An Evening With Emmanuel Gatera

On the evening of December 20th, Archbishop Terry Finlay and Canon AJ Finlay graciously hosted an evening at their home for about twenty members of the Compass Rose Society from the Toronto area, including several members of the Canadian Compass Rose Society Board. It was an evening that will long be remembered by those in attendance.

The Rev. Emmanuel Gattera (right) presents sports equipment to the staff of a school in a remote region of Rwanda. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Emmanuel Gattera

We were invited to the Finlays to meet the Reverend Emmanuel Gatera, a Priest in the Episcopal Church in Rwanda and the Provincial Secretary for the Anglican Province of Rwanda.  Since 2008, when Emmanuel is not in his home country of Rwanda, he has been studying in Canada at St. Stephen's College in Edmonton Alberta, where he has been admitted to the Doctorate of Ministry Degree program. It is expected his studies in Canada will occur over a period of about six years and he will travel back and forth between Canada and Rwanda during this time.  It was during a stop-over in Toronto, while en route home for Christmas, that we were able to meet him at the Finlays.

As you are aware the Archbishop of Canterbury encourages assistance towards the cost of education for students and clergy in third world countries and the Compass Rose Society has provided funds to purchase sets of theological books for libraries in third world countries. Several years ago the Board of the Canadian Compass Rose Society decided to work towards providing funds to cover the cost of theological education in Canada for a student (lay or clergy) from an African country.

After various discussions the Society, in co-operation with the Anglican Church of Canada, decided to sponsor Emmanuel Gatera. The Compass Rose Society has provided about half of the budgeted cost (C$30,000) of his course of studies (including living and travel costs), with most of the balance to be contributed by the Anglican Church of Canada.  Administration is handled by the Anglican Church of Canada.

What a privilege it was to meet Emmanuel Gatera in person. Emmanuel is an individual one will never forget, as he spoke passionately about helping his people come through the terror of the genocide they had experienced for so many years. He has  enormous drive and wonderful energy.

Even though the period of genocide in Rwanda has passed, he spoke with us about how the trauma lives on inside the people. Virtually no one was untouched by the horrendous acts and crimes that were committed against humanity there. All in his country have friends or relatives who have died or who were maimed. A large percentage of the population in Rwanda continue to live with the trauma, stress and anxiety that only those who live through such trauma will ever know. What has happened there has tremendous implications for the Anglican Church and for clergy who minister to a traumatized population. His parish work immerses Emmanuel directly in the ongoing trauma of those who survived the genocide in Rwanda. He spoke with us about how he and his family were affected by the genocide, including a period of exile in a refugee camp in Burundi, and of how he continues to be affected by this trauma.

One of the primary areas of interest and study for Emmanuel is the ministry of reconciliation. His goal of graduate studies and hands on experience in pastoral theology and trauma counseling will provide him the knowledge he needs to undertake this essential ministry in the Episcopal Church in Rwanda.  It is wonderful that, by sharing what he has learned, his intent is to educate, mentor and enable others in his home country to join him in going out to minister to the traumatized population of Rwanda.

It was apparent that the Compass Rose contributions allocated to his Canadian education are well invested. Through Emmanuel, we will also be educating many more people, as he trains, empowers and enables others to do this important ministry.

In speaking with us that evening, his love for his country, his family, the people of Rwanda, the Church and God are evident. With his enormous drive and energy, and with God's help and through God's grace, he will help to equip others. And together they can do this important work involving healing and reconciliation. They will be doing God's work for the people of Rwanda.

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Thank you to Canon Prue Chambers and Mr. Bruce Chambers for their assistance with this article.