Saddleback Valley Community Church and the International Justice Mission (IJM) combined forces and are seeking Pepperdine’s help to heal the nation of Rwanda. These two organizations presented their ongoing work to the Pepperdine community at Pepperdine School of Law’s International Human Rights Program Spring Forum Tuesday and Wednesday.
Jay Milbrandt director of the Pepperdine School of Law’s International Human Rights Program said Pepperdine students have drafted briefs within the past few weeks to update Saddleback and the national IJM organization about the legal needs of Rwanda.
Eventually Milbrandt said he hopes to have student interns working in Malibu and Rwanda to help improve Rwanda’s court system. This spring break national IJM staff members and a Pepperdine law professor will be sent over to help train more attorneys. Larry Martin the vice president of IJM and Pastor Bob Bradberry Saddleback’s global initiatives leader as well as others from the Saddleback and IJM mission spoke at the Pepperdine School of Law Tuesday and Wednesday. Attorneys pastors counselors and Judge Barry Collins also contributed to the discussion.Bradberry said it is time for radical change in Rwanda’s justice system.
“Rwanda is shifting to an English speaking world from a French speaking world Bradberry said. The laws are being converted as well.”
Saddleback gained notoriety through its head pastor Rick Warren who wrote the bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life and also led the invocation prayer at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, wrote Warren after reading his book and asked him to help Rwanda become the first purpose-driven nation. Since then, Saddleback church has adopted the nation of Rwanda.
Rwanda now is filled with hundreds of thousands of perpetrators Bradberry said. Finding justice is a top priority. With IJM and Saddleback’s help Rwanda is healing not just as a people but a nation.” Saddleback Church’s P.E.A.C.E. campaign has teamed up with IJM. P.E.A.C.E. stands for promoting reconciliation equipping servant leaders assisting the poor caring for the sick and educating the next generation. At Pepperdine these talks focused around the “A assisting the poor. The P.E.A.C.E. plan mobilizes Christians around the world to address what Warren calls the five global giants:” spiritual emptiness corrupt leadership poverty disease and illiteracy. In Rwanda Saddleback is operating out of IJM’s Kigali outpost. IJM has had a presence in Rwanda as well as many other countries for years and IJM officials said they hope Saddleback’s involvement will help strengthen the movement.
“We’ve created an injustice task force Bradberry said. When there’s a need out there we try and respond with professionals.” These professional teams include judges attorneys and law enforcement workers.
The task force is working to reform Rwanda’s backlogged legal system as well as eradicate land grabbing. After a widow’s husband dies extended family members or disingenuous members of the community often take over the estate and her possessions. Without a will or legal document protecting the widow she is hopeless. Saddleback’s task force along with IJM helps pastors write wills to prevent this. Saddleback has created a three-tier system: the grassroots level which includes organizations like Pepperdine’s IJM chapter; a midrange professional level which offers legal education and domestic intervention; and a “heavy duty” level of skilled full-time professionals work to reform the courts and laws.
The Rwandan justice system relies on centralized courts as well as local tribunals known as Gacaca courts that are located in villages. The most honest and respected elders are elected to oversee the tribunals that seek out criminals. Though they are not based on precedent and lack the formalities of a regular trial Bradberry said it seems to him and other legal professionals that justice is served.
According to Milbrandt Saddleback and IJM eventually hope to continue the holistic approach of inspiring purpose by inviting business and psychology students as well as students from other disciplines to improve Rwanda. Business students can help entrepreneurs successfully start up companies and psychology students can counsel victims who were traumatized by the genocide.
By involving a variety of students from different backgrounds Saddleback and IJM hope to better serve the needs of the Rwandan community.
Details are forthcoming about how Pepperdine students can be involved in the mission in Rwanda. For more information contact Jay Milbrandt at the Pepperdine School of Law by e-mailing jay.milbrandt@pepperdine.edu.