Carl Wilkens
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Carl Wilkens (born in 1958) - currently is a pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for many years worked in ADRA [Adventist Development and Relief Agency]. Since 1978, when he first came to Africa, he spent 12 on mission service there. In the meantime, he finished MBA on University of Baltimore. During Rwandan Genocide in 1994, he was the only one out of 257 Americans, who didn't leave the country.
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[edit] To stay or not to stay?
He sent his closest ones, wife and three children, with an American convoy to Burundi [US officials were afraid to use Kigali airport, so they evacuated their citizens by cars] and stayed with his co-workers in Kigali. Wilkens knew, that he could not leave his friends, lots of them were Tutsis, who were seeking an asylum in his house or in adventists compound. He thought that escaping at the moment, when Rwandans needed help the most, would be improper. Decission was made during conversations with his wife, Theresa: [...]Theresa and I would go back to the bedroom and we would talk, because we had made a decision that I wouldn't evacuate. We would pray, and I'd say, "Does this still seem right?" and she said, "Yes, it does".[1] But it wasn't so obvious for many: Wilkens' parents, who were in Kigali at the moment, evacuated US offcials or even ADRA employees. But that was Rwandans, whom he helped, that were surprised even more. Thomas Kayumba, Carl's co-worker, said: All the foreigners left, but not Wilkens. He was still young. To take leave of his little children and his wife, to give himself to the Rwandan people, I don’t know how to explain it.[2]
[edit] Gisimba orphanage
For first three he spent in his house, but when there was a possibility to go out and do anything to people, who were salughtered every day, sometimes just meters away, he gave his all to help them. It was Wilkens, who saved about 400 people from Gisimba Orphanage. During these crazy days in 1994, when on the streets Interahamwe reigned and on almost every crossroad there was a roadblock, Carl and his friends where driving their car delivering water, food and money to people in need. Sometimes even more important to people trying to stay alive were informations and just the sense, that they're not left completely alone in this horror. Wilkens and his friends risked their lives day by day on roadblocks, sometimes ADRA's car was target of acts of aggression. But they didn't stop.
One day, when Carl arrived at Gisimba, he saw more then 50 armed militiamen who were, it was quite abvious, waiting for an occasion to kill everyone inside the orphanage, but his presence there apparently stopped them. So Wilkens decieded to sleep that night with the kids. He stayed there until, using all his connections, he found 4 gandarmes [which in situation like that was itself a miracle] to guard people inside and then jumped into his car to find governor, who could help him to save the orphans. When he was in his office, another miracle happened - Hutu prime minister Jean Kambanda, was there and someone told Wilkens, to as him for help. Americam himself describes situation with these words: "Ask him?" It's like that's the stupidest thing you could imagine - to ask this guy who is obviously orchestrating the genocide, a key player, and yet I have no other options. … [He's like], "Just go out in the hallway. He's in the next office. When he comes out, ask him." So I went out [into the hallway] … and [a] door opens. Everybody snaps to attention, and here comes [the prime minister] and his little entourage. They're coming down the hall, and I am, too. I put my hand out and I said, "Mr. Prime Minister, I'm Carl Wilkins, the director of ADRA." He stops and he looks at me, and then he takes my hand and shakes it and said, "Yes, I've heard about you and your work. How is it?" I said, "Well, honestly, sir, it's not very good right now. The orphans at Gisimba are surrounded, and I think there's going to be a massacre, if there hasn't been already." He turns around, talks to some of his aides or whatever, [and he turns back to me and] he says, "We're aware of the situation, and those orphans are going to be safe. I'll see to it".[3]
And it worked. But Wilkens, who was afraid of another militiamen attempt to kill people inside Gisimba, deceided to move survivors to a save haven - Saint Michel Cathedral. Again he used all his connections and in few days, he organized 2 buses and a military ascort, which was about to help them to get through the most dangerous roadblocks.Wilkens himself negotiated with armed men on the way to the cathedral. In the end, everyone was transported do Saint Michel alive and unharmed.
[edit] Vatier Orphanage and Nyamirambo Adventist Church
It was quite similar situation to that in Gisimba. Wilkens also took responsibility for saving lives of kids hiding there. Orphanage was run by Frenchman, Mark Vatier and before April 1994 it's main goal was to take care of 16 HIV-positive orphans. But during genocide it was a hiding place for about 100 kids. They literally didn't have drinking water and were running of food and it was just when Wilkens appeared, bringing most needed supplies. What's funny, neither of the children spoke English nor Carl spoke Kinyarwanda, so at first kids who didn't know his name used to call him: ADRA SOS [it was written on his car]. When the situation became critical [there was fighting going on between RPF and Hutu army in the area where orphanage was situated], again Wilkens tried to relocate survivors to Siant Michel Cathedral. His obstinacy allowed him to do it once again. People from the orphanage were safe.
Same thing he did for 12 survivors from Adventist Church in Nyamirambo. They were transported to the safe haven in Hôtel des Mille Collines.
[edit] Conversation with the Devil?
Wilkens reminisces, that situation during ganocide was very complex, that he was working often on the edge of law and morality: I was in so many positions that could have been interpreted as compromising or even collaborating with the enemy. … Who's going to believe someone who goes to court and says, "Well, actually I asked [the prime minister] to help me save some Tutsis?" Who's going to believe that? The stuff in the genocide just turns. Wilkens himself, to save peoples lives, was negotiating with col. Tharcisse Renzaho - governor of Kigali and with prime minister Jean Kambanda later santenced for life imprisonment by International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [ICTR]. General Romeo Dallaire was facing the same dilemma: is it morally acceptable to "shake hand with the Devil" in order to save someone's life? But effects of such negotiations - thousands of saved human beings - make ones feel, that it was worthy to pay the price.
[edit] After RPF's victory
When the units of Rwandan Patriotic Front took over Kigali on June 4th 1994, it wasn't still the end of service for Wilkens. Asked by RPF's officials, he helped distributing water, food and supplies for Kiaglis inhabitants. It was the case of for example Saint Andre College in Nyamirambo [where were aobut 12.000 people] and Kacyiru camp for internally dispaced.
He also tried to find all his ADRA co-workers. Many times, such actions ended with a happy end. One of the most moving moments took place near Gitarama, when he found Amiel Gahima: As we walked past the town of Gitarama towards Kigali, I abruptly saw a pick up truck with the ADRA flag. The vehicle suddenly stopped as it approached us. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Carl Wilkens coming towards me from the vehicle. As he saw me, emaciated and frail, carrying my three-year-old son on my shoulders, he was in tears.[4]
[edit] Return to Rwanda and present day
When he finally ended his mission, he went back to USA for a while. But in 1995 he, his wife Teresa and 3 children came back to Rwanda and for next 18 months Wilkens was working for the Adventist Church in reconstruction activities. Since 1996 he has been living in the USA. He became an adventist pastor and is working in Milo Adventist Academy in Days Creek, Oregon. He visits Rwanda from time to time to see his friends and co-workers. When he was giving a sermon in Kigali in December 2005, crowd of over 3000 people attended his service.
[edit] Movies about Rwandan Genocide
- Hotel Rwanda 2004
- Ghosts of Rwanda (2004)
- Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire 2004
- Shooting Dogs 2005
- Sometimes in April 2005
[edit] See also
- Christianity and the Rwandan Genocide
- Roméo Dallaire
- United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
- Rwandan Patriotic Front
- Paul Kagame
- Bibliography of the Rwandan Genocide
