The awful reality of the genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s is now getting the attention it deserves. In this movie, however, the filmmakers decided not to concentrate on the bloody horror of genocide but instead focus on one man who rose above the hatred that gripped his fellow countrymen and risked his life to save others. He was not a born hero, preferring at first to play it safe and worry only about his own family, but circumstances forced him to broaden his horizons. Thus the film could be seen as the spiritual awakening or journey of a man.
During this class session we will watch just three clips from the two-hour-long film, but they should be enough to show us how an ordinary man rose to extraordinary heights of heroism. The example of Paul Rusesabagina can inspire us and plant the seed of heroism within us that someday, though in different circumstances, might spring forth. The film does not employ any God talk, but surely people of faith can see the God of justice and compassion underlying the actions of this simple man who discovered unexpected courage when the occasion called for it.
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