God Made a Wonderful Mother

Edith Umugiraneza was born and raised in Rwanda and survived the 1994 Rwandan Tutsi Genocide but lost most of her family including her mother. Edith wrote this poem not only as an ode to her mother but as a promise to continue her mother's work of helping others.

God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to us.

Mother you mean the world to us.

It’s hard to live without you.

They took away your life,

Just because of who you were.

Memories unfold as we think of you
a real mother, through and through.

They say memories are golden
well maybe that is true.
We never wanted memories
we only wanted you.
A million times we needed you,
a million times we’ve cried.
If love alone could have saved you never would have died.

Yes, they killed you but they can't kill or take away the love we have for you.

They killed a flower, but they forgot that a flower had seeds.

I SURVIVED!

Mother, in life we loved you,
in death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place none can ever fill.
If tears could be an ocean.
There is big emptiness in your children and it hurts beyond imagination.

Now, when you’re gone my life is hard to live.

It's hard to hold on going
it’s hard to see
and it’s hard to think that if you were here my life were be more easier and different.
I miss you so much I will never forget our last moment together, our last hug.

Now I am a mother, I can imagine the pain you had and the courage to let me go without knowing where you were sending me, just you wanted to protect me.

The gift you gave me at that time I still have it.

I will always remember when I used to tell you that,

If I get married I will bring you with me, just because I couldn't imagine life without you.

I now have kids who are always asking questions about you and about your death.

What can I tell them? 

Is the silence an answer?

Of course no. Can they understand what happened? Of course no. Even myself I don't' understand. I don’t understand what they did to you.
I can’t turn back on yesterday,

I survived why?

I have to stand and fight against Genocide ideology.

Mother, I promise try to accomplish what you did not get a chance to accomplish,

I will help inspire others as you used to do.