At first glance, Daphrose Mukarutamu, Serge Gasore, and Carl Wilkens have nothing in common except that they were about to be honoured for one common trait they shared; compassion. They were being feted by Unity Club Intwararumuri, a group of current and former cabinet ministers and their spouses. Every year, it honours those who went out of the way to perform deeds beyond their calling that helped heal the wounds of the Genocide or put their lives on the line to ease the suffering accused by the crime of the century. It is not every day that one finds kindness from the most unexpected people – total strangers, but many Rwandans went through that process of being shown kindness, so it is only normal to pay it forward. When trouble broke down in Darfur, Sudan, Rwanda was among the first countries to rush there to protect the civilian population from the marauding Janjaweed militia. Soon it was being requested to intervene in other theatres that needed peacekeeping. It is not because it has the best peacekeepers or military might, but it knows how it feels to be abandoned by the whole world. It is exactly in that logic that it decided to do something about the many African migrants suffering in Libya as they sought to migrate to Europe. The whole world was there watching and doing nothing. A visit to the Gashora Transit Centre in Bugesera District and one feels hope in the air again. A few weeks ago, the smiles on the faces of the first batch of refugees rescued from Libya would have had fear in its place. It is hoped, that one day, one of those camping in Gashora camp, or their descendants, will pass forward that same kindness to those in need. That is what compassion means; a chain reaction. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
