end of wanderings

• Cast & crew

End of Wanderings

• Episode aired Sep 15, 1998

A VHS only special episode. Also known as Episode 95. A VHS only special episode. Also known as Episode 95. A VHS only special episode. Also known as Episode 95.

• Kazuhiro Furuhashi
• Yûji Mitsuya
• Richard Epcar
• Nobuhiro Watsuki
• Mîna Tominaga
• Brianne Brozey

• Sanosuke Sagara
• (English version)

• Yahiko Myôjin

• Yoshi (Sony Samurai X dub)

• Himura Kenshin
• (as Richard Hayworth)

• Kori Kamiya (Sony Samurai X dub)

• Sanosuke Sagara (Sony Samurai X dub)

• Shikijo (2000)
• (as a different name)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• September 15, 1998 (Japan)
• Official Site
• SME Visual Works
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 24 minutes

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This is officially the last episode being exclusive to VHS and DVD only.

• 3 Characters in Order of Appearance
• 4 Anime Notes

Synopsis [ ]

Characters in order of appearance [ ], anime notes [ ].

• This episode features a vastly different art style for the characters in comparison to all the episodes prior as well featuring live-action ocean stock footage.
• 1 Shishio Makoto
• 2 Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū
• 3 Kamiya Kaoru

• Anime Manga Live-Action Characters Members Clubs People Companies Merchandise
• Rurouni Kenshin: End of Wanderings

Rurouni Kenshin: End of Wanderings (1998)

Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan - Rurou no Saihate, Hi to Ruri no Kizuna wa Shiosai no Uchi ni / るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚- 流浪の最果て- 緋と瑠璃の絆は潮騒の中に

Information

• Synonyms: Rurouni Kenshin Episode 95, Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan Special 3 , Samurai X Special 3

Description

• Rurouni Kenshin - Complete Series 25. May 2010 Show details amazon.com
• Rurouni Kenshin: Season 3 14. February 2006 Show details amazon.com
• Rurouni Kenshin: Season 3 - Premium Box 27. July 2004 Show details amazon.com

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• TV-Series, 94 (1996) Rurouni Kenshin Studio DEEN Co., Ltd., GALLOP Co., Ltd. Main Story Adventure
• Manga, 28/255 (1994) Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story Shuueisha Inc. Original Work Fighting-Shounen
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Ep 33. End of Wanderings

• September 15, 1998

It's peaceful times and everyone is carrying about their life, Kaoru and Kenshin leave to visit a graveyard, Yahiko is helping at the Akabeko and Sanosuke is helping Megumi so she can make something for him to eat. Kenshin and Kaoru visit the graveyard and do what they have to do, suddenly it started to rain so they went to a hotel to spend the night. Meanwhile Sanosuke took a long bath and Megumi washed his clothes and he was forced to wear something else, soon everyone went to sleep. Kaoru had dreams of Kenshin wandering off again, she awoke and it was morning, Kenshin wasn't there, she found him at the beach and they talked for awhile. They got on to the boat and set sail to return back home. The boat arrived back in Tokyo and everyone was waiting for Kenshin and Kaoru to get back.

• Genres Action & Adventure
• Channel Cartoon Network
• First Aired September 15, 1998
• Language English

7 Lessons We Can Learn from the Israelites' Wandering the Desert

Debbie mcdaniel.

Not a day goes by that we're not in need of God's huge grace and peace. Every morning we need his Spirit to fill us again, to strengthen us for what's ahead. Every day we need a fresh word that he speaks to our hearts, to keep our focus on what's most important. Trying to run this race of life without him will do nothing but drain us dry.

In the book of Exodus, we read the story of how God’s people had endured years of bondage under the Egyptians. They were oppressed, abused, mistreated people. They needed rescue, they needed a way of escape. God saw their need, he didn’t miss a thing, and in his perfect timing, he acted on their behalf. 

“God met them where they were.”

Miracle after miracle God performed, leading them straight out of slavery, away from the cruel hand of the Egyptians. He set them free. Free from oppression. Free from captivity. Free from bondage. And the adventure was just getting started.

The people of Israel spent 40 years in the desert. 40 years of wandering. 40 years of journeying towards the promised land that God had given them. That’s a very long time. The days must have been intense, hot, dry, I'm sure they got weary. But God met them where they were, he made sure they had what they needed. They learned through every hard and grueling step, how much they had to rely on Him.

We see it over and over in his word. Stories that prove how God never leaves us fending for ourselves when problems arise or seem too big. Miracles that remind us when we leave the battles in his hands, he can do what would be impossible for us to ever accomplish on our own.

Here are 7 Things We Can Learn from the Israelites’ Wandering Years in the Desert:

1. The way to our promised land is not always easy, in fact, it rarely is. But it’s worth it.

When Pharaoh let the people go, God didn’t lead them on the road that made the most sense. The Bible tells us in Exodus 13 , that though the path was shorter right through the Philistine country, God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17

So He led them around the desert road over towards the Red Sea. Hot, dry, barren wasteland, the sea looming off in the distance. We can almost hear the grumblings starting then. Feel the fear rising. And that was just the beginning of their journey.

God had promised his people land that would be full of blessing, it was worth fighting for, it was worth going the distance. But the way there would stretch their faith and lead them through journeys where they’d have to depend on God like nothing before.

We too often face these journeys as God leads us into our own “promised land.” Maybe you feel like the blessing is too long in coming, maybe you feel like giving up. Be assured again today that God is faithful and he will use all things to strengthen our faith and bring goodness to his people. Stay strong, keep pressing through.

2. God will make a way where there doesn’t seem to be a way.

“So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea…” Exodus 13:18

As the Israelites got closer that sea must have looked bigger and deeper. An obstacle that seemed too difficult to overcome. Their eyes focused on the problem. They forgot about the bigness of their God. But God didn’t forget about them. He split the sea in two so that his people walked through on the dry ground. The enemy in hot pursuit had no idea what they were up against. They lost the battle that day and were swallowed up in the waves.

God had rescued his people and led them straight through the biggest obstacle they’d ever encountered, and that was just the beginning of his miracles.

Even if the way He’s leading doesn’t seem to make much sense and His timing seems off, or the wait feels long, and wandering in desert places is the last thing we want to do, we can trust Him. Always. He knows our way. He sees the big picture. He has good in store.  And though it may not have been what we would have chosen, or how we would accomplish things, we can thank Him for His Sovereignty, His care over us, and His powerful leadership.  

3. God will lead us day and night.

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to given them light…” Exodus 13:21

God never left his people alone in their journey. His presence was always there, a reminder to them that they hadn’t been left on their own in the wilderness. As a pillar of cloud in the day and fire by night, He guided them, giving them shade from the fierceness of the desert sun, and a light in the darkest of nights.

God will not leave us to fend for ourselves, struggling to find our way. He will lead us. He promises to be faithful.  We may not see him in a pillar of cloud or fire these days, but we have his Word, and the Holy Spirit to give guidance to our days. He is with us, he gives wisdom, he provides direction, so we never have to fear being left on our own to figure things out. He goes ahead of us, he walks with us, and he guards our way against behind. His Word gives truth and life, it shows us the way to walk in this world.

4. God fights on behalf of his people

“Then the angel of God…withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them…” Exodus 14:19

Even when the Israelites faced cruel attacks from the enemies surrounding them, God was faithful to deliver them. He works in miraculous ways and the toughest of battles are never too hard for God to work through. He gives us victory and power even when it doesn’t make sense. After a battle against the fierce Amalekites, when God gave his people a great victory, the Bible says, “Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, ‘For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord…” Exodus 17:15-16

Still today, God will send his angels to fight for us and guard us. He Himself will fight for us and guard us. That’s how much He loves us and desires to set His protection over us. He will hem us in from all sides and keep us under His care. It doesn’t mean we won’t ever face the battle, but we can know that He is sure with us right in the midst of it all. He reminds us from the very start of this desert journey, “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

We’re never left to wrestle through on our own in hard places. He doesn’t send us out to fight the enemy in our own strength. He just tells us to be still, to stand strong, and to know he’s fighting on our behalf.

5. God provides in miraculous ways

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you…” Exodus 16:4

“Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Exodus 17:6

They were hungry. God sent manna. They were thirsty. God sent water gushing from a rock. Every day a miracle was right before their eyes. They just had to pick up the manna, drink the water, accept the blessing. Another time he made the bitter waters sweet again, so they could drink. Over and over, God provided for their needs.

And just like the people of Israel had to look to God to meet their needs, to be refreshed by what he offered, and gather the manna every morning in the wilderness, so it is with us. They couldn't store it up, they had to look for it daily. And God always provided, each morning it was there, waiting for them. Every day he made sure it met their needs, they were satisfied, they were nourished, they were cared for. And they never lacked, for God's resources never run dry.

Sometimes we miss the miracles of his provision, out of busyness or stress. We try to get things going too fast all on our own, spinning around, trying to get it all done. Or other times we might start to forget what matters most.

But even for those days, there's His grace. He waits for us. His provision and blessing, they never run dry. Every day, his miracles lie right before our eyes. We just have to choose to look for them and stay close in his presence.

6. Sin will always take us farther than we want to go.

“I have seen these people, ‘the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people…” Exodus 32:9

Grumbling, complaining, sin, hearts far away from God – these things were far too common for the Israelites in these desert wandering years. And often like us, they lost sight of how far sin could carry them down the road we never wished to go. God had great mercy over them for all those years, they tested him even after he graciously provided for all their needs and offered them protection and strength. In Exodus 32 we read the story of how the people turned away from God when Moses seemed too long in coming back down from the mountain. The very people that just had watched God perform miracle after miracle on their behalf, and guide them through desert days, were now bowing down to a golden calf they’d set up in the place of God himself.

How easily we often forget. What starts as complaining, grumbling, hearts going astray, leads us deeper into pathways we wished we’d never entered. Sin gets ahold of our minds and hearts. It’s like a disease we can’t shake off on our own strength. But God, in His mercy, forgives and sets free. He redeems us from the pit that far too many of us have wandered into and been stuck in. He lifts us out and places our feet on solid ground. He gives us fresh purpose and hope. 

7. We may feel forgotten and left on our own, but God is always with us.

Even after all these things the Israelites had done, and how they’d wandered away from God, he said these words just a few verses later, “The Lord replied, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

God’s presence is powerful and strong. It is never dependent on how good we are, he is faithful even in our hardest struggles. Only in him can true rest and peace be found. The years of desert wanderings must have been difficult to endure. 40 years is a very long time. But God doesn’t always work on our timetable. And he saw them through to the end. He never abandoned his people. They kept pressing through and God continued to be with them, and he is with us as well. 

“The hardest struggles we face have the greatest potential to teach us patience and endurance.”

We often face battles and problems that press hard. We feel forgotten, all alone. And yet the hardest struggles we face have the greatest potential to teach us patience and endurance like nothing else can. The years of our own “desert wanderings” may prove to be our most power-packed, strengthening, faith-building time of life, but we may not fully recognize it until after we’ve passed through.

And sometimes when we find ourselves there, we just need that reminder from the whispers of God down deep in our soul, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest…”

In whatever you’re facing, be assured, God is with you, he’s providing for your needs, he has a plan, and nothing is too difficult for him.

The God of miracles fights for you today, and he will never let you go. 

Originally published Thursday, 20 January 2022.

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The Israelites’ Wandering: A Map of Their 40-Year Journey in the Wilderness

The story of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness is one of the most well-known and powerful stories in the Bible. According to the Book of Exodus, after being led out of Egypt by Moses, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness before finally reaching the Promised Land. But have you ever wondered exactly where they traveled during this time? By using maps, we can trace their journey through the wilderness and gain a deeper understanding of this powerful story.

The journey of the Israelites began at the Red Sea, where they crossed on dry ground after God parted the waters. From there, they traveled south to the area of Marah, where they found bitter water that was made sweet by a miracle from God. They then continued eastward to the desert of Sin, where they were provided with manna from heaven and quail to eat.

The Israelites then traveled to Mount Sinai, where they received the Ten Commandments and other laws from God. After spending several months at Sinai, they continued their journey northward towards the Promised Land, but their progress was slowed by their disobedience and lack of faith in God.

The Israelites continued to wander in the wilderness for another 38 years, traveling back and forth across the desert and encountering many challenges and trials along the way. They fought battles against other nations, complained about their lack of food and water, and even rebelled against Moses and God on several occasions.

Finally, after 40 years of wandering, the Israelites reached the Promised Land, which was located on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. By using maps, we can see the locations of the places where they camped, the routes they took, and the challenges they faced during their journey.

In conclusion, a map of the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness can help us to better understand this powerful story and the faith and perseverance of the Israelites. By tracing their journey, we can see the locations of the places where they camped and the routes they took, and gain a deeper appreciation for their struggles and ultimate triumph. So why not take a journey through the wilderness with the Israelites and discover the power of their story?

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Wilderness of the Wandering

Smith's bible dictionary - wilderness of the wandering.

End of Wanderings

It's peaceful times and everyone is carrying about their life, Kaoru and Kenshin leave to visit a graveyard, Yahiko is helping at the Akabeko and Sanosuke is helping Megumi so she can make something for him to eat. Kenshin and Kaoru visit the graveyard and do what they have to do, suddenly it started to rain so they went to a hotel to spend the night. Meanwhile Sanosuke took a long bath and Megumi washed his clothes and he was forced to wear something else, soon everyone went to sleep. Kaoru had dreams of Kenshin wandering off again, she awoke and it was morning, Kenshin wasn't there, she found him at the beach and they talked for awhile. They got on to the boat and set sail to return back home. The boat arrived back in Tokyo and everyone was waiting for Kenshin and Kaoru to get back.

• Sortie originale 15 September 1998
• Épisode précédent S03E32 - The Elegy of Wind and Water
• Numéro S03E33
• Genres Action, Aventure, Animation, Anime
• Liens externes Page TheTVDB Page IMDB Page TheMovieDB
• Dernière mise à jour 15 February 2021 - 04:59 sur 11 bases de données

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• break-journey
• circumnavigation

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acting or speaking together, or at the same time

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Biblical History: End of the Wilderness Wandering

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Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 11/24/2019 in Novato, CA. This week we continued our survey of the history recorded in the Bible, focusing on the period dealing with the end of the wilderness wandering and preparing for the conquest of the Promised Land.

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The Wilderness Wanderings

In Hebrew, במדבר (bamidber) means “in the wilderness,” which is the real name of the Book of Numbers. The Greek translators called it άριθμό Arithmoi , and in Latin it was Numeri , because the translators focused on the two census takings at the beginning and the end of the wanderings. But it’s basically “the wilderness wanderings.”

Numbers picks up where Exodus left off. And it’s really a book about arrested progress. In a sense, it never should have happened. It took only 40 hours to get Israel out of Egypt—the Passover. But it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel. At Kadesh-Barnea, Moses sent out twelve spies to check out the new land. Ten of them came back terrified, and for good reason. They said they saw the Nephilim , the giant “fallen ones.” These were the hybrids that were the products of mischievous angels commingling with women.

Numbers 13:33 records, “…and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Goliath was also one of those. He was nine feet tall. They had reason to be scared. And yet, it was also a lack of faith. Two of the twelve spies, Joshua and Caleb, had a different attitude and brought the “minority report.” They said, “This land is rich, it’s full, it’s marvelous. Let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it.” By their own strength? Of course not. By faith! God said, “Go take it.” When God’s on our side, our enemy is outnumbered.

Unfortunately, the people rallied around the ten spies with their bad report. “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, or, Would God that we had died in this wilderness” (Numbers 14:2). That was a big mistake. God was listening and heard their murmuring and gave them their desires.

God threatened to wipe them out, but Moses interceded, “If you wipe them out, what will the Egyptians think? They survived all the plagues, and now you’re going to wipe them out?” His arguments are fascinating.

God knows what He is going to do, and says to the nation, “Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from 20 years old and upward, which have murmured against me” (Numbers 14:29). In other words, “You guys said you wished you’d die; you’re going to die. Your kids are going to grow up and go in. Moses was gone for 40 days; you’re going to be in the wilderness for 40 years, until this unfaithful generation dies off!”

Only two in the entire group, Joshua and Caleb, survived to go into the Promised Land. Joshua was the military leader who took over after Moses. Caleb was his sidekick. Together, these two rout the most powerful group of nations on the earth at that time.

Why does the Bible record all the things that happened during those 40 years? The Scripture tells us it was for an example. These things happened to them for our admonition. Paul makes a point in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that everything written then is for our application now. Every one of the events in Numbers has a lesson for us. And that’s why it is so important to study this book in detail.

The word “example” in Greek is τύπος tupos, which is “a figure, an image, a pattern, a prefiguring.” That’s where we get the term “type,” or model. Engineers speak of a prototype, which is from the same root. Types are common in the Bible, where some event, some object, or some situation is a lesson, in advance, of what’s coming. There are many types illustrated in the Book of Numbers—we’re going to examine just one.

The Waters at Mirabah

At Rephidim, the Israelites needed water. God told Moses to take the staff and strike the rock and the rock would bring forth water (Exodus 17). Many years later, at Mirabah, again they needed water. This time God told Moses to speak to the rock and it would give water. But Moses was frustrated and upset with his people, and instead of speaking, he struck the rock. Water came, but Moses had misrepresented God because he let the people think that God was angry with them. Moses’ penalty for disobedience was that he could not enter the Promised Land.

Moses spent 40 years in Egypt in preparation for this leadership position, then 40 years on the backside of the desert being prepared spiritually. He experienced the incredible drama of the Passover and the Red Sea crossing. Then he shepherded this complaining, grouchy, grumpy bunch through 40 years of hardship in the wilderness. Then God told him that he would see the land from the top of the mountain when they entered, but he would not be able to go in. What had he done that was so bad?

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that the rock was Christ (speaking idiomatically). There were two episodes with the rock: in the first one, the rock was smitten and they benefited with living water; the second rock was not supposed to be smitten. If Moses had done what God told him, the rocks would have modeled the first and second comings of Jesus Christ. But because he blew it, he blew the model.

But God wasn’t finished with Moses yet. He was denied entry into the Promised Land, but we’ll see him again on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus talking about the Second Coming. I believe he is also one of the witnesses who shows up in Revelation 11.

The Book of Numbers is a fascinating study in many ways. Expositionally, it demonstrates integrity of Design; homiletically, it reveals that these were real people with practical problems; and, devotionally, we see that “crossing over Jordon” is not “going to Heaven”—life is a warfare. Each one of us is in our own “wilderness” and every day is our “Kadesh-Barnea”—will we trust God and “conquer the land”? Will we resolutely try to surmount the obstacles that lie in our way…or will we shrink from the apparent difficulties and remain slaves to the sin in our lives?

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‘An epidemic of loneliness’: How the pandemic changed life for aging adults

Stock image of a sign at a park in 2020, calling for social distancing. Four years later, a new study shows many are still keeping to themselves more than they did pre-pandemic.  

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Years after the U.S. began to slowly emerge from mandatory COVID-19 lockdowns, more than half of older adults still spend more time at home and less time socializing in public spaces than they did pre-pandemic, according to new CU Boulder research. 

Participants cited fear of infection and “more uncomfortable and hostile” social dynamics as key reasons for their retreat from civic life.

“The pandemic is not over for a lot of folks,” said Jessica Finlay, an assistant professor of geography whose findings are revealed in a series of new papers . “Some people feel left behind.”

The study comes amid what the U.S. Surgeon General recently called an “ epidemic of loneliness ” in which older adults—especially those who are immune compromised or have disabilities—are particularly vulnerable.

“We found that the pandemic fundamentally altered neighborhoods, communities and everyday routines among aging Americans, and these changes have long-term consequences for their physical, mental, social and cognitive health,” said Finlay.

‘I just can’t go back’

As a health geographer and environmental gerontologist, Finlay studies how social and built environments impact health as we age.

In March 2020 as restaurants, gyms, grocery stores and other gathering places shuttered amid shelter-in-place orders, she immediately wondered what the lasting impacts would be. Shortly thereafter, she launched the COVID-19 Coping Study with University of Michigan epidemiologist Lindsay Kobayashi. They began their research with a baseline and monthly survey. Since then, nearly 7,000 people over age 55 from all 50 states have participated.

The researchers check in annually, asking open-ended questions about how neighborhoods and relationships have changed, how people spend their time, opinions and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their physical and mental health.

By the numbers

How aging adults spend their time

• 59% spend more time at home than before pandemic
• 41% go to the grocery less often
• 75% eat out less often 
• 57% exercise indoors less often
• 62% visit an arts or cultural site less often
• 53% attend religious services less often
• 10% exercise outdoors more often

Source: Data from COVID-19 Coping Study survey results from May 2022. A more recent survey found that more than half still had not returned to pre-pandemic social routines.

“We’ve been in the field for some incredibly pivotal moments,” said Finlay, noting that surveys went out shortly after George Floyd was murdered in May 2020 and again after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Collectively, the results paint a troubling picture in which a substantial portion of the older population remains isolated even after others have moved on. 

In one paper published in February in the journal Wellbeing, Space and Society , 60% of respondents said they spend more time in their home while 75% said they dine out less. Some 62% said they visit cultural and arts venues less, and more than half said they attend church or the gym less than before the pandemic.

The most recent survey, taken in spring 2023, showed similar trends, with more than half of respondents still reporting that their socialization and entertainment routines were different than they were pre-pandemic. 

In another paper titled “ I just can’t go back ,” 80% of respondents reported there are some places they are reluctant to visit in person anymore.

“The thought of going inside a gym with lots of people breathing heavily and sweating is not something I can see myself ever doing again,” said one 72-year-old male.

Those who said they still go to public places like grocery stores reported that they ducked in and out quickly and skipped casual chitchat. 

“It’s been tough,” said one 68-year-old female. “You don’t stop and talk to people anymore.”

Many respondents reported they were afraid of getting infected with a virus or infecting young or immune-compromised loved ones, and said they felt “irresponsible” for being around a lot of people.

Some reported getting dirty looks or rude comments when wearing masks or asking others to keep their distance—interpersonal exchanges that reinforced their inclination to stay home.

Revitalizing human connection

Jessica Finlay, a health geographer and environmental gerontologist, studies how built environments impact aging.

The news is not all bad, stresses Finlay.

At least 10% of older adults report exercising outdoors more frequently since the pandemic. And a small but vocal minority said that their worlds had actually opened up, as more meetings, concerts and classes became available online.

Still, Finlay worries that the loss of spontaneous interactions in what sociologists call “third places” could have serious health consequences.

Previous research shows that a lack of social connection can increase risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and exacerbate mental illness and dementia.

“For some older adults who live alone, that brief, unplanned exchange with the butcher or the cashier may be the only friendly smile they see in the day, and they have lost that,” Finlay said.

Societal health is also at risk.

“It is increasingly rare for Americans with differing sociopolitical perspectives to collectively hang out and respectfully converse,” she writes. 

Finlay hopes that her work can encourage policymakers to create spaces more amenable to people of all ages who are now more cautious about getting sick—things like outdoor dining spaces, ventilated concert halls or masked or hybrid events.

She also hopes that people will give those still wearing masks or keeping distance some grace.

“It is a privilege to be able to ‘just get over’ the pandemic and many people, for a multitude of reasons, just don’t have that privilege. The world looks different to them now,” she said. “How can we make it easier for them to re-engage?”

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Remembrance and reconciliation, 30 years after the Rwandan genocide began

Courtney Dorning

Juana Summers

It's been 30 years since the Rwandan genocide began in 1994. In some places today, survivors of the genocide live side-by-side with perpetrators, so-called reconciliation villages.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

And I'm Juana Summers in the Bugesera district of Rwanda. Many of us don't have the opportunity to handpick our neighbors. We buy or rent a place in a neighborhood with good schools or an easy commute. But here in this village, the idea of who your neighbors are and how people live alongside each other is far more deliberate and complicated.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in non-English language).

SUMMERS: At the top of a long dirt road, there is a Pentecostal church. The pews are full. Down the road in a small courtyard, a woman tosses corn over and over again in this big, woven basket.

(SOUNDBITE OF CORN SHUFFLING)

SUMMERS: We were visiting a reconciliation village where people who survived the Rwandan genocide 30 years ago and the perpetrators who killed now live side by side. We reach a house and step through a curtain door to meet a woman named Rochelle Mukantabana (ph). She is now 45 years old. But in 1994, as the genocide began...

ROCHELLE MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) I was 15 years old, and I knew exactly what was happening. Even a child of 5 knew what was about to happen.

SUMMERS: She tells me her family's story and how she survived. And a warning - this story contains graphic descriptions of violence. Two days after the genocide began, she and her family, a group of 11, fled their homes. They tried to hide in a church, then a school. Ultimately, they ended up hiding in a big swamp. They didn't think anyone could reach them there in the water. But near the end of April, hundreds of soldiers and militia members came.

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) They surrounded the whole swamp and killed people until the evening. Then they got tired and went back home.

SUMMERS: The next day they came back - even more soldiers and militia members than the day before. And that day, she was captured. She had just seen her younger sister killed with a spear. She begged them not to kill her.

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) They were checking my legs and said, your legs look like a Tutsi's.

SUMMERS: She tells me how they beat her legs with a hammer. It was hard to walk. Even so, she was able to get away, to get back into the swamp. She and others hid in that swamp for weeks. A brutal pattern played out day after day.

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) The way we knew the killing had stopped was they'd shoot one bullet in the air once. That meant the killing was over for the day. They would be back tomorrow.

SUMMERS: At night, they left the swamp and searched the bush for something to eat. In May, a group of rebel soldiers led them out of the swamp. Rochelle says she lost her mother, four siblings and more than 50 members of her extended family. Stories like Rochelle's echo across the country in homes, schools, hospitals, places like the low, orange brick church in the town of Karubamba, where you can feel the weight of the violent history that happened here.

We've just walked inside the church, and I have to say it's beautiful. There's so much light that is streaming in through the stained glass windows. And we know that 30 years ago, many people came to this church. They were seeking refuge and safety, and ultimately, thousands were killed. And this is a place that reporter Michael Skoler visited, reporting for NPR in the days following. When he was here, he described this unbearable stench...

MICHAEL SKOLER, BYLINE: The stench was unbearable.

SUMMERS: ...And said that he saw dozens of bodies that were piled up outside of the church.

SKOLER: Outside of the church, there are maybe two or three dozen bodies in the heat here in Rwanda. Many of the bodies are already almost fully decomposed. You can see some skulls.

SUMMERS: The Associated Press report from the time called Karubamba a flesh-and-bone junkyard of human wreckage.

SKOLER: In one of the church offices in the back, the bodies are piled one on top of the other, crowded into a room.

SUMMERS: Karubamba was not unique.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: There's some 40,000 bodies littering...

SUMMERS: Across the country, neighbors brutally attacked their neighbors with machetes, sticks and clubs. The violence was intimate and vicious.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: When he turned his head, you could see a long slice had been taken from the back of his neck by a machete.

SUMMERS: As many as a quarter-million Rwandan civilians participated in the killings beginning in April 1994.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: Upheaval in the African state of Rwanda.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from National Public Radio.

SUMMERS: The mass killings, which grew out of a civil war, started after the Rwandan president's plane was shot down. Within hours, Hutu militias, called Interahamwe, began targeting Tutsis.

SKOLER: The Interahamwe broke down the doors of the church buildings with axes. They shot and speared, hacked and clubbed those inside for hours.

SUMMERS: There were roadblocks set up across the country. Hutus began to seek out Tutsis to kill. Propaganda radio broadcasts using dehumanizing language fueled the violence in broadcasts that said, cockroaches are not real Rwandans.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: (Non-English language spoken).

SUMMERS: One hundred days of violence, nearly 1 million people killed. Forgiveness and reconciliation are personal, but in Rwanda today, they are also orchestrated by the government. The government has even changed the way people talk about their identities. The official view is that the ethnic divisions of Hutu and Tutsi - they no longer exist. At the reconciliation village, we tell Rochelle that we plan to meet with genocide perpetrators, including a man she knows who lives not far from her. I ask Rochelle, what question does she think we should ask someone like that?

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) What I would ask them is, when they were killing people, inside themselves, did they feel human or like animals?

SUMMERS: That is a question I put directly to Dedas Kayanamura (ph).

When you were committing those crimes, did you feel human? Did you feel animalistic? How would you answer that?

DEDAS KAYANAMURA: (Through interpreter) I asking me the same question. I don't understand how someone can kill his own children because the mum is a Tutsi. I am asking me always the same question. How come people went up to become like an animals? I think that we lost humanity at that period.

SUMMERS: Wow.

We meet Dedas Kayanamura in a house he's renting. He insists that we come in quickly rather than linger outside. And speaking through an interpreter, he tells us the story of when he decided to participate in the violence in Rwanda. He tells me he was coerced by a killing group. They threatened his life. They took him to a man, a Tutsi man.

KAYANAMURA: (Through interpreter) And they give me a stick, a very strong stick. And they said, you have to kill him with this stick. I tried to kill him twice, but I was not able to kill him. And someone came, took the stick from me and killed him. So this is the first day I went in the genocide.

SUMMERS: He says despite pressure, he never participated in the violence again. He says, one guy - that's it. I stopped. I killed once. First-person narratives about genocide are complex. Experts say there can be a tendency among perpetrators to minimize their role, sometimes in the hope of a shorter sentence, sometimes because the trauma of the genocide alters a perpetrator's memory.

KAYANAMURA: (Through interpreter) And I'm not saying I'm not a killer. I'm not saying I didn't participate in a genocide. I did. I did, and I committed genocide. Why? Because when this group of people went to kill this gentleman, I went with them, which means to go with them, I becomes already genocidaire.

SUMMERS: A genocidaire, a term for someone who perpetrated a genocide. Perpetrators like Kayanamura were tried in community-based courts that sprung up quickly. The accused were judged by their neighbors. The proceedings relied on eyewitness narratives of fast-moving, violent incidents. These Gacaca courts tried criminals but also promoted interpersonal forgiveness and reconciliation.

KAYANAMURA: (Through interpreter) And the first thing they said in a Gacaca court was to say, if someone agree, if someone says yes and ask for forgiveness and they say what he's done, he will get out of the prison. This is why I said, yeah, I agree.

SUMMERS: I want to know how you see yourself today. When you think about your identity, when you look in the mirror, do you see yourself as a genocidaire? Do you see yourself as a killer?

KAYANAMURA: (Through interpreter) I consider myself as someone who committed genocide. So I don't consider myself as a genocide survivor. I don't consider myself as a Tutsi. I consider myself as a genocidaire. And this is my big challenge. My identity is a genocidaire.

SUMMERS: Rochelle has a different identity - mother. She's raising five children and sees a clear future for herself.

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) The fact that I have children gives me the confidence to rebuild my life. How can I put it? My children have allowed me to start over.

SUMMERS: And that new life includes learning how to live in a community with people who, 30 years ago, could have wanted her dead. I ask her if she feels comfortable living here, and she gestures just outside the door. The man walking outside, she says, is a Hutu, and she doesn't feel afraid.

MUKANTABANA: (Through interpreter) Thirty years after genocide, things are pretty good. People live together peacefully. There's no more Hutu, no more Tutsi. We are all Rwandan.

SUMMERS: They are all Rwandan, all now living under the shadow of a brutal, violent history that pitted neighbor against neighbor. The people who served the longest sentences for their roles in the genocide are just returning home. And the work of learning to live side-by-side continues.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE FARMER")

THE GOOD ONES: (Singing in non-English language).

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Tomorrow we talk to three young Rwandans about the country's future and their own.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: So you have to show potential and just go for it, actually.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Breaking News

Ramadan is ending this week. How communities decide when to celebrate

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Muslim communities are preparing to end the holy month of Ramadan and celebrate the holiday Eid al-Fitr, but the specific day on which each community celebrates will depend on how its congregation observes the lunar calendar.

Ramadan is the month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, while also putting a greater focus on worship, charity and good deeds.

After a month of fasting, the community celebrates Eid al-Fitr, which means feasting, festival or breaking the fast.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said that on or about Wednesday, Muslims in America will mark the end of Ramadan with communal prayers around the country. The Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Southern California are expected to be more muted, local leaders said, in light of the war in Gaza.

To determine the exact date and time of Eid al-Fitr activities, CAIR advised consulting local mosques or Muslim community leaders.

The varying dates are the result of two schools of thought about when to mark the start and the end of Ramadan, said Omar Ricci, spokesperson for the Islamic Center of Southern California .

Ramadan lasts one lunar cycle, measured from new moon to new moon. It is over when a crescent moon appears after the second new moon.

One way to determine the end of Ramadan is to consult a record of the lunar cycles to know when the crescent moon will be visible — actually seeing the moon phases isn’t necessary. That’s how the Islamic Center of Southern California does it.

Another way, Ricci said, is to directly sight the crescent moon that emerges after the second new moon.

“Those [two] schools of thought are held by Muslim communities here in Los Angeles, [and] what this means is some communities start Ramadan differently from other communities,” Ricci said.

The solar eclipse that occurred in the early afternoon Monday happened to coincide with the second new moon of Ramadan in California. Eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler told USA Today that the moon phase would be no more than 5 to 6 hours old at sunset, making it impossible to see the crescent that evening.

Muslim leaders, however, said the eclipse and its timing were irrelevant. The eclipse doesn’t change the beginning or end of the month of April, Ricci said, and the same rule applies to the month of Ramadan.

“Muslims see [the eclipse] as a special occurrence or a special event and there are special prayers that are offered up during the eclipse — that’s tradition,” he said. “But that’s separate and apart from Ramadan.”

The transition from one day to the next for the Muslim community is at sunset, he said.

“The sunset is the demarcation point between one day to the next, so starting tonight at sunset we’ll mark the transition out of the month of Ramadan and for the first day of the new month,” Ricci said Tuesday.

The Los Angeles area chapter of CAIR lists Eid al-Fitr festival events in Los Angeles on its website .

Local Muslim leaders say some Southern California mosques have scaled back or adopted a more somber tone for Eid celebrations this year.

For example, the Islamic Center of Yorba Linda last month announced it was canceling its annual Eid festival and holding a conference instead to raise awareness about continued violence in Gaza, “in light of the devastating loss of lives and widespread destruction of infrastructure in Palestine.”

“The typical fanfare surrounding Eid is subdued, with fewer announcements of celebratory picnics and other events,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR’s office in Los Angeles.

“There is no doubt everybody is feeling a little bit down for the last six months. Many of us know a person or a family who has lost relatives in Gaza,” Ayloush said. “Even if we wanted to celebrate, it’s hard to fully celebrate when surrounded by people crushed over the loss of their loved ones.”

Ayloush said many community members have voiced feeling guilt that they are safe, with food and drink and loved ones around them, while Palestinians in Gaza are facing unprecedented death and destruction.

“We won’t over indulge, we will be more measured, certainly a toned down celebration mood, because no one’s in the mood. But I don’t want us to be in a state of perpetual mourning,” Ayloush said.

More to Read

Letters to the Editor: A missed opportunity for improving dialogue between L.A.’s Muslims and Jews

April 11, 2024

Photos: Southland celebrates Eid al-Fitr

April 10, 2024

The war in Gaza reshapes Ramadan into a somber ritual in Jerusalem’s Old City

April 9, 2024

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Karen Garcia is a reporter on the Fast Break Desk, the team that has a pulse on breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a reporter on the Utility Journalism Team, which focused on service journalism. Her previous stints include reporting for the San Luis Obispo New Times and KCBX Central Coast Public Radio.

Suhauna Hussain is a business reporter covering California labor and workplace issues for the Los Angeles Times.

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