Felin Gakwaya

Not everyone's route to forgiveness has looked the same.

Stephen Ngabonziza is 72.

His story begins not in the church, but in fighting.

We fled to Burundi after my wife and children had been killed.

I didn't stay long because a lonely life in a refugee camp was unbearable.

I returned to Rwanda to help liberate that country.

I captured an enemy soldier from the enemy side of Habiaimana.

I wanted to shoot him, but they stopped me.

I said, they are shooting at us and now I have captured him.

You tell me to spare him?

They told me revenge was forbidden in the army.

I handed him over with his weapon and continued fighting.

That's where I learned not to take revenge.

Later, I was demobilized and given a job as a prison guard.

In which prison?

It was Wirima prison.

I found people there whom I knew.

At first, I refused to go, telling the ministry I could not guard a prison that held those who killed my family.

I asked to be sent to Nyanza instead.

They told me Nyanza had fewer prisoners, while Wirima had many and needed more manpower.