**4. Religion and Peace in Post-Genocide Rwanda: The Example of CARSA's Cows for Peace Project**

In order to illustrate the above discussion, I will utilize the example of the Christian FBO CARSA (Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance) and their innovative Cows for Peace project (www.carsaministry.org). Faced with the aftermath of the 1994 genocide and struggling to deal with his own losses, Christophe Mbonyingabo founded CARSA in 2004, a local FBO "which aims to support communities in Rwanda in their journey towards healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and holistic development" (CARSA Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance). Mbonyingabo developed the idea to present pairs of survivor and perpetrator with a cow. This valuable gift not only improves the material situation of survivors, perpetrators and their families, but through the joint care of the animal, pathways for healing and reconciliation are opened up. Regular meetings and bible studies accompany the process. Meanwhile, this project has found numerous emulators throughout the country and it serves well to illustrate the different dimensions of religious peace work.

*Religion as Community*. Though retaining its independence from established churches, CARSA's Cows for Peace project is firmly situated within a Christian context. Perpetrators and survivors, who have been presented with a cow, come together for regular meetings. CARSA sta ff lead the group in prayer, bible readings and discussions, ye<sup>t</sup> there is room for informal exchange as well. The structured setting of the meetings helps to create bonds between former enemies. Over time, a group feeling and group solidarity develops that supports positive changes in interpersonal relationships. Trust and even friendship grow as shattered identities are being rebuilt.

*Religion as a Set of Teachings*. During their regular meetings, CARSA sta ff emphasize Christian concepts, norms and values such as forgiveness, grace and personal transformation. Corresponding quotes from the Bible, such as Matt 6:12 ("And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us") or Matt 18:21–35 (Parable of the Unforgiving Servant) help to reiterate the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation. The ethical dimensions of religious teachings are thus encountered as pertaining to one's own individual life.

*Religion as Spirituality*. The spiritual dimension of religion connects to the participants' personal life and experiences. Spiritual activities such as prayer, worship and Bible meditation have a firm place in CARSA's approach. Both survivors and perpetrators can find here an outlet for destructive emotions such as shame, guilt or hatred. In a culture that frowns upon the public display of sorrow—as expressed by the saying "The tears of a man go to his belly"—spiritual activities as the ones accompanying the Cows for Peace project can o ffer a way to deal with individual trauma and loss of meaning.

*Religion as Practice*. In a country in which more than 90% of the population adhere to the Christian faith, CARSA can link its activities to a general Christian setting as expressed, for instance, in weekly church services and regular church activities. Yet, by means of creatively using Christian symbols and by creating new rituals, CARSA connects the Christian faith more immediately to the experiences and needs of a post-genocide society. The cross as the central Christian symbol, for instance, is employed in a powerful *rite de passage*, when participants actually nail their personal letters to a wooden artifact, thereby symbolically handing over their grief and longings to Christ.

*Religion as Discourse*. Due to their often Christian socialization, most participants are familiar with the Christian language and imagery employed by CARSA. This helps to set an atmosphere of familiarity and welcome, serving subtly to create bonds between the participants. As for power structures, CARSA sta ff are clearly perceived to be in authority, if only derived from their reliance on Biblical authority. At the same time, a self-critical perspective on the part of CARSA is called for, combined with an awareness of the asymmetrical relationships between leader and participants.

*Religion as an Institution*. While CARSA started out as a small FBO driven by the e ffort of one individual, it has meanwhile grown to support more than 80 regional groups throughout the country. CARSA earned the trust of its participants through its reliability and service delivery. As apparent in its name, its trademark is the combination of "reconciliation" and "social assistance", of peace work and

development work. Through its holistic approach, CARSA cares for the body and the soul, o ffering practical help and spiritual support.
