Forgiveness. Faith. Freedom.
The Sun Still Rises is a collection of narratives of children who survived the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda. This collection is representative of a generation of youth who experienced unimaginable trauma and loss, yet survived with the majority of their lives ahead of them. Not only have they survived, but they have learned how to heal mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Their lives have been lived with hope, with faith, and with love for those around them.
In a time period in the United States that is particularly divisive, their messages of reconciliation, healing, and hope are more pertinent now than ever before.
Good News International and Inshuti International
All proceeds from The Sun Still Rises go to support Rwandan youth in education. The interviewees within this book are all a part of a Rwandan founded non profit, Good News International. Ben Kayumba, who is himself a survivor of genocide, founded Good News in 2011 to bring relief to fellow genocide survivors and other vulnerable people within Rwanda. He currently runs the nonprofit out of Kigali, Rwanda. All proceeds are donated through Inshuti International, a US based nonprofit, to the Youth Sponsorship branch of Good News International.
Stories of Hope and Healing
“Hearing the voices of Rwandan survivors allows us to identify with them through the traumatic experiences and losses within our own lives. Through these narratives we are given the ability to see the hope they have, and to find the hope we need to wake up to a new day.” (pg. 140)
“The strength it takes to kill, is small in comparison with the strength it takes to lovingly embrace a killer. Although evil runs rampant in our world, when met with goodness, it’s paralyzed.”
—The Sun Still Rises (pg. 139)