(¾) “The next time the killers came, there were fifty...

(¾) “The next time the killers came, there were fifty of them.  All of them had guns or machetes.  They pushed straight past me and entered the pastor’s residence.  They began pulling people out of the ceiling.  They were kicking us and dragging us along the floor.  I knew this was the end.  I could see our death clearly.  Some people were shivering and wailing and screaming for mercy.  Others were completely silent.  They’d already lost so many loved ones and they were ready to die themselves.  We were dragged to this very spot and put in three lines.  We began to say our last prayers.  I scanned the mob of killers for recognizable faces.  Many of them were Christians.  Some were even from my congregation.  Every time I recognized a face, I called to him by name.  I said: ‘When I die, I am going to heaven.  Where will you go?’  Then I pointed to the next man, and asked him the same question.  Then the next.  Then the next.   Some of the killers grew nervous.  They began to argue amongst themselves.  Nobody wanted to be the first to kill.  Soon they were threatening to shoot each other.  And they began to leave, one by one, until all of them had run off.”            
(Kigali, Rwanda)