across to,
00:21:14.34\00:21:16.91
I said, "In the name of
Jesus, close their eyes. "
00:21:16.94\00:21:19.71
then one guy said,
"Where is your ID?"
00:21:19.74\00:21:21.88
I gave it to him,
00:21:21.91\00:21:23.35
and he was just
holding it in his hands,
00:21:23.38\00:21:25.48
he said, "Don't... Don't
you write to these people
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.98
who are fighting us?"
00:21:28.02\00:21:29.35
There was another fighting
to come inside the country,
00:21:29.38\00:21:31.19
I said, "I don't. "
00:21:31.22\00:21:32.75
He said, "You get
your ID and leave. "
00:21:32.79\00:21:34.12
And I went to another roadblock,
00:21:34.16\00:21:35.66
I said, "Close their
eyes in Jesus' name. "
00:21:35.69\00:21:37.79
and they could not read,
00:21:37.83\00:21:40.36
I went to another one and
the third and the fourth...
00:21:40.40\00:21:42.86
until, finally, God...
00:21:42.90\00:21:46.17
it's as if God said,
00:21:46.20\00:21:49.37
"No, how long are you
going to be saying this prayer?"
00:21:49.40\00:21:52.34
it's as if you are saying
that because they haven't seen,
00:21:52.37\00:21:55.24
then, they won't kill
you but even if they see,
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.18
as long as God is
God, you can still live. "
00:21:58.21\00:22:00.92
Now, the next
roadblock, I showed...
00:22:00.95\00:22:03.72
I had my ID in hand,
00:22:03.75\00:22:05.22
I said, "In the name of
Jesus, close their eyes. "
00:22:05.25\00:22:07.26
But the guy who was right there,
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.36
he said, "Where's
your ID?" He got it...
00:22:10.39\00:22:11.86
I said, "In the name of
Jesus, close his eyes. "
00:22:11.89\00:22:14.13
But he read and he said,
00:22:14.16\00:22:15.50
but amazingly, he
said, "Are you Tutsi?"
00:22:15.53\00:22:18.23
He said, "You
disappear from here,
00:22:18.27\00:22:21.17
you move from here quickly"
00:22:21.20\00:22:23.54
now, he became friendly
and he said, "You go away... "
00:22:23.57\00:22:27.11
and as I started going
away, just a few minutes...
00:22:27.14\00:22:30.65
he said,
"By-the-way, come back here,
00:22:30.71\00:22:32.41
I will show you
how to help you. "
00:22:32.45\00:22:34.08
And there was another
car coming just across,
00:22:34.12\00:22:37.42
it was full of militia...
killers... with their knives,
00:22:37.45\00:22:40.09
and he said, "These people
are going to give you a ride. "
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.72
Audience: Laughter...
00:22:42.79\00:22:45.09
Now, he told me
00:22:45.13\00:22:47.76
and I wasn't happy to
get a ride with the killers,
00:22:47.80\00:22:51.00
because they
could kill me after all,
00:22:51.10\00:22:53.20
and so, he said,
"You come inside here"
00:22:53.23\00:22:55.34
and the militia...
when they looked at me,
00:22:55.37\00:22:57.44
there's a way... you know,
00:22:57.47\00:22:58.94
sometimes they try to
identify people by their faces,
00:22:58.97\00:23:01.54
they looked at me,
00:23:01.58\00:23:02.91
they said, "No, this
man must be a Tutsi. "
00:23:02.94\00:23:05.48
And they told him,
"You are fighting yourself,
00:23:05.51\00:23:08.15
why are you
telling us to take him?"
00:23:08.18\00:23:10.22
He said, "If you don't take him,
you cannot leave this place,
00:23:10.25\00:23:13.79
you take him or
you stay here also. "
00:23:13.82\00:23:16.02
and he took me
with my... the bag I had
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.13
and he took... I
had a big radio...
00:23:18.16\00:23:20.43
it was a big radio... big one...
00:23:20.46\00:23:22.66
with two speakers,
right, those years...
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.63
and I had put it on my head
00:23:25.67\00:23:28.00
and the books of
prophecy of Ellen G. White
00:23:28.04\00:23:31.21
so, I had tried to put it...
just... just to cover myself up
00:23:31.24\00:23:34.94
so that I don't attract
the attention of the people,
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.55
and now, I went into
the cars of the militia
00:23:37.58\00:23:42.78
but it's a long story,
00:23:42.82\00:23:44.55
I just want to
tell you that very soon,
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.86
I went across road blocks again
00:23:46.92\00:23:49.32
and so many dead
people are all over,
00:23:49.36\00:23:51.59
I could see some of
them were half killed
00:23:51.63\00:23:53.83
and I came across a place
00:23:53.90\00:23:55.86
where God was going to
show me another miracle,
00:23:55.90\00:23:58.87
it was around about
right in the city of Kigali
00:23:58.90\00:24:01.84
and I said the same
prayer again, I said,
00:24:01.90\00:24:04.77
"Lord, in the name of
Jesus, close their eyes. "
00:24:04.81\00:24:07.28
But this prayer
was no longer working.
00:24:07.31\00:24:09.34
God had changed...
00:24:09.38\00:24:10.88
I said, "In the name of
Jesus, close their eyes. "
00:24:10.91\00:24:13.25
but as soon as I
said that prayer,
00:24:13.28\00:24:15.25
the militia looked at my ID,
00:24:15.28\00:24:18.05
and I expected...
00:24:18.09\00:24:19.42
maybe if he reads, he's going
to behave like the former one
00:24:19.45\00:24:22.22
and God is just going
to make him kind to me,
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.93
but he was not kind, as
soon as he read, he shouted,
00:24:24.96\00:24:28.56
he said, "We found
one... we found one,
00:24:28.63\00:24:30.67
come and kill him. "
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.07
And every militia...
the whole group came to me
00:24:32.10\00:24:34.84
they were now ready to kill me,
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.44
And as soon as they
came to me, I kept praying,
00:24:36.47\00:24:39.14
I said, "Lord, you do something
about this situation. "
00:24:39.17\00:24:41.24
God showed me
that He is still God
00:24:41.28\00:24:43.58
even when they
are not friendly to me
00:24:43.61\00:24:45.81
because there was a
man who was just killed,
00:24:45.85\00:24:49.45
so many people were there,
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.62
but there was
someone they had just killed,
00:24:51.65\00:24:54.12
they said, "You go and
lie beside that dead person
00:24:54.16\00:24:56.93
and we will come
and kill you... "
00:24:56.96\00:24:59.19
so, I moved with
my bag and I went
00:24:59.26\00:25:01.46
but I didn't lie down, I
stood beside the dead person
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.93
and as I was
standing beside him,
00:25:05.00\00:25:07.37
I kept praying,
00:25:07.40\00:25:08.97
I said, "Lord, in
the name of Jesus,
00:25:09.00\00:25:11.01
I believe you
can do something. "
00:25:11.07\00:25:12.94
I said, "I preached about you,
00:25:12.97\00:25:14.81
I know You are a God
who is able to do something
00:25:14.84\00:25:16.95
about this situation. "
00:25:16.98\00:25:18.31
Now, so many people are dead
00:25:18.35\00:25:20.28
and they are busy
killing other people...
00:25:20.32\00:25:23.05
they are stopping
other people.. killing them,
00:25:23.08\00:25:24.85
somehow, they forgot my presence
00:25:24.92\00:25:27.12
and they are busy
00:25:27.16\00:25:28.76
and then, when
one of them noticed
00:25:28.79\00:25:30.96
I was still
standing there and said,
00:25:30.99\00:25:33.29
"You know what?
That man is still alive,
00:25:33.33\00:25:35.60
we have not killed him. "
00:25:35.63\00:25:37.17
And another one said,
"Okay, let me go and finish him"
00:25:37.20\00:25:40.24
and he came running
to me with his knife,
00:25:40.30\00:25:42.94
as soon as he approached me,
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.74
as soon as I saw him
coming, I said a prayer,
00:25:44.77\00:25:47.61
I said, "Lord,
stop him in Jesus' name"
00:25:47.64\00:25:50.65
and as soon as I closed
my eyes to say a prayer,
00:25:50.68\00:25:54.02
and after I said the
prayer, I opened my eyes
00:25:54.05\00:25:57.22
the man was taking
the opposite direction...
00:25:57.25\00:26:00.36
he was going the
opposite direction...
00:26:00.42\00:26:04.86
and some five to ten
minutes passed again,
00:26:04.89\00:26:09.33
and another person noticed
I was still alive and he said,
00:26:09.36\00:26:12.67
"You know what?
that boy is still alive,
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.50
we have not killed him. "
00:26:14.54\00:26:15.87
They were killing others
but they had forgotten...
00:26:15.90\00:26:18.67
and he said, "Oh
no, what is happening?
00:26:18.87\00:26:20.61
Let me go and finish
him" and he came running
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.91
and I said, "In the
name of Jesus, stop him. "
00:26:22.94\00:26:25.21
Right after I said the prayer,
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.08
the guy was taking
the opposite direction,
00:26:27.12\00:26:30.09
and it happened a third time,
00:26:30.12\00:26:32.92
I said the same prayer
00:26:32.95\00:26:35.69
but it looks like, God said,
00:26:35.72\00:26:37.19
"No, boy, how many
times they're going to...
00:26:37.23\00:26:40.43
are they going to go back?
00:26:40.50\00:26:41.83
This is... is it going
to be an endless game?"
00:26:41.86\00:26:44.90
The fourth time...
00:26:44.93\00:26:46.27
the fourth time
God did not stop him,
00:26:46.30\00:26:51.14
even though I
said the same prayer,
00:26:51.17\00:26:53.31
I said, "In the name
of Jesus, stop him. "
00:26:53.34\00:26:56.08
He was very angry,
00:26:56.11\00:26:57.45
charged... he was
coming towards me,
00:26:58.18\00:26:59.88
and I opened my eyes,
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.02
he was just
still coming running,
00:27:02.05\00:27:03.69
I prayed, "Lord,
stop him in Jesus' name. "
00:27:03.72\00:27:06.52
And right here he was now
with his knife, right before me,
00:27:06.55\00:27:10.19
but he could not stab me,
he was just looking at my face,
00:27:10.23\00:27:13.86
he said, "By-the-way,
what kind of person are you?"
00:27:13.90\00:27:16.93
Audience: Laughter.
00:27:16.97\00:27:19.90
Now, I understood
that God had clothed me
00:27:19.93\00:27:24.74
with a different image
and I was totally different,
00:27:24.77\00:27:28.51
because I... I... I just
gave him a very stupid answer,
00:27:28.54\00:27:32.21
I said, "I am a man of God. "
00:27:32.25\00:27:33.58
But what could that mean?
00:27:33.62\00:27:35.35
Because they
were killing people,
00:27:35.38\00:27:36.72
even though they knew
they were Christians...
00:27:36.75\00:27:38.12
they were being killed,
00:27:38.15\00:27:39.62
but I told him, I
said, "I'm a man of God. "
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.26
But when I said that, he
probably got a different answer
00:27:41.32\00:27:44.89
and he said, "Are
you a man of God?"
00:27:44.93\00:27:46.39
I said, "Yes. "
00:27:46.43\00:27:47.76
"If you are a man of God,
00:27:47.80\00:27:49.40
let me go and ask
your ID and give it to you
00:27:49.43\00:27:52.33
so that you will leave. "
00:27:52.40\00:27:53.84
I didn't need
that ID, of course,
00:27:53.90\00:27:55.87
and the man went back...
00:27:55.90\00:27:59.07
he was
negotiating with the killers,
00:27:59.11\00:28:01.34
and he was asking them...
00:28:01.41\00:28:03.28
I saw him trying to bargain
but they actually refused
00:28:03.31\00:28:06.51
and then he came back he said,
00:28:06.55\00:28:07.88
"No, they can't give me the ID,
00:28:07.92\00:28:09.35
they are
determined to kill you. "
00:28:09.38\00:28:10.82
and he said, do you have some
money so that we can bribe them,
00:28:10.85\00:28:14.32
I said, "I don't
have any money. "
00:28:14.36\00:28:15.69
In fact, one of my
friends had tried to bribe them,
00:28:15.72\00:28:18.39
but they refused, they
were about to kill him,
00:28:18.43\00:28:20.50
he was a Hutu...
and he ran away...
00:28:20.53\00:28:22.56
so, he came back later on,
00:28:22.60\00:28:26.23
he said,
"Nothing? You have nothing?"
00:28:26.27\00:28:27.94
I said, "I have
only this radio. "
00:28:27.97\00:28:29.50
He said, "They can take it. "
00:28:29.54\00:28:31.11
And I kept praying
and as soon as I...
00:28:31.14\00:28:33.68
I... I finished another prayer,
00:28:33.71\00:28:36.04
there was a Chief Militia
who was just standing somewhere
00:28:36.08\00:28:39.31
sitting across the road...
00:28:39.35\00:28:41.42
and he shouted...
00:28:41.45\00:28:42.78
he said, "Tell that
boy to come to me. "
00:28:42.82\00:28:44.95
And I went there... he was
as if he was going to kill me
00:28:44.99\00:28:49.96
so, when I saw him with a knife,
00:28:49.99\00:28:51.56
I just stood at a distance
and he just looked at me,
00:28:51.59\00:28:55.26
he was talking
to another person,
00:28:55.30\00:28:56.90
and the Chief...
00:28:56.97\00:28:58.30
the militia who was
telling me to negotiate my ID
00:28:58.33\00:29:01.20
came back to me, he
said... he was very angry at me,
00:29:01.24\00:29:04.31
he said, "Did you say
you are a man of God?"
00:29:04.34\00:29:06.27
I said, "Yes. "
00:29:06.31\00:29:07.68
"If you are a man of God,
why don't you claim your ID
00:29:07.71\00:29:11.35
and go?"
00:29:11.38\00:29:12.71
Then I said, "This is unusual,
how can a killer know that
00:29:12.75\00:29:16.22
you have authority if
you are a man of God?"
00:29:16.25\00:29:18.45
I said, "This must be
an angel from heaven. "
00:29:18.52\00:29:21.02
So, I decided to go... I
moved... I made some steps...
00:29:21.06\00:29:24.56
I said, "In Jesus' name
I am going to claim my ID."
00:29:24.59\00:29:27.96
Right, like,
three, four steps...
00:29:28.00\00:29:30.13
the militia who had
called me, he shouted,
00:29:30.17\00:29:32.70
he said, "Give him
his ID and let him go. "
00:29:32.73\00:29:35.24
He had not even heard the
conversation that was going on
00:29:35.27\00:29:39.11
between me and the killer,
00:29:39.14\00:29:40.84
and they gave me the ID,
00:29:40.88\00:29:42.51
they were saying,
"What did you give him?
00:29:42.54\00:29:44.41
what happened? How
can he let you go?"
00:29:44.45\00:29:46.28
And they were all amazed
00:29:46.31\00:29:48.02
and I went down the
road praising the Lord, amen.
00:29:48.05\00:29:51.35
And, as I went down,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:29:51.39\00:29:55.89
I don't have time right
now but allow me to tell you
00:29:55.92\00:29:58.69
that actually, ahead of me,
00:29:58.76\00:30:00.40
you know, there were so many...
maybe hundreds of instances
00:30:00.43\00:30:03.53
where God
showed Himself as a God
00:30:03.57\00:30:05.80
because there
was a man just across
00:30:05.83\00:30:07.97
down... who was the
most terrible person,
00:30:08.00\00:30:12.74
this wasn't a movie...
00:30:12.77\00:30:14.31
he was a man full
of blood, half naked,
00:30:14.34\00:30:17.45
the upper part was...
he had no clothes on him,
00:30:17.48\00:30:20.52
and he had a hammer
00:30:20.88\00:30:22.85
and on the other side of
the hammer, was actually an axe,
00:30:22.88\00:30:25.72
he was... now the
road had been blocked.
00:30:25.75\00:30:28.79
Militia people
were stopping everyone.
00:30:28.82\00:30:31.46
They were
directing them to the killer
00:30:31.49\00:30:34.03
and by-the-way,
Hutus and Tutsis alike...
00:30:34.06\00:30:36.97
all of them were
stopped towards that man...
00:30:37.00\00:30:39.83
he was the one to judge
if you had to die or to live
00:30:39.87\00:30:43.74
and interestingly,
he could not even read,
00:30:43.77\00:30:46.57
sometimes, he just
looked at you and then he struck
00:30:46.61\00:30:48.71
and with a hammer or
the... the... the axe
00:30:48.74\00:30:52.28
and I was held by
the... the collar of my shirt
00:30:52.31\00:30:55.85
and I was directed to the man...
00:30:55.88\00:30:57.59
now, he was in a confusion...
so many people were being killed
00:30:57.62\00:31:00.32
I saw the truck
full of dead people...
00:31:00.36\00:31:02.82
they were... prisoner
had been had been released
00:31:02.86\00:31:06.59
and they were
being put into the truck
00:31:06.66\00:31:08.50
and when I saw this
militia man striking people,
00:31:08.53\00:31:12.17
people were queueing before me
00:31:12.23\00:31:14.34
and I was just moving
a few meters towards him,
00:31:14.37\00:31:18.14
I realized that he had no mercy.
00:31:18.17\00:31:20.24
Now, this time I
changed the prayer,
00:31:20.28\00:31:22.14
I said, "Lord, this
man has no mercy in him,
00:31:22.18\00:31:25.61
if he gets angry...
get angry on my behalf... "
00:31:25.68\00:31:29.08
and as soon as I
said that prayer,
00:31:29.12\00:31:31.69
right after I said the prayer,
00:31:31.75\00:31:33.42
I felt... remember
there was a hand pulling me
00:31:33.46\00:31:36.59
towards the killer,
00:31:36.89\00:31:38.23
and I felt another hand
behind me pulling me back.
00:31:38.26\00:31:40.60
Now, I was between two hands...
00:31:40.63\00:31:43.67
one of the militia
pulling me towards the killer,
00:31:43.70\00:31:47.64
other people were
over passing me now,
00:31:47.67\00:31:50.64
and I was just
standing, I tried to turn,
00:31:50.67\00:31:53.58
and the man behind me
said, "Where are you going?"
00:31:53.61\00:31:56.64
I said, "I'm going to
show my ID to the killer. "
00:31:56.68\00:31:59.65
He said, "Don't
go... you go back. "
00:31:59.68\00:32:02.25
And the militia was pulling me,
00:32:02.28\00:32:05.35
he said, "No, let
him go and show the ID."
00:32:05.39\00:32:07.72
Now there was a
battle between them.
00:32:07.76\00:32:09.16
One... trying to save me...
00:32:09.19\00:32:11.49
the other one...
00:32:11.53\00:32:13.16
our God is amazing...
00:32:13.19\00:32:15.26
Audience: Amen.
00:32:15.30\00:32:16.63
Finally, the one
behind me convinced him,
00:32:16.67\00:32:19.13
he said, "No, there
is a... a... a car here
00:32:19.20\00:32:21.70
which is going to give him
a ride to another province,
00:32:21.74\00:32:24.51
let him go back and he will
still come back this way anyway,
00:32:24.54\00:32:28.34
and finally he said,
"Okay, let him go back. "
00:32:28.38\00:32:30.81
And I was saved that way
00:32:30.85\00:32:32.28
but just the last
part of my testimony...
00:32:32.31\00:32:34.55
just I'm trying
to... to go through it...
00:32:34.58\00:32:36.79
I finally
managed to cross the city
00:32:36.82\00:32:39.49
but I had to stay in the
bush for about 34 days...
00:32:39.52\00:32:43.53
34 days...
00:32:43.59\00:32:45.63
but allow me
Brethren to assure you that
00:32:45.66\00:32:48.56
whether you're in the
bush or in the dungeon
00:32:48.60\00:32:51.50
or in a grave...
wherever you are...
00:32:51.53\00:32:53.87
if you're with God,
that can be a palace for you
00:32:53.90\00:32:57.17
and you will
have no problem, amen.
00:32:57.21\00:32:59.31
I was in the bush... it
was a terrible situation
00:32:59.34\00:33:02.68
and for several days,
there was a family of my friend,
00:33:02.71\00:33:06.75
another friend who
was very faithful to God.
00:33:06.78\00:33:09.65
He tried to save
my life several times.
00:33:09.68\00:33:12.89
One time, he even
gave me some money,
00:33:12.95\00:33:16.09
he said, "You take this
money, you will go hiding,
00:33:16.12\00:33:18.96
I can't hide you in my house,
00:33:18.99\00:33:20.40
if I try, they
will discover you,
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.56
if I put you in the ceiling,
00:33:22.60\00:33:23.93
they will destroy
the ceiling and find you,
00:33:23.97\00:33:26.13
they will kill you and
they will kill my family,
00:33:26.17\00:33:28.44
so, you go and die. "
00:33:28.47\00:33:29.90
He sent me to a place
where he knew, killers had guns
00:33:29.94\00:33:33.91
and they were going to
shout at me... to shoot at me...
00:33:33.94\00:33:36.34
they said, "You will
die a better death. "
00:33:36.38\00:33:39.05
And so, he prayed for
me and he sent me away
00:33:39.08\00:33:41.55
but it was not possible.
00:33:41.58\00:33:43.42
After trying to run away
again, I came back to his house
00:33:43.45\00:33:47.26
and then, he finally said,
00:33:47.29\00:33:48.99
he said, "I know only one
bush where I can take you,
00:33:49.02\00:33:51.33
and maybe God is
going to protect you. "
00:33:51.39\00:33:53.46
He was
desperate... this gentleman...
00:33:53.50\00:33:55.56
he took me to a bush
00:33:55.60\00:33:56.93
and I was in a bush...
I prayed the whole night.
00:33:56.97\00:33:59.20
I said, "Lord, surround
this bush with your holy angels"
00:33:59.23\00:34:04.01
and God is able...
why did He do that to me?
00:34:04.04\00:34:05.51
He only did this so
that I can assure you
00:34:05.54\00:34:09.84
that God still answers prayers
00:34:09.88\00:34:11.41
and I said, "Lord, surround
this bush with your angels"
00:34:11.45\00:34:14.22
and God did...
because the next morning,
00:34:14.25\00:34:16.85
I had entered
the bush nighttime,
00:34:16.89\00:34:18.72
I thought it was very thick
and no one was going to see me
00:34:18.75\00:34:22.32
and when the morning
came, oh, it was very clear...
00:34:22.39\00:34:25.89
anyone could see me...
00:34:25.93\00:34:27.83
so, finally, I heard
the noise of a dog...
00:34:27.86\00:34:32.60
hunting dogs...
with the bells...
00:34:32.63\00:34:35.40
and people
behind the dog shouting,
00:34:35.44\00:34:38.17
they were hunting
for Tutsis to kill,
00:34:38.21\00:34:40.11
and when I removed
the... the... the... the...
00:34:40.14\00:34:42.61
the... the thing I
was covering myself with,
00:34:42.64\00:34:45.08
I saw a dog
coming, it was barking...
00:34:45.11\00:34:48.35
I tried to
chase... to threaten the dog
00:34:48.38\00:34:50.99
but the dog was
not threatened at all,
00:34:51.02\00:34:53.59
it kept barking...
00:34:53.62\00:34:54.96
and it came back to me,
00:34:54.99\00:34:56.79
and the killer said, "Oh,
we found one, we found one,
00:34:56.83\00:34:59.56
come out of the bush. "
00:34:59.59\00:35:00.93
So, they asked me
to come out of the bush
00:35:00.96\00:35:02.63
and I came out of the bush,
I was holding my Bible... amen
00:35:02.66\00:35:06.30
and as I went to them,
God gave me the courage...
00:35:06.33\00:35:09.00
because I knew my life
was in the hands of God,
00:35:09.04\00:35:11.74
I went ahead to shake
the hand of the killers,
00:35:11.77\00:35:14.41
I went to shake the
hand of one of the killers...
00:35:14.44\00:35:17.05
but he was scared...
00:35:17.08\00:35:18.41
he tried to run...
00:35:18.45\00:35:19.78
and I went to the other
one, he shook my hand...
00:35:19.81\00:35:22.15
but very quickly
he withdrew his hand
00:35:22.18\00:35:25.39
and then he... they
said, "No, you look strong,
00:35:25.42\00:35:27.92
so, we are not
going to kill you,
00:35:27.96\00:35:29.99
we will let you dig your
grave before we kill you,
00:35:30.03\00:35:33.93
we can get tired
just because of you,
00:35:33.96\00:35:36.00
you come and dig your grave. "
00:35:36.03\00:35:37.37
That was a rural area,
they took me to a place
00:35:37.40\00:35:40.37
and when I arrived to
that... to that place,
00:35:40.40\00:35:43.44
they said, "This is the
place, you dig the grave. "
00:35:43.47\00:35:46.07
So, I took the
hoe, I started digging
00:35:46.11\00:35:50.58
but I knew God was in charge.
00:35:50.61\00:35:53.25
Now, I told God,
00:35:53.31\00:35:55.22
I said, "Lord, here
I am digging my grave,
00:35:55.25\00:35:59.05
I know You are in control,
00:35:59.09\00:36:01.09
if You are the
God I talked about,
00:36:01.12\00:36:03.99
if You are the
Creator of the universe...
00:36:04.03\00:36:07.53
I had started
preaching when I was young,
00:36:07.56\00:36:11.00
I told people about
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
00:36:11.03\00:36:15.24
I told them about
Daniel in the Lions' Den,
00:36:15.27\00:36:18.54
did I lie to people?
00:36:18.57\00:36:20.38
If I have told them the truth,
00:36:20.41\00:36:22.24
show me that You
are still the same God,
00:36:22.28\00:36:24.88
show me that You
have not changed. "
00:36:24.91\00:36:27.42
and God proved to me
that He is still in charge.
00:36:27.45\00:36:31.62
now, just as we
do, I was praying...
00:36:31.65\00:36:34.62
but I'm digging at the same time
00:36:34.66\00:36:37.59
and militia men
have surrounded me
00:36:37.63\00:36:40.50
and as I dug, I prayed,
00:36:40.53\00:36:43.30
and I said, "Lord, the
grave is going to finish,
00:36:43.33\00:36:45.63
You're doing nothing,
why? You're knowing that... "
00:36:45.70\00:36:48.57
and I said, "Maybe God... "
I suggested what God could do,
00:36:48.60\00:36:52.04
I said, "God, you can give
me wings and I will fly away. "
00:36:52.07\00:36:55.44
Audience: Laughing...
00:36:55.48\00:36:57.68
But there were no wings...
00:36:57.71\00:37:00.52
I waited for wings
for a while, I kept...
00:37:00.55\00:37:02.85
I said, "Lord, if there are
no wings, You can give me...
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.85
You can bring about fire,
00:37:05.89\00:37:07.62
and all of us are going
to be scattered and run"
00:37:07.66\00:37:09.89
but there was no fire,
00:37:09.92\00:37:11.39
at the time I prayed,
00:37:11.43\00:37:12.83
"Maybe You can
bring about thunder"
00:37:12.86\00:37:14.46
it was as if I was
thinking God had no means
00:37:14.53\00:37:17.97
but God has a thousands
of ways to protect our lives
00:37:18.00\00:37:21.04
and to intervene when
this becomes necessary.
00:37:21.07\00:37:24.11
So, I kept praying
00:37:24.14\00:37:25.77
but God had
already answered my prayer,
00:37:25.81\00:37:28.84
because my
Bible... as you can see,
00:37:28.88\00:37:32.15
it's actually
highlighted with colors
00:37:32.18\00:37:35.38
so, I've always...
sometimes I had bought a Bible,
00:37:35.42\00:37:38.09
every time I buy a new one,
00:37:38.15\00:37:39.49
I will sit down and highlight
the old verses again...
00:37:39.52\00:37:42.79
those ones I've read before,
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.96
so my Bible is
entirely highlighted...
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.70
all my favorite verses...
00:37:47.73\00:37:49.40
and one of the killers was just
sitting on the top of the grave
00:37:49.43\00:37:53.94
and he was just
opening the book just for fun
00:37:53.97\00:37:57.01
and as he opened, he
could see some colors
00:37:57.04\00:37:59.97
and then he
said... he said, "Hey,
00:38:00.01\00:38:01.94
why are these
colors in this book?"
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.85
And I said, "These
are my favorite verses"
00:38:03.88\00:38:07.05
he said, "Really?"
and he kept opening
00:38:07.08\00:38:10.19
and he said, "Oh, you
mean you have read all this?"
00:38:10.22\00:38:14.72
I said, "Yes. "
00:38:14.76\00:38:16.12
Now, interestingly he
started now reading every...
00:38:16.16\00:38:19.49
he... he... he paused...
00:38:19.53\00:38:20.86
every time he came across
a color... color... he read,
00:38:20.90\00:38:24.90
and as he was reading
00:38:24.93\00:38:26.27
the Holy Spirit of
God was working, amen,
00:38:26.30\00:38:28.84
and as he kept reading,
00:38:28.87\00:38:30.51
he read and read and
then later on, he said,
00:38:30.54\00:38:32.94
"I want to beg
your pardon, please,
00:38:32.97\00:38:35.58
would you like to give me
this book before you die?"
00:38:35.64\00:38:38.45
Audience: Laughter.
00:38:38.48\00:38:39.81
Now, the Holy Spirit...
00:38:39.85\00:38:41.82
he said, "Would you like to give
me this book before you die?"
00:38:41.88\00:38:44.79
I said, "Yes, go
ahead and get it. "
00:38:44.82\00:38:47.36
I reasoned that after all,
there was not going to be a time
00:38:47.39\00:38:50.46
for me to claim the book
because I was going to fly
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.96
and so...
00:38:52.99\00:38:54.36
Audience: Clapping and laughing.
00:38:54.40\00:38:57.17
And so, right after...
after he said... I said that...
00:38:57.20\00:39:02.50
the other militia shouted,
00:39:02.57\00:39:04.61
they said, "No, we
can't give you the book,
00:39:04.64\00:39:06.61
it doesn't
belong to him anymore,
00:39:06.64\00:39:08.24
because we are
going to kill him,
00:39:08.28\00:39:09.84
It is our book, if you
need it, you'll pay money. "
00:39:09.88\00:39:12.31
And he said, "No
matter how much you need,
00:39:12.35\00:39:15.12
I will pay that money
but I will take this book. "
00:39:15.15\00:39:18.02
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:39:18.05\00:39:20.06
that told me that actually the
Holy Spirit can touch anybody.
00:39:20.09\00:39:24.09
Maybe there is
somebody you consider...
00:39:24.13\00:39:26.23
maybe in your family
or elsewhere you think,
00:39:26.26\00:39:28.73
"He can never be touched"
00:39:28.76\00:39:30.47
but God is so powerful, amen,
00:39:30.50\00:39:32.80
He can convert
everybody's heart...
00:39:32.83\00:39:35.10
this is one of the killers
00:39:35.14\00:39:36.60
and finally, I kept digging
but the man was converted,
00:39:36.64\00:39:39.97
he was now on my side,
00:39:40.01\00:39:41.34
he said, "Hey, listen to me"
00:39:41.38\00:39:42.71
he said... he
talked to the militia,
00:39:42.74\00:39:45.08
he said, "I know
we'll kill this boy
00:39:45.11\00:39:47.68
but please allow me to help him,
00:39:47.72\00:39:49.18
I know we will kill him,
allow me to dig his grave. "
00:39:49.22\00:39:52.55
And he was now
offering to dig my grave
00:39:52.59\00:39:54.96
that wasn't a favor to me
00:39:54.99\00:39:56.52
because he was going to
finish the grave very soon,
00:39:56.56\00:39:59.19
Audience: Laughter.
00:39:59.23\00:40:01.06
So, he jumped into the...
00:40:01.10\00:40:03.00
he said, "Go ahead,
he is delaying us anyway"
00:40:03.06\00:40:05.03
he said, "Go ahead"
00:40:05.10\00:40:06.43
and he jumped into the grave,
he started... he was very strong
00:40:06.47\00:40:09.60
and I kept, I said,
"Lord, the grave is finishing,
00:40:09.64\00:40:12.34
what are you doing about
this? this man is so strong. "
00:40:12.37\00:40:14.98
And God was still in charge
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.55
because He knew that
even if the grave is finished,
00:40:17.58\00:40:20.52
it means nothing to God, amen...
00:40:20.55\00:40:23.92
Even if the Red
Sea is right there,
00:40:23.95\00:40:26.12
it can become
just a dry path, amen.
00:40:26.15\00:40:28.32
Even if the fire is there,
00:40:28.36\00:40:30.39
God is not
threatened by the fire,
00:40:30.43\00:40:32.59
but I was
threatened and I kept praying
00:40:32.63\00:40:34.86
and immediately, as
soon as the grave finished,
00:40:34.90\00:40:37.90
God had changed the
mind of their leader.
00:40:37.93\00:40:41.30
Their leader shouted, he said,
00:40:41.34\00:40:43.04
"Hey, why are we burying
this person into our field,
00:40:43.07\00:40:46.54
this is a personal...
this is our property...
00:40:46.57\00:40:49.24
why are we burying him here?
00:40:49.28\00:40:50.71
Let him go and dig another
grave in the other highway...
00:40:50.75\00:40:54.12
Audience: Laughter.
00:40:54.15\00:40:55.75
and he suggested
and said, "No" he said,
00:40:55.78\00:40:58.75
"After all, there is somebody
else we have just killed... "
00:40:58.79\00:41:02.12
and that somebody
was the brother-in-law
00:41:02.16\00:41:05.06
of one of the killers...
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.80
so, they were very bad...
00:41:06.83\00:41:08.40
even their own
brothers-in-law...
00:41:08.46\00:41:10.27
even their own spouses...
they were killing them
00:41:10.33\00:41:12.83
and so he said, "We
will bury the brother-in-law
00:41:12.87\00:41:15.10
in this grave,
00:41:15.17\00:41:16.50
let this boy go
and dig another grave"
00:41:16.54\00:41:18.17
and so, he sent me...
00:41:18.24\00:41:19.57
they said... the
grave was refused to me
00:41:19.61\00:41:21.78
but God was giving me
a chance to do something
00:41:21.81\00:41:25.15
you know, what
happened changed the whole story
00:41:25.18\00:41:28.88
because as soon as
they were about to bury him,
00:41:28.92\00:41:32.55
one of them ironically said,
00:41:32.59\00:41:34.42
"Why don't we pray for
these people we are killing. "
00:41:34.49\00:41:37.16
Obviously, they
were Roman Catholics
00:41:37.19\00:41:39.86
and I heard that
00:41:39.89\00:41:42.50
I said, "Praying for the
people you have killed... "
00:41:42.53\00:41:45.40
and one of them said,
"Yeah, go ahead and pray. "
00:41:45.43\00:41:48.30
And one of them said,
00:41:48.34\00:41:49.67
"Mary, mother of
Jesus, receive him. "
00:41:49.70\00:41:52.14
I felt like I was troubled,
00:41:52.17\00:41:55.11
I told... I
forgot about my agony
00:41:55.14\00:41:58.31
and my fear just...
00:41:58.35\00:42:00.08
I said, "Lord, maybe
these people are killing others
00:42:00.12\00:42:05.95
because they have not known You"
00:42:05.99\00:42:08.79
and I felt that I was partly
responsible for their evil,
00:42:08.82\00:42:14.73
I said, "Had
Adventists done their job,
00:42:14.76\00:42:18.50
God would have been glorified
00:42:18.53\00:42:21.30
and maybe there are people
who have not given their lives
00:42:21.34\00:42:25.87
to Jesus,
00:42:25.91\00:42:27.24
who are involved in drugs...
00:42:27.28\00:42:29.54
who are even killers out there
00:42:29.58\00:42:31.81
because you have
done nothing so far,
00:42:31.85\00:42:34.38
had you done something,
00:42:34.42\00:42:36.89
maybe there would
have been conversion
00:42:36.92\00:42:40.12
and I said, "Lord, I
was praying for wings
00:42:40.16\00:42:43.32
now I pray that you don't
allow me to go from this place
00:42:43.36\00:42:49.06
until I have told
them Who You are... "
00:42:49.10\00:42:51.53
and when we reached the highway,
00:42:51.57\00:42:54.90
I was determined to
preach but I didn't know how
00:42:54.94\00:42:58.67
and so, I was going
to dig another grave,
00:42:58.71\00:43:01.98
so, one of the
killers who had my Bible,
00:43:02.01\00:43:04.81
I came to him, I said,
00:43:04.85\00:43:06.18
"Can you give me this
book so that I can say a word
00:43:06.21\00:43:09.08
before I dig another grave?"
00:43:09.12\00:43:10.45
And the killer, he
was now on my side,
00:43:10.49\00:43:13.46
he said, "Yes, go ahead"
00:43:13.49\00:43:14.82
and he gave me the book.
00:43:14.86\00:43:16.19
Now, there was another militia
who was just closer to him,
00:43:16.22\00:43:18.69
he said, "No, he
can't talk to us,
00:43:18.73\00:43:20.60
what is he going
to share with us,
00:43:20.63\00:43:22.40
he's our enemy,
we will kill him. "
00:43:22.43\00:43:24.17
And the militia who
was on my side said,
00:43:24.20\00:43:27.17
"No, we can kill him
00:43:27.24\00:43:28.94
but we have no right
to refuse him to talk. "
00:43:28.97\00:43:33.14
And I wondered
what kind of "right"
00:43:33.17\00:43:35.21
he was talking about anyway...
00:43:35.24\00:43:36.58
Audience: Laughter.
00:43:36.61\00:43:38.21
They have the "right" to
kill me but no "right... "
00:43:38.25\00:43:40.95
that was the Holy Spirit, amen
00:43:40.98\00:43:43.02
because, "he can
talk," in other words,
00:43:43.05\00:43:45.52
"we can't hinder
the Word of God," amen.
00:43:45.55\00:43:47.32
Audience: Amen.
00:43:47.36\00:43:48.86
So, finally,
there was an argument...
00:43:48.89\00:43:50.56
then they were angry and
as other militias saw that,
00:43:50.59\00:43:53.63
they also came and said,
"What are you shouting about?"
00:43:53.66\00:43:56.67
They said, "He wants him to
speak to us, with the Bible. "
00:43:56.70\00:44:00.34
And another one
said, "I don't want... "
00:44:00.37\00:44:02.20
and now they
were divided into two.
00:44:02.24\00:44:04.07
One group saying, "Let
him talk, we want to hear"
00:44:04.11\00:44:07.61
and another group saying,
00:44:07.64\00:44:08.98
"He has nothing
to share with us"
00:44:09.01\00:44:10.95
and another group saying,
00:44:10.98\00:44:12.58
"No, after all, we don't
know what he's going to say,
00:44:12.61\00:44:14.78
let him talk. "
00:44:14.82\00:44:16.15
And now they were about
to fight with their knives
00:44:16.18\00:44:18.79
saying, "He cannot
talk, He cannot... "
00:44:18.82\00:44:20.92
and finally, one of the militia
who seemed to be their leader
00:44:20.96\00:44:24.73
came over, he
said, "Heeeey... stop it,
00:44:24.76\00:44:26.49
why are you going to kill each
other because of this stranger?
00:44:26.53\00:44:29.46
Let me advice you now,
00:44:29.50\00:44:30.93
those of you who
don't want him to talk,
00:44:30.97\00:44:33.90
you sit down and
shut your ears. "
00:44:33.94\00:44:37.47
Audience: Laughter.
00:44:37.51\00:44:39.41
"And those of
you who want to talk,
00:44:39.44\00:44:41.24
you sit there... far...
00:44:41.28\00:44:43.04
and you open
your ears and listen
00:44:43.08\00:44:45.01
and after that,
we'll kill him. "
00:44:45.05\00:44:46.92
Now, it was interesting
00:44:46.98\00:44:48.72
that no one actually
closed their ears, amen.
00:44:48.75\00:44:52.45
All of them listened intently,
00:44:52.49\00:44:55.02
even the very killers
who did not want me to talk,
00:44:55.06\00:44:57.99
they sat down...
there were about 40 of them
00:44:58.03\00:45:00.16
and I opened the
Bible and I preached...
00:45:00.20\00:45:02.60
I can't repeat
the sermon I preached
00:45:02.63\00:45:05.07
but you can go ahead and read
1st Peter chapter 2 from verse 9
00:45:05.10\00:45:09.90
which says that we are
a chosen generation, amen,
00:45:09.94\00:45:15.04
a people
belonging to God... to God
00:45:15.08\00:45:17.15
and I was
there... and I told them,
00:45:17.18\00:45:19.18
"No, I'm not begging
for you to let me go,
00:45:19.21\00:45:21.18
because I believe
even if you kill me,
00:45:21.22\00:45:23.12
a time is going to come
when I will come back to life
00:45:23.18\00:45:25.85
and Jesus is coming soon"
00:45:25.89\00:45:27.59
and I told them, "There
are people you are killing...
00:45:27.62\00:45:29.66
you think they're Tutsis
00:45:29.69\00:45:31.03
but there are people
who are no longer Tutsis...
00:45:31.06\00:45:33.53
no longer Hutus
00:45:33.56\00:45:34.90
because they are
the children of God"
00:45:34.93\00:45:36.43
and I told them...
now, after I preached,
00:45:36.46\00:45:39.83
I finished to preach...
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.24
I talked about
Ecclesiastes chapter 9,
00:45:41.27\00:45:43.34
where I said, "The
living know that we'll die,
00:45:43.37\00:45:47.38
but the dead know nothing,
00:45:47.44\00:45:48.78
so, let the people pray for
themselves before you kill them"
00:45:48.81\00:45:51.71
and as I was preaching... I
came to preach in the same power
00:45:51.75\00:45:54.82
it wasn't me
speaking, it was God
00:45:54.85\00:45:56.85
at that critical moment,
00:45:56.89\00:45:58.52
but as I spoke,
I saw some of them,
00:45:58.55\00:46:00.86
they were weeping...
wiping out their tears
00:46:00.89\00:46:03.32
and I saw some
of them standing up,
00:46:03.36\00:46:05.23
they were dragging each other
trying to talk to each other
00:46:05.26\00:46:08.80
as if they were
convincing one another
00:46:08.83\00:46:10.37
and when I finished to preach,
00:46:10.40\00:46:12.43
I was convinced that God
was going to work out a miracle,
00:46:12.47\00:46:15.20
I said, "God... "
00:46:15.24\00:46:16.57
I said, "Now, I'm going
to say the closing prayer,
00:46:16.60\00:46:18.91
after I finish
another grave... "
00:46:18.94\00:46:21.04
but they didn't allow me
to finish even that sentence
00:46:21.08\00:46:24.21
when they heard
me, one of them said,
00:46:24.25\00:46:26.45
"Hey, we can't kill this person,
00:46:26.48\00:46:28.45
I was thinking we will
kill him in a very bad way
00:46:28.48\00:46:31.82
but I'm no longer
with you, if you kill him,
00:46:31.85\00:46:34.29
let his blood be upon you... "
00:46:34.32\00:46:36.32
and everybody in
that group shouted...
00:46:36.36\00:46:38.36
now the village... the
whole village had gathered
00:46:38.39\00:46:40.90
everybody said,
"No, no, no, no, no, no,
00:46:40.93\00:46:42.80
let that person go,
we can't kill him... "
00:46:42.83\00:46:44.67
everybody shouted
00:46:44.70\00:46:46.07
and children and
women and elderly people...
00:46:46.10\00:46:49.90
all of them were shouting and...
00:46:49.94\00:46:52.47
and then their Chief said,
"See, you want us to let him go,
00:46:52.51\00:46:56.44
are you sure you
want us to let him go?"
00:46:56.48\00:46:58.71
They said, "Yes, let him go... "
00:46:58.81\00:47:00.15
and finally, he said,
"Now, if you tell anybody
00:47:00.22\00:47:03.79
that we have released the Tutsi,
they will come and kill us"
00:47:03.82\00:47:07.16
now, it was risky for them.
00:47:07.19\00:47:08.89
"The Government
will come and kill us,
00:47:08.92\00:47:12.06
but we will kill you before they
kill us... if you tell anyone"
00:47:12.09\00:47:15.86
everybody shouted and said,
00:47:15.90\00:47:17.23
"No, we won't tell
anyone, please let him go. "
00:47:17.27\00:47:19.43
And I said,
00:47:19.47\00:47:21.47
"Are you willing to allow
me to say a prayer for you?"
00:47:21.50\00:47:24.17
They said, "Go
ahead and pray for us"
00:47:24.21\00:47:26.78
and I said a
prayer, I said, "Lord,
00:47:26.81\00:47:29.28
I know you are so
merciful... gracious...
00:47:29.31\00:47:33.48
there's no sin
you can't forgive,
00:47:33.52\00:47:36.28
please help
these people understand
00:47:36.32\00:47:39.02
that the battle they are
fighting... is not theirs
00:47:39.05\00:47:41.69
it has nothing to do
with ethnic belonging,
00:47:41.72\00:47:44.33
it is the devil's battle,
00:47:44.36\00:47:45.96
help them to understand
00:47:45.99\00:47:47.53
that this is the great
controversy going on... "
00:47:47.56\00:47:49.56
and as I prayed,
"Lord, forgive their sins,
00:47:49.60\00:47:52.70
please allow them
to... to repent fully... "
00:47:52.73\00:47:55.80
and as I finished to...
to... to... to say that prayer,
00:47:55.84\00:47:58.81
they gave me two militia men,
00:47:58.84\00:48:00.41
they said, "Now, we don't
want you to go back to the bush,
00:48:00.44\00:48:02.94
you go to our
house, we will hide you,
00:48:02.98\00:48:05.21
we will go out to kill other
people, but we can hide you... "
00:48:05.28\00:48:08.08
Audience: Laughter.
00:48:08.12\00:48:09.98
They gave me two militia men,
00:48:10.02\00:48:12.12
the militia men
took me to their house
00:48:12.15\00:48:14.22
and they brought some food
00:48:14.26\00:48:16.76
but interestingly, they
brought some meat for me to eat,
00:48:16.79\00:48:19.93
now I was
vegetarian, I had decided...
00:48:20.16\00:48:22.76
I had decided that I
was not going to change
00:48:22.83\00:48:28.00
any of my principles
just because it was war time
00:48:28.04\00:48:31.61
and so, I said, "I am vegetarian
00:48:31.64\00:48:34.18
and I don't eat meat. "
00:48:34.24\00:48:35.88
And the killer said, "So,
Adventists don't eat meat?"
00:48:35.91\00:48:39.11
I said, "Some do, but I don't. "
00:48:39.15\00:48:41.68
He said, "Don't worry,
00:48:41.72\00:48:43.05
I am going to get
some vegetables for you. "
00:48:43.08\00:48:44.85
Amen... Audience: Laughter.
00:48:44.89\00:48:46.92
And he went to his
garden, he brought some beans...
00:48:46.96\00:48:49.12
fresh beans and he cooked for me
00:48:49.16\00:48:51.93
and he brought some...
00:48:51.96\00:48:53.63
there is a food we
call "Galli" back in Africa,
00:48:53.66\00:48:55.93
so he gave me some galli...
00:48:55.96\00:48:58.03
and I ate and he was saying,
"Don't worry, you just stay here
00:48:58.07\00:49:01.57
we'll go and hunt others
but we're not going to kill you
00:49:01.60\00:49:04.94
even if it means digging
a hole and hiding you there,
00:49:04.97\00:49:08.24
we'll do that. "
00:49:08.28\00:49:09.61
Ladies and Gentlemen,
there is a God in heaven.
00:49:09.64\00:49:11.95
Audience: Amen.
00:49:11.98\00:49:13.55
God is in charge...
00:49:13.58\00:49:15.05
I have just... I'm just
going to take like five minutes,
00:49:15.08\00:49:17.99
let me tell you, it was not over
00:49:18.02\00:49:20.59
it was not over and I
cannot finish the story,
00:49:20.62\00:49:23.22
but I was...
after just two days,
00:49:23.26\00:49:26.83
I had to go back to the bush
00:49:26.86\00:49:28.23
because the
story spread all over
00:49:28.26\00:49:32.20
unfortunately, some of
the militia men told...
00:49:32.23\00:49:35.67
there was no way to hide that,
00:49:35.70\00:49:37.61
so they talked about it
00:49:37.64\00:49:39.47
and other killers
knew I was hiding there,
00:49:39.54\00:49:42.24
and around 11 a. m., the killer
who was hiding me came running,
00:49:42.28\00:49:46.88
he said, "You go
out of my house. "
00:49:46.92\00:49:48.25
I said, "Why?"
00:49:48.28\00:49:49.62
"They are coming to kill me. "
00:49:49.65\00:49:51.05
I said, "No,
please let me stay here
00:49:51.09\00:49:52.92
because if I go out, they
will find me and kill me. "
00:49:52.95\00:49:55.09
He said, "No, you go
out, they are killing...
00:49:55.12\00:49:57.26
they are coming to kill
me because I'm hiding you. "
00:49:57.29\00:49:59.23
And I said, "Why
don't you let me go out
00:49:59.26\00:50:01.23
when it's dark in the night?"
00:50:01.26\00:50:02.66
He said, "No, listen, you...
you have a God, I have no God,
00:50:02.70\00:50:06.30
please go out of my house,
00:50:06.33\00:50:08.20
your God is
going to protect you. "
00:50:08.24\00:50:10.11
Hallelujah... our God is great
00:50:10.14\00:50:13.07
and he recognized
that I have a God.
00:50:13.11\00:50:15.84
If you have given
your life to Jesus,
00:50:15.88\00:50:18.58
you are not "anybody"
00:50:18.61\00:50:21.22
and Ladies and Gentlemen,
I went back to the bush
00:50:21.28\00:50:23.95
and I went back to
the house of my friend.
00:50:23.99\00:50:27.06
When they saw me, they
took me to the bush again,
00:50:27.09\00:50:30.06
and in the bush...
now a time came when...
00:50:30.09\00:50:32.83
when I had...
00:50:32.86\00:50:34.60
I was sure that God was
going to protect my life,
00:50:34.63\00:50:36.80
but I was tired...
exhausted... after I...
00:50:36.83\00:50:39.70
two... three...
actually three weeks...
00:50:39.73\00:50:42.57
and my skin was like dry leaf,
00:50:42.60\00:50:45.17
and I was wondering, I
said, "Lord, what is happening?
00:50:45.24\00:50:49.24
Why? If I believe in you
and if you protected my life,
00:50:49.28\00:50:53.21
why should I suffer this much?
00:50:53.28\00:50:54.95
I'm dying... just... I
can feel it... I'm dying...
00:50:54.98\00:50:58.32
why am I in this
bush? It is raining... "
00:50:58.35\00:51:00.49
it was very cold weather
00:51:00.52\00:51:02.56
and even when it is not
raining, I stay in the bush...
00:51:02.59\00:51:05.33
it keeps dripping
as if it is raining,
00:51:05.36\00:51:07.56
so, I prayed, I said, "Lord,
00:51:07.60\00:51:09.33
let me go out of this bush"
00:51:09.36\00:51:11.03
and when I realized
that nothing was happening,
00:51:11.07\00:51:13.54
I was discouraged until
my friend who was actually...
00:51:13.57\00:51:17.67
who knew where I was...
he came and encouraged me.
00:51:17.71\00:51:20.91
You need to encourage
those who are in trouble,
00:51:20.94\00:51:23.85
maybe you have people
who are suffering around you,
00:51:23.88\00:51:26.72
I needed just him...
because I was desperate
00:51:26.75\00:51:29.22
even though God had
worked out a miracle,
00:51:29.25\00:51:31.65
I was like, "I'm going
to face the killers again,
00:51:31.69\00:51:34.46
because it's too
much on me, I'm dying... "
00:51:34.49\00:51:36.59
and my friend
came in the night time
00:51:36.62\00:51:38.63
but there was another
story because he was very scared
00:51:38.66\00:51:42.66
when I saw him,
00:51:42.73\00:51:45.23
there was something that
was going on in his family.
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.87
Now the Chief... the
militia in the area had said
00:51:47.90\00:51:50.37
"No, we're not going to
hunt for people anymore,
00:51:50.41\00:51:53.61
we have killed everyone,
1,000s have been killed,
00:51:53.64\00:51:56.78
if there is anyone hiding,
00:51:56.85\00:51:58.71
that means there is
somebody hiding him,
00:51:58.75\00:52:00.75
if we find him, that means
we will know who is hiding him
00:52:00.78\00:52:05.42
and we will kill
the entire family...
00:52:05.45\00:52:06.79
it was a terrible trying moment,
00:52:06.82\00:52:08.92
and so, my friend...
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.63
his family told him to
take me out of that bush
00:52:10.66\00:52:13.93
because it was their property
00:52:13.96\00:52:15.30
and he begged with them and
said, "No, let him be there,
00:52:15.33\00:52:18.47
God is going to protect him. "
00:52:18.50\00:52:19.83
but the mother said, "No...
00:52:19.87\00:52:21.20
they are going to
kill my entire family...
00:52:21.24\00:52:22.80
my children are going to die,
00:52:22.84\00:52:24.24
after all he is going to die,
00:52:24.27\00:52:25.64
until then is he
going to hide, anyway,
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.84
so, please take him out
of this... our property. "
00:52:27.88\00:52:31.01
And the mother...
I could understand...
00:52:31.05\00:52:33.42
she was agonizing...
00:52:33.45\00:52:34.82
and finally, they
had a family meeting,
00:52:34.85\00:52:37.42
and they convinced the boy
that he had to take me away,
00:52:37.45\00:52:40.56
out of the bush...
00:52:40.59\00:52:42.12
he begged... that
they gave him one week
00:52:42.19\00:52:44.06
to find another
place to hide me,
00:52:44.09\00:52:45.69
and my friend... that
evening when he came to me,
00:52:45.73\00:52:49.93
I was discouraged... but again,
I was even more discouraged
00:52:49.96\00:52:53.37
because he told me,
he said, "You know what?"
00:52:53.40\00:52:55.30
I saw him very sad, I
said... his name was Celestine,
00:52:55.34\00:53:00.04
I said,
"Celestine, why are you sad?"
00:53:00.08\00:53:02.08
He could not talk.
00:53:02.14\00:53:04.05
"Why?" when I
looked into his eyes,
00:53:04.08\00:53:06.51
something terrible
was about to happen
00:53:06.58\00:53:08.78
and he said, "This
bush is not yours anymore"
00:53:08.82\00:53:11.19
I said, "What do you
mean, it's not mine?"
00:53:11.25\00:53:13.59
He said, "It's not yours...
00:53:13.62\00:53:15.39
because my family is saying,
'you go out of this bush'
00:53:15.42\00:53:19.03
and I don't know
where I have to put you. "
00:53:19.09\00:53:21.93
Now, I felt like it was over
00:53:21.96\00:53:24.17
and I looked into
his eyes and said,
00:53:24.20\00:53:27.14
"Celestine, are you
also ready to abandon me?"
00:53:27.17\00:53:30.51
And he said something
you will probably not hear
00:53:30.54\00:53:33.84
from many Christians,
00:53:33.88\00:53:35.21
and I will always recognize
00:53:35.24\00:53:37.68
that even though there
were atrocities in Rwanda,
00:53:37.71\00:53:40.78
people of God were there as well
00:53:40.82\00:53:43.85
because Celestine... he told me,
00:53:43.89\00:53:46.86
"Even if it means to
die, I will die with you.
00:53:46.89\00:53:51.36
I will never give up on you,
00:53:51.39\00:53:54.10
I will be with you, I
will find another place
00:53:54.13\00:53:56.73
and I'm not
going to let you go. "
00:53:56.77\00:53:59.07
And I told him,
I said, "Celestine,
00:53:59.10\00:54:01.50
now that they have
given you one week,
00:54:01.54\00:54:04.87
let's kneel down and
give this week to God
00:54:04.91\00:54:07.98
because God has a solution"
00:54:08.01\00:54:10.45
and we knelt down,
00:54:10.48\00:54:12.21
I told him, "I'm
going to fast for a week,
00:54:12.25\00:54:14.55
and in fact, I
don't need to fast
00:54:14.58\00:54:16.55
because I have
no food in the bush,
00:54:16.58\00:54:18.45
you also go home and fast
and pray for the entire week
00:54:18.49\00:54:24.56
and let us ask God
to give us a solution,
00:54:24.59\00:54:27.93
now, Ladies and Gentlemen,
there is a power in prayer,
00:54:27.96\00:54:32.63
I decided to pray
and before I prayed
00:54:32.67\00:54:35.87
and before I read
the Bible in that bush,
00:54:35.90\00:54:39.01
I was reading the
Bible... a chapter in the Bible
00:54:39.04\00:54:42.31
and as soon as I
finished the chapter,
00:54:42.34\00:54:44.65
I knelt down to
pray again, amen,
00:54:44.71\00:54:47.52
and after I finished to
pray, I read the Bible again...
00:54:47.55\00:54:51.42
for the whole week,
I was just doing that
00:54:51.45\00:54:53.86
until darkness in the bush came,
00:54:53.89\00:54:56.29
and a time came... I even
forgot about my tiredness, amen,
00:54:56.32\00:55:00.86
I felt I was not even
mindful about my death
00:55:00.90\00:55:05.43
and I was only worried
about my sins and I repented
00:55:05.50\00:55:08.90
and I... but I asked God,
00:55:08.94\00:55:10.27
I said, "Lord, at
the end of this week,
00:55:10.31\00:55:11.67
show me that you are God,
00:55:11.71\00:55:13.27
maybe I don't
have the faith I need,
00:55:13.31\00:55:14.98
You can give me that faith
and show me You are a God...
00:55:15.01\00:55:18.21
the God I preached about. "
00:55:18.25\00:55:20.18
Now, it was on Friday evening
00:55:20.22\00:55:22.08
after we started
to pray on Saturday
00:55:22.15\00:55:24.22
so I expected God to
answer by Saturday evening
00:55:24.25\00:55:26.99
but Friday evening, I
thought it was the end
00:55:27.02\00:55:29.66
when my friend came, he
said... no it was not the end
00:55:29.72\00:55:32.49
I kept praying...
00:55:32.53\00:55:33.86
Friday evening... exactly
the time I started praying,
00:55:33.90\00:55:37.90
I told God, I said,
00:55:37.93\00:55:40.30
"I don't see
anything in the sky,
00:55:40.34\00:55:42.80
I didn't hear
anything happening,
00:55:42.84\00:55:45.04
but I believe You
have answered the prayer
00:55:45.07\00:55:48.14
because I prayed
that You will answer
00:55:48.18\00:55:50.61
and I asked You to
give me faith as well. "
00:55:50.65\00:55:52.78
And so, I said,
"Lord, this is enough,
00:55:52.81\00:55:55.52
I'm no longer going
to stay in the bush,
00:55:55.58\00:55:58.25
I'm going out of the bush... "
00:55:58.29\00:55:59.69
and I hold my Bible
00:55:59.72\00:56:01.06
and I went
towards the nearest home
00:56:01.09\00:56:03.46
and as soon as I arrived,
I could not go into the house
00:56:03.49\00:56:07.00
but I saw
somebody coming, just...
00:56:07.03\00:56:08.76
he had an
umbrella, it was raining,
00:56:08.80\00:56:10.53
and as he knocked at the door,
00:56:10.57\00:56:12.70
they opened the door for him
00:56:12.73\00:56:14.80
and immediately,
I recognized him,
00:56:14.84\00:56:17.27
he was the father of my friend
00:56:17.31\00:56:19.61
and the father of my
friend... when he looked...
00:56:19.67\00:56:22.68
I ran to him and then I
said, "Father, are you there?"
00:56:22.71\00:56:26.82
He said, "Son,
are you still alive?
00:56:26.85\00:56:29.48
your God has
answered your prayer. "
00:56:29.52\00:56:32.15
He knew my friend was praying,
00:56:32.19\00:56:34.56
he said, "You know what?
00:56:34.59\00:56:36.02
None of us, in
this entire village
00:56:36.06\00:56:38.49
is in this place,
we have all ran away
00:56:38.53\00:56:40.93
only your friend is at home,
00:56:40.96\00:56:43.26
he decided not to run
away with the killers,
00:56:43.30\00:56:46.23
you go and join him
and continue your prayer"
00:56:46.27\00:56:49.00
and I said, "I
praise the Lord" amen
00:56:49.04\00:56:52.21
and I went towards my friend,
00:56:52.24\00:56:54.08
how I wish I had
time... I think I have to end
00:56:54.14\00:56:57.35
because the story is long...
anyway, you will read the book,
00:56:57.38\00:57:01.65
I have to finish...
00:57:01.68\00:57:03.59
or you will invite me in
your churches if you want,
00:57:03.62\00:57:07.49
but Ladies and Gentlemen,
there's a God in heaven.
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.36
Audience: Amen.
00:57:11.39\00:57:12.73
It was not the end because
God had protected my life
00:57:12.76\00:57:17.20
now, a time was coming
when He had to protect my heart,
00:57:17.23\00:57:21.87
because I was
saved from the bush
00:57:21.90\00:57:25.67
but my entire
family had been killed...
00:57:25.71\00:57:28.71
we were like
34... my siblings...
00:57:28.74\00:57:35.15
my nieces... my nephews...
they had all been killed
00:57:35.18\00:57:39.22
apart from a sister
who was in another country
00:57:39.25\00:57:41.42
and I had to struggle
now when I heard about this,
00:57:41.46\00:57:45.43
and to make it worse,
00:57:45.46\00:57:47.66
I had to continue
preaching or get discouraged
00:57:47.70\00:57:51.73
but God was still in charge.
00:57:51.77\00:57:54.90