The American team, left to right: Don Eberly, Dr. Larry Lincoln, David Lovitt, Jr., President Paul Kagame, Mark Ward, Jim Click, Mike Christ & Dan Cooper, shown with three cabinet members.
Rwanda is located in central Africa, just below Uganda.
David with Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame.
The Rwanda Trip
The Rwanda Portfolio of photographs was taken over a six day period in March of 2006 in the African country of Rwanda. The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, had invited David, Jim Click and six other American businessmen to visit his country.
The trip was a life-changing experience, for David and for all the members of the delegation. they were amazed at what they had witnessed in a country that only twelve years ago had been the arena of a bitter civil war and horrendous genocide.
During a ninety-day period in 1994, nearly one million people were killed. Neighbors slaughtered neighbors. Long-time friends and families that had worked and played together side by side for many decades became bitter enemies. Tribal conflict escalated between the Tutsis and the Hutus into a brutal war. A once beautiful nation was devastated and virtually destroyed.
Today, all that has changed. Rebuilding and re-entering the global economy, Rwanda is facing its challenges head-on. Emerging from that terrible time of war, today's Rwanda is a whole different world. The economic recovery is being led by the tourism and coffee industries. These institutions were the backbone of the economy of this once-prosperous country before the fighting began.
Each of the seven Americans who traveled to Rwanda came back with his own individual lessons and impressions. Together, they have developed a number of ideas on how to help a country that is working with all its heart to resurrect itself.
The photos of Rwanda on these web pages reflect lessons learned, and inspirations gained, from the trip. They are a great reminder how abundant in spirit we all are.
We hope you enjoy the photographs of Rwanda and feel the story behind each picture.
IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
On July 27th, a family of mountain gorillas was machine-gunned to death in the Virunga National Park, close to where David took his pictures of the gorillas.
Researchers called their 12-member troop the Rugendo family. They were part of a population of mountain gorillas—magnificent, gentle animals who raise their young in the lush mountains between Rwanda and the Congo. Their deaths shocked the world, but now outrage must turn into action. More rangers must be hired to patrol the national park in which these gorillas live. Sustainable industries must be nourished, in order to prevent the random harvest of their forest habitat.
The sale of photographic prints from the Rwanda portfolio will go directly to aid in those protective steps. That’s because 100% of the profits from their purchase will go to The Dian Fossey Foundation, founded to protect the Mountain Gorillas. Please help us to help others.