January 3, 2 p.m.  Boston Children’s Museum, Boston MA

January 3, 7:30 p.m.  The Paulist Center, 5 Park st., Boston MA

January 4, 9 a.m.  Bethel A.M.E. Church, 215 Forest Hills St., Jamaica Plain, Boston MA

January 5, 11:30 a.m.  Performance on the Steps of the Massachusett’s State House MA

January 6 (not public) Westwood Middle and High School MA

January 7 (not public) Charles River Park School MA

January 8 Amherst MA

January 9, 7 p.m.  The Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington MA

January 10, 11, 12th Performances in Amherst MA

January 14th to 21st St. Andrew’s Church, Charleston, South Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Roanoke, Virginia

Forgiveness is the most powerful unpopular weapon against terrorism and atrocity,Jean Paul Samputu, Founder of the ‘Gathering of Forgiveness:A Step to Reconciliation’ and of MIZERO Children of Rwanda Pangea Day Event

Jean Paul Samputu has had many chances to speak this important truth.  He was invited at the UN to help launch the year 2009 as the Year of Reconciliation.  Back in March, World Vision Rwanda invited him to share this message of forgiveness with widows, orphans, churches and students in High Schools.  And again in August, in the refugee camps of Kenya on an 8 day Peace Building Tour.  MIZEROs vision is to build, bring and spread hope to Rwandan children (Mizero means HOPE in the native language of Rwanda) through the message of forgiveness as a step to reconciliation.  This year we embark on a USA tour that will begin with a concert at the United Nations in New York..

In February 2009 (we will also be holding one in July), we would like you to join MIZERO in proclaiming this message of Forgiveness. This time, help us proclaim this important message of Peace on the many hilltops of Rwanda itself!

In commemoration of the 15th year of the Rwandan genocide
And in recognition of the UN declaration
that the year 2009 be a YEAR OF RECONCILIATION
Join us in Rwanda!
For the Gathering of Forgiveness, A Step to Reconciliation
February 10th through the 18th, 2009

In addition to conferences and field trips, together we will launch a Garden of Forgiveness
In a period of 100 days in 1994, nearly ONE MILLION innocent women, men and children died.  Leaving many widowed and children orphaned and traumatized.  It is our hope to continue bringing healing to this nation by creating a Culture of Forgiveness and encouraging and empowering leaders.

You will be given the opportunity to hear testimonies from survivors and perpetrators of the genocide, men, women and children who have learned the meaning of forgiveness and repentance.  Find out how you can encourage, support and empower Rwandans, from the youngest vulnerable child to our most influential Rwandan leaders.

It is our hope and it would be an honor if you will consider joining us on this journey.  And just imagine all this in the context of our introducing you to the beauty and culture of our marvelous Rwanda, the Land of a thousand hills, the land where an ancient Rwandan saying states that: God comes and sleeps every night in Rwanda.

Thank you kindly,

Lynn Beaudin
GATHERING OF FORGIVENESS: A Step to Reconciliation
438 275 5147

Bringing, Building, Spreading HOPE


Gathering of Forgiveness, Feb. 10th to the 18th, 2009, Itinerary, Cost & other Details

Arrival on Tuesday, February 10 and depart Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Conference: Evening of the 10th through evening of the 13th:  Variety of speakers and artists to address our theme of forgiveness and reconciliation:
Speakers
Secretary of the Central African region of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of Tropical Forests and Executive Director of the Rwandan Cultural Conservation Act, Charles Uwiragiye RWANDA
Leadership-Life Coach & former director of World Vision Rwanda, Mr. Kofi Hagan RWANDA
Founder of Gathering, activist & musician Jean Paul SamputuRWANDA
YOUTH FOR A CHANGE in Rwanda : Peace & Love Proclaimers RWANDA
Garden of Forgiveness, Executive director Rev. Lyndon Harris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvPlDPTFR0M NEW YORK, USA
Amahoro-Africa Founder, Claude Nikondeha (http://amahoro-africa.org/) BURUNDI
Director of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mr. Yiping Zhou (http://tcdc1.undp.org/) NEW YORK, USA
Author of WHY FORGIVE Johann Christoph Arnold NEW YORK, USA (http://www.plough.com/ebooks/whyforgive.html) and (http://www.breakingthecycle.com/)
President and CEO of World Vision Canada, Dave Toycen CANADA http://www.worldvision.ca/ABOUT-US/MEET-THE-PRESIDENT/es/MeetthePresident.aspx
ARTISTS
Filmmaker Ayuub Kasasa Mago presenting the film WE ARE ALL RWANDANS http://www.weareallrwandans.com/ RWANDA
MIZERO Children of Rwanda (http://www.mizerochildren.org) and Samputu RWANDA
Musician and founder of Music for Peace Africa, Sally Malinda (http://www.musicforpeaceafrika.com/) KENYA
Rwandan genocide survivor and visual artist, Rupert Bazambanza (http://migs.concordia.ca/BiographyofRupertBazambanza.htm) CANADA-RWANDA
Interactive and visual artist, Nancy Rebal FORGIVENESS STATION 2 (http://nancyrebal.com/port/portfolios/stations1.shtml) USA
Documentarians will share their vision of the document they are filming during the Gathering
1. Ayuub Kasasa Mago RWANDA
2. Jean-Pierre Guyot, CANADA
3. Jonathan Cummings, USA
Other speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.
Most importantly, perpetrators and survivors of genocide that have forgiven each other, repented, and reconciled will share their experiences.  Others who are on that journey at its various stages and those who have difficulties with that journey will also have the opportunity to express their apprehension and share with us in a safe non-judgmental climate. 

Field trips : will include trips within Rwanda and to nearby Burundi and Uganda. Depart morning of the 14th, then return to Kigali the evening of the 16th
1) Visit orphans and widows and the places where they live. 2) MIZERO Children will sing and dance 3) Visit various genocide memorial and museum sites throughout Rwanda 4) Trips will be to “peace villages” in Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda where perpetrators live alongside victims. 5) Visit various Rwandan places of worship
6) Launch of the Garden of Forgiveness
These field trips will allow us to put what we have learned at the conference into concrete action.

Launching of Garden of Forgiveness: February 17th In collaboration with http://www.gofnyc.org, we will launch and celebrate the inauguration of the land that will become the Garden of Forgiveness in Rwanda. 
Gathering of Forgiveness: Day of Public Declarations & concluding Concert: February 18th : 1) The native people of Rwanda, called the Batwa (pygmy tribe) saw one third of their people decimated during the genocide.  Some individuals have expressed their wish to address this issue of discrimination and the lack of recognition of the Batwas loss during the genocide. (http://www.batwa pygmy) 2) A former UN Peacekeeper and Australian veteran, who was present during the genocide has requested to be given an opportunity to ask forgiveness of the Rwandan people. (http://teamuzunovmedia.blogspot.com/2008/09/rwanda-veterans-trying-to-return.html )
Throughout the programming, various art forms will be presented and ongoing round-table and group discussions will be organized.
Conference location in Kigali:  Hotel La Palisse
Costs:
Gathering of Forgiveness: Rwanda overall fee is $1500 includes conference & events, field trips, hotel room, all meals, & local transport (airfare not included - ticket booked by group travel agent to insure the best rates)
A $300 deposit due ASAP. There will be a limit of 100 participants. Register promptly! 
The balance will be due December 2, 2008.  The cost is shared room basis
To register, please send your $300 deposit payable to IN USA: make cheque out to SACRED CITY, Inc. and IN CANADA: make cheque out to MIZERO CANADA England, Australia and Europe contact us at:
USA:  83 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014 tel: (Carly) (646) 251-1181
Canada: 5581 Clanranald, Montreal, Quebec,Canada H3X 2S9 (Lynn) (438) 275-5147

Registration Form
Gathering of Forgiveness, February 10th to the 18th, 2009

Name:
(As shown on your Passport)

Male:________ Female:______ Age:  _________

Address ________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________Postal Code

Phone (Home.) ________________________ Phone (Bus.) ______________________

Email (Please print) _______________________________________________________

Passport Number 1)__________________________ 2)____________________________

Date of Issue 1)_____________________________2) _____________________________

Date of Birth 1)__________________________ 2) ________________________________

I wish to share a room with __________________________________________________________________________

I will be departing from ____________________________________________________

To register, please send your $300 deposit payable to IN USA: make cheque out to SACRED CITY,INC and IN CANADA: make cheque out to MIZERO CANADA England, Australia and Europe contact us at:
USA 83 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014 tel: (Carly) (646) 251-1181
Canada: 5581 Clanranald, Montreal, Quebec,Canada H3X 2S9 (Lynn) (438) 275-5147
Please confirm your presence by emailing this form to: 

Kora Award winning Rwandan musician calls for stability to stop illegal migration
By Sulah Nuwamanya, special APA correspondent in Kigali, Rwanda

APA-Kigali (Rwanda) A celebrated award winning Rwandan musician, Jean Paul Samputu says an African political federation is a possible dream any African can better wish, but it can only be achieved if all Africans change their mindsets and discourage ethnicity and divisionism.

On illegal migration

Africans flee because there is economic, social and political instability in their home countries. Furthermore, they flee war. If we come to solve these various instabilities, no one will want to leave Africa. I suggest that Africans especially the Africa Union and leaders should emphasize much on conflict resolution and that we put more efforts in solving these problems with unity, economic and political reconciliation.

On Europe taking its distance from Africa

Africa needs to find a solution among its children. Africa herself must do this. When the white men came to our land, we did not close the door to them. They took from us everything they wanted. They exploited our natural resources, including our grandfathers as slaves to their countries. However, I have learnt that we cannot repay evil with evil. One thing is certain, if we unite and continue our development, we Africans will not need to ask for a visa. Western countries will be begging us to come to them!

On Pan-African government

The most important thing is to be united in our hearts and in our thoughts. Africans must be united. Take a look at Western countries. They also have problems and struggles but is there an ethnic tension? Let us change our thoughts (mindset) !We must be the change we want to see in Africa, then the United State of Africa will start from there.

On the high cost of living

Africans need to work hard. Look at China… with change and effort together, helping one another succeed. We must take on a spirit of cooperation and work hard! We must change our attitude towards work and create work.

On the FIFA World Cup 2010

Africans should begin NOW to see themselves as WINNERS and develop an attitude and a strategy of victory. They must see themselves as WINNERS and they will WIN. Also, let’s all pray for an African team to win!

On his career

A song entitled ’Hey Forgive’, a song to encourage forgiveness, unity and reconciliation among Africans but particularly to Rwanda that was deeply affected by the 1994 genocide.

I am embarking on reconciliation projects which will empower youth who are the future leaders of Africa. I have established a child orphanage centre in Rwanda and I would need all kind of support to keep my obligation and vision, and also to continue assisting the African child.

After my own experience of learning to forgive the men who had murdered my parents during the 1994 genocide, there was a change in my style of music. I returned to the roots of my country. I began to incorporate traditional Rwandan musical instruments and began to compose songs in a more traditional sound. The result of which, I was appreciated and allowed me to win an ’international song writing’ award in Nashville -USA.

There is no sustainable music industry in Africa. Artists also need to return to their own identity. Our people should learn to promote their own culture and values, become educated about their own culture, and create institutions to promote the arts. We are learning from bad past experiences and can now unite to change the world

SN/daj/APA
2008-07-25

Today we had the honor of traveling to the Sonrise school of Bishop John Ruchyahana in the Shyira Diocese of Rwanda.  He is a Bishop with the Anglican Church who has accomplished great vision in the area and built a primary and secondary boarding school.  We were able to tour and see the additions they are making to the property as well as have lunch with Bishop John.  It is truly a wise, thorough, and good work they are doing for the community.  From education, to employment, technical schooling, to construction - the activity there is educating and benefiting the entire community.  It was an honor and blessing to add this day to our travel.

Today was an exciting day in Rwanda.  We met the Minister of Culture who signed invitations for Friday’s VIP concert.  I also visited the Mizero kids which is a troupe of 22 street boys ages 12-18 who do 2 hours of drumming practice daily.  They performed a concert, showed us where they eat the lunch provided, and were big smiles of hearing of your love for them from America.  We gave them a soccer ball and frisbee and proceeded to have a rousing ultimate games!!!  Pictures soon!

Tonight, Mizero America and Mizero Rwanda met for a dynamic meeting of individual speeches, welcomes, introductions, and planning of two concerts for this weekend.  It was great to put email names with faces of people that have been working virtually together for the past six months together to form a strong international team to bring, spread, and share Hope.

I saw Samputu’s and Meme’s performance this weekend at Meme’s church in Bedford NH. I have to say I was impressed. The service started with the usual modern suburban church “praise songs” which I’m admittedly not very fond of, preferring the old “New England Church Hymnal” from the 1700-1800s since its the kind of church music I sang growing up. Nothing can beat or take the place of: _"How Great Thou Art,"_ and, _"It Is Well With My Soul,"_ in my opinion. Well, almost nothing.

It appears “it is well” with Jean Paul’s soul too, and his praise for God through his music and joyous delivery, and his personal testimony truly reflects that fact.  Samputu’s survival of the Rwandan Holocaust wich killed 1,000,000 people in his country during 90 days beginning in April 1994 (including his mother, father, three brothers, and sister) and his subsequent slow decent into alcohol, drugs, witchcraft, and physical deterioration to being near death ended in 2002, in a remarkable and unlikely transformation into the man and performer he is today. The reviewer was motivated to wonder: “How did this happen?”

According to Jean Paul Samputu, the answer to this question is simply: “The power of God, and the Name of Jesus.” The murder of his family had left him with an intense hatred. The musical talent he once used to express that hatred in his country during the years following the genocide until 2002, has sinced been changed to praise for God today and his own peace and joy combined with a driving desire to help others.

Samputu’s use of alcohol and drugs and desire for power following the genocide had once led him to seek the help of witch-doctors, whose dark practices had led to his own spiritual and perhaps demonic oppression. Nearing the end of his life due to deteriorating health in 2002, the witch-doctors couldn’t offer any meaningful hope. In desperation a friend took Samputu to a Christian missionary.

According to his own account of the story, every time the name “Jesus Christ” was used by the missionary,Jean Paul had some sort of physical reaction-- vomit, unconsciousness, convulsion, but he apparently emerged from the experience as a “man-made-whole,” though he himself didn’t understand exactly how or why this occurred at that time. He desperately wanted to know who this “Jesus Christ” was, and why just his name was apparently so powerful. He has since discovered sufficient answers in his walk, faith, and in seeing so many demonstrations of the power of the person of Jesus who he now claims to know well. His testimony is hard to argue with. His joy and faith appears complete, and it is contagious.

The changes and the events of the last four years following his conversion have transformed Jean Paul from a broken man into a talented and successful international performer and unassuming evangelist. Jean Paul’s music communicates powerfully in a mysterious way, as it is sung in as many as 6 different languages, including English.

Musical styles, from Rock & Roll, Blues, Gospel, and many forms of Native African folk music share common influences of heavy percussion, syncopation, dynamic harmonies and vocals, each musical style creating its own unique emotive power and language. In the 1960s the Rolling Stones reputedly studied African rhythms to help develop their own style, and Ray Charles was once criticized for adapting Gospel style to his own renditions of the Blues in the secular music of the 1950s. In Jean Paul Samputu’s style and performance, the apparent power of African music is returned to its roots, and blended with a love for God and man which is compelling. It is also sobering considering the tragedies and spiritual miracles behind the music, which the performer himself represents.

Jean Paul now has a personal mission to help the children of Africa orphaned by AIDS, poverty, and violence, so his alliance with Meme’s own campaign for World Vision is a natural and perhaps serendipitous coincidence. Each performance usually results in numerous World Vision sponsorships of needy children abroad.  When asked for comment, both just shrug and say, “it’s God.” They have come to believe in an economy of motion when it comes to how God seems to direct his purposes, which they both are happy just to be a part of.

As you know, I don’t give recommendations easily. I don’t usually get excited about this stuff. In this case however, I highly recommend that you schedule a performance in the near future.

You won’t be disappointed.

- Randy