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Rains In California Threaten Flooding; Poland, South Korea Renew Troop Commitments In Iraq; Interview with Simon Nziramakenga

Aired December 30, 2005 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, LIVEFROM: Today's mother nature versus the state of California. Heavy rains in the north and heavy winter snow for the mountains and heavy winter winds on the way. Standing by live CNN's Jen Rogers she is in Napa County, usually very beautiful place it be, but little different today. Hey Jen.
JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. That is right. Today we have had rain pretty much nonstop since 5:00 a.m. this morning. I can tell you it's really not letting up and, in fact, it has been getting a little bit harder right now, we actually had a flood warning issued for the Napa River just north of here in Saint Alina that's from the National Weather Service. They're saying that should be coming into effect in the morning hours. So, basically what is going to happen they say with all this rain coming down then by the morning we should start to see this river come up to a state where they would need to monitor it for a flood.

PHILLIPS: Now Jen you have talked about the city's flood control project. Where does it stand? Is it going to help in this situation?

ROGERS: Well, this flood control project is a work in progress. It is not slated to be completed until 2011. So it is a start, but certainly not a solution for this season. They have done some work that may be able to help them out a little. One of the issues though is that we're at the Napa River, but there are also creeks around here where flash flooding is more of a problem. Right here at the Napa River, if you can look behind me, there is a sign that shows where flood level is. And you can see we're pretty far away from that. Still officials say we can get up that high in as little as three to four hours, if they get about three inches of rain in a six-hour period. That's a substantial, substantial amount of rain and of course, we're not seeing that yet, but that could be an issue over the weekend.

PHILLIPS: So are residents and businesses worried about just the threat of high water? I mean, you know the area Jen, it's all these cute little towns from area to area and are they concerned about getting their city, the area where a lot of tourism comes through to be flooded out?

ROGERS: I think that for the most part people are taking it in stride right now. And that is because they're used to this, they have had 21 major floods since 1862. That being said, they're not naive. They're definitely preparing for this. We've seen people out filling sandbags. The city is giving those away for free. You go and pick them up right near the high school and fill them up yourself. People know exactly where to place them to try and protect their homes and their property.

Tourism is an interesting issue though. Usually the winter in Napa is pretty quiet, this, of course, being a holiday weekend, there are some people around, but so far they seem to be having a good time, at least by the judge of our hotel last night.

PHILLIPS: I could just imagine. Hunker down in a few wineries. CNN's Jen Rogers near Napa County. Thanks Jen.

I don't know, Chad Myers, not a bad place to be stranded. You're going to have high water, find yourself a good winery and you hang out right?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Actually, Jen it is going to get a whole lot wetter before it gets dry. In fact now the rain that you saw on her picture just off the west, like literally five miles off of the west is where the rain starts to get heavy and it is moving toward Napa. Here is Napa and Sonoma County. An area coming right over the coastal range and as it does, it continues to move in. The heavier rain to the north is going to continue to move in, as well. Portland, Eugene, going to see very heavy rainfall. Here's what it looks like with the storm almost down to the North Bay, almost down to the Bay Bridge at this point in time.

Three storms on the map. One that came through last week. One that came through and made wind. This one here made the wind and the fires in Oklahoma as that came through Oklahoma. Then this one here made the wind and the fires in Oklahoma yesterday and now another one back here that will make wind and fires in Oklahoma on Sunday. What does it do before that? Forty inches of snow in the Sierra, probably six and up to 14 inches of rain anywhere from Eureka into Reading and also into parts of Oregon and Washington.

Look at the -- this is just like a fire blowing moisture into northern California. You're going to get a break up here along the headlines, Portland to Seattle, but you'll see very heavy rain right in Napa Valley, right in Sonoma Valley and right into San Francisco. Pouring on shore for the next four to six hours.

Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Chad, we'll keep checking in with you and Jen. Thanks Chad.

Hundreds of families are heading into the New Year wondering about certain relatives. That they haven't even heard from since hurricane Katrina crashed a shore. CNN's Sean Callebs recalls the relentless search of two sons and their heartbreaking father.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Robert Green's brother, David, had enough. Two days ago he decided it was time to leave Nashville to look for his mother's remains somewhere in the decimated Ninth Ward. ROBERT GREEN, SEARCHED FOR MOTHER'S BODY: He just said, he decided to come down here. We stopped at a Wal-Mart for shovels, hammers, picks and everything else; we're going to dig to find my mother's body.

CALLEBS: Robert was with his mother when floodwaters washed their home away at the height of the storm. Joyce Green had Parkinson's and was severely debilitated. The night Katrina blew in, Robert's family couldn't save her and she drowned. Four months the family waited, constantly calling the coroner's office hoping recovery teams and efforts led by Kathleen Blanco would turn up his mother's remains.

GREEN: We had to come out here because Blanco didn't do her job. We had to come out here and find my mother's body.

CALLEBS: Finally four months to the day since Katrina hit, Robert, not the lease or recovery crews but Robert and other family members found Joyce Green's remains in the splintered wreckage of the house where they left her.

GREEN: As far as how I found my mothers body, I will politely and eagerly walk to where her body lays. I didn't have to climb anywhere; I didn't have to move anything.

CALLEBS: He had looked in this area before, but with no luck. This time, he noticed a landmark he remembered from the night of the storm and within minutes he found what had eluded authorities for a long time.

GREEN: All that was left of my mother was her clothes, her stow and her skeleton. Now, they could have done come and did the same thing just as easily as I did.

CALLEBS: It has been a cheerless four months since the storm tore this section of New Orleans to pieces. Robert's granddaughter Shanaey (ph) drowned the night the hurricane hit. The 3-year-old was buried November 19th. Authorities haven't officially confirmed the remains are his mothers, but he's convinced. Robert has been told that identification could take up to two weeks. He's not bitter, he's not angry, but there is a huge sense of loss.

GREEN: I don't see my baby no more, I don't see my mother no more, I don't see my neighbors no more. All I can do is be happy that she's going to be buried. That's all I can do to be happy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Sean joins us now from New Orleans. Sean you know we've been following the Green family and the various generations and how they have been looking for certain family members. Of course, Joyce Green, the mom, the grandmother, is the one that everybody still wondered about. They have gone back a number of times; the company went back with cadaver dogs. So, what happened?

CALLEBS: This is a very perplexing case. We know that the state sent these private entities (ph) with police cadaver dogs in and around that area of the Ninth Ward looking on a number of occasions. And if you hear the Green's tell the story, sadly the remains of their mother were simply right there. They didn't have to dig through rubble. Apparently what happened after the levee broke and the water came pouring in, they got on the roof of their house, it washed off the foundation, slammed into another house and then slammed into another house and they kept moving from rooftop to rooftop to try to escape the damage, the flood waters and the mother was basically move less, and they had to carry her.

Somewhere along the night she lost her life. She fell in the water, drowned. They were able to recover her and resuscitate her but she died in her son's arms. When they came to rescue the rest of the family, they had to leave their mother behind. It wasn't a house in the sense, a standing structure where they had to leave her. It was just a bunch of debris; so, when they began to clean up that area before people were allowed back in, all the debris was pushed into a giant pile. It was difficult to tell exactly where they were when they were rescued and where their mother passed away.

They went back in the area a number of times to look but they didn't know exactly where to look and they were only allowed in for a certain amount of time. Yesterday when they went in Robert Green said he was able to recognize a landmark. He remembered a white truck that he had seen the night that they were rescued, they began looking near that white truck, and that is where they found Joyce Green.

PHILLIPS: So you look at the situation, for example, the Green family and you tend to wonder how many other bodies could still be out there, Sean. I mean, are there any numbers that have been put together or can we even gauge that?

CALLEBS: Well, let me tell you this. I just talked with Lewis earlier today. He is a state medical examiner. He says, get this; there are 3,600 reported cases of missing persons. That's not saying there are 3,600 people definitely out there, but right now that's the number they're working with. He says a number of those people could have been sucked into the Gulf and some could have gone into Lake Pontchaqrtrain and he predicts that as people return to the Ninth Ward, return to other decimated areas and people go back into their homes, the remnants of homes, the splinter remains of those houses we're going to hear more cases like this.

He fully expects that people are going to find remains of loved ones in those homes. So, prepare for these kinds of stories in the future. It's almost shocking and certainly horrific for those family members but think about the number of houses in a city of this size. The National Guard went door to door, we know these private companies with cadaver dogs went door to door. People did everything they could. That is what we hearing from the state to try and locate the remains of loved ones, but some time in October the governor decided, it was time to end the door-to-door search and that is when it ended.

PHILLIPS: A lot of people just want closure, no doubt. Sean Callebs, thank you so much. Straight ahead, breaking away is a natural instinct for any 16- year-old. When it comes to war zone halfway around the world, most teens are content to search the Web or watch CNN. He went from Florida to Baghdad in three not so easy steps. We are going to retrace them and show you where he headed next. Coming up on LIVEFROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It was a secret and then a scoop and then a borderline scandal or at least a sensation now that it's the Justice Department investigation's turn. It is the warrantles government monitoring; the new term is data minding vast quantities of phone calls and e-mails between people in America and people in other countries. Defenders say just because its warrantless doesn't mean it's unwarranted. But they say it is authorized both by the constitution and the federal law. Critics say it's a sneaky and unconstitutional power grab and point out secret federal courts exist for the very purpose of wiretaps.

The "New York Times" broke the story two weeks ago having kept it under wraps at it's administration request for a year and now the Feds want to know where the initial leak originated and criminal charges could result. The "Times" isn't commenting right now.

White House officials spoke to reporters just a short time ago about the investigation. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is in Crawford, Texas. Suzanne a lot of people wondering why is it taking a year to launch this investigation?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, there are a number of investigations that we're going to see in the coming new year. First of course the congressional hearings as they prepare to see if President Bush overstepped his balance in authorizing this domestic spy program without a warrant as the law says it requires the president making very clear. He believes the constitution and commander in chief in wartime allows him to do that, as well as Congress's authorization to go after Al Qaeda.

But also of course the Justice Department here weighing in on all of this to see who leaked this information in the first place. The president has made it very clear. He was asked about it last week and he said it was a shameful act. He said the very mention, the fact that we are talking about this publicly, essentially, helps the enemy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH: We're at war. And we must protect America's secrets. So, the Justice Department, I presume, will proceed forward with a complete investigation. I haven't ordered one, but as I understand, there is a natural progression that will take place when this kind of leak emerges.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Certainly, of course, the Justice Department weighing in on this one. We're told that it acted in and of itself, the president of course made his views known. His personal views known but that the White House did not play a role in this. They were informed of it earlier today. As the president you ask the question, why waiting a year. Of course all of this wasn't an issue, it wasn't before the public, Kyra, but now that it has become a public discussion, it is very clear that the Justice Department wants to hold those responsible.

Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I'm sure you'll be following that for the next year to come. That's for sure. Bush signing the Patriot Act extension.

MALVEAUX: That's right. We're told it is going to happen within the hour or so that is expected. Especially this is not what the president wanted. His White House spokesman, Trent Duffy, saying that he wanted the whole thing by the beginning of the New Year to be signed in its entirety here. This is just a five-week extension, a one-month extension that will expire February 3rd. So this simply means this debate is going to continue the month of January and the White House is going to have to continue its fight essentially arguing for the robust measures inside the Patriot Act but the many Democrats and Republicans, as well, very concerned about civil liberty issues whether or not some of those measures go too far. That's something that we are going to see debated within the next four weeks or so, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Any reaction to the wildfires, they have been pretty devastating over the past couple days?

MALVEAUX: Of absolutely. The president has been notified about that, he has been briefed this morning about that and we know that there are federal resources that are kicking in to make sure those folks are being taken care of. But, Kyra, you can imagine, this has been a tough year for this president and this administration. Another disaster on their hand, but they feel confident they have those resources in place.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux live from Crawford, Texas thanks Suzanne.

Both Poland and South Korea approve plans this week to extend their military presence in Iraq at least for the next year. Those two countries along with Great Britton and among those out spoken about their support of the coalition they are currently 26 nations besides the U.S. with troops in Iraq. Some of them, traditional supporters of U.S. interest abroad, others not so much. Examples are Armenia and El Salvador. And a few countries have pulled out, Spain and several Central American nations; the newest addition to the coalition Bosnia, also recovering from war it sent an explosive platoon to Iraq in June.

Iraq's oil exports are at a two-year low. A pipeline explosion in the north, bad weather in the south keeps moving Iraq or it's kept Iraq moving about 1.2 million barrels a day. That's about half of normal. Gasoline and heaping oil supplies also are running low throughout Iraq itself. The country's biggest refinery has been shut down since last week and after threats by insurgents, it caused tanker drivers to walk off the jobs.

In Afghanistan, it's not all hunting terrorists and securing the new government, the U.S. military units there focusing on building and improving conditions. Things that will win trust and support among the people of Afghanistan. CNN's Becky Diamond reports on one such project.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Captain Scott Moore is using more than combat skills to win the war on terror in Afghanistan.

CAP. SCOTT MOORE, U.S. ARMY: We have the money ready and as soon as they come up with a plan that everybody agrees with, we can get people to work and get these reservoirs started.

DIAMOND: This 35-year-old army reserve captain is part of a civil affairs unit and is meeting with village elders to discuss a U.S.-funded, $5,000 project to build a well in the district of Swab (ph). It's one of a series of projects across the country. The village sits close to a dangerous stretch of road that leads from Pakistan into Afghanistan and has been the site of many insurgent attacks. This village elder says that foreign fighters come into Afghanistan and disrupt security. They haven't had any Taliban-supported attacks in the last few months.

MOORE: OK, looks like we're ready.

DIAMOND: The group travels to the site of the well. One reason for the improved security, according to the U.S. military, is projects like this one. The proposed well will allow villagers in this remote area to store water during the winter and the project will employ local Afghans who will make $3 a day.

MOORE: They know, as there's more peace and more security that more reconstruction will occur. We focus our projects on areas that might be a little more secure in the hopes that security will improve and that's our goal to leave here.

DIAMOND: Captain Moore hoping to win the loyalty of villagers. A small step that could lead to a bigger victory in the war on terror.

Becky Diamond, CNN, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: After a genocide that wiped out thousands of people, a song of healing comes to the nation of Rwanda. Just ahead on LIVEFROM we are going to talk to a man who's helping these children and trying to put his shattered nation back together.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's quiz time. What's the fastest growing varsity sport in high schools across the country? If you guessed bowling move to the front of the class. The National Federation of State High School Association says that bowling posted the most gains for boys and girls during the 2004/2005 school year.

Both the number of players and schools adding teams. In terms of total players, football is still top among the boys with more than 1 million young men suiting up. For girls it's basketball with more than 450,000 players. Another bowler said it was a perfect way for Ed Lorenze to go. The Kalamazoo, Michigan man just bowled a perfect game, his third perfect game ever before clutching his chest and falling dead. A couple of nurses at Airways Lanes worked on the 69 year old until paramedics got there, but they couldn't revive him. His friend said Lorenze did a lot to keep bowling popular in the area. Just last May he was inducted into the area's Bowling Hall of Fame.

Well it's the last day of the year for stocks and there's some drama heading to the final hour of trading. Susan Liscovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange. Hey Susan.

SUSAN LISCOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Kyra, I just have two words, bah humbug you know this is typically a great week for the stock market and we have not seen it. It has been a lackluster day and, frankly a lackluster year. It looks to like the Dow Jones Industrials will be flat. As flat as day-old champagne and that's really the question as to whether the Dow Industrials can end with a gain on the year.

Right now it's not looking too good. Either way, it is likely to be the smallest annual change for the blue chip index since it was created way back when in 1896. Take a look at the big board right now. Dow Industrials down 5 point to 10731. It began the year at 10783. So, it's down about 50 points.

Nasdaq composite is off a half a percent right now, but still is up about 1.5 percent for the year. So, while it's been a fairly stagnant year overall for the major indexes, some individual stocks have made big moves this year. Apple Computer, among the best performing stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500, this year up 131 percent. Due to continued strong sales of the iPod, which is far and away the most popular digital music player on the market.

The sector posting the biggest gains was energy due to the surging cost of crude oil. On the flipside of the coin, Auto parts maker Dana was the worst performing stock in 2005 followed by Gateway and Ford, General Motors and Radio Shack were also on that list.

In 2006 unfortunately could present it's own problems for the market. Many analysts are worried about the country's growing debt burden for both consumers and the government, stubbornly high energy prices in the slowing housing market which could cut into what we spend are also weighing on the mind of investors. And that is the latest from Wall Street.

Stay tuned, LIVE FROM will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well, now to the tiny Central African nation of Rwanda. More than 10 years have passed since the genocide of 1994. Recovery is slow and painful. And in a moment, we're going to talk to a man who is playing a leading role in those recovery efforts.

But first, this background report from CNN's Annan Naidu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNAN NAIDU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One hundred days of horror.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How can they not intervene?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hundreds of thousands are dying.

NAIDU: It's estimated that 800,000 people were massacred in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The slaughter was captured in graphic detail in the movie "Hotel Rwanda."

It was April, 1994. The violence erupted hours after a plane carrying the president of Rwanda was shot down as it came in to land in the capital Kegali. The president came from the majority Hutu tribe.

Rwanda comprises two main tribes, the Hutu and the minority Tutsi. As news of the president's death spread, decades of ethnic tensions exploded, and the Hutus turned on the Tutsis. The slaughter would last more than three months, many opposition politicians were among those killed.

Western countries including the United States did little. The United Nations was unable to agree on sending in a peacekeeping force. Foreigners left in droves. The mayhem only came to an end when a rebel army made up of Tutsis and moderate Hutus captured the capital Kegali in July, 1994. One hundred days had passed.

As a semblance of order was restored, an estimated 2 million Hutus fled across the border into what is now known as Congo. The U.N. and aide workers return, a new multiethnic government was formed. The long road to recovery began.

In the intervening years, some 500 people have been sentenced to death for their part in the genocide. An estimated 40,000 remain in prison. Now, the millions bereaved in the Rwandan genocide must weigh their desire for retribution with the need for reconciliation.

Arlen Naidu (ph), CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well now, to Rwanda today and the road back to healing. With me now, Reverend Simon Nziramakenga. He's playing a key role in rebuilding the traumatized nation. We met him, actually, within the past year. We have brought you back. It's so nice to have you here in person. SIMON NZIRAMAKENGA, RWANDAN CLERIC: Nice to be here.

PHILLIPS: I want to talk about your ministry and what you're doing in Rwanda and the hospital that we talked about almost a year ago with people here in Atlanta that have been helping you. But you actually fled that genocide. Tell me what you remember from that time period. I know it wasn't easy for you and your wife.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Yes. Actually, I was away before the genocide. I was (INAUDIBLE) in Kenya. The genocide took place when I was away. But after the genocide, I went to Rwanda to see if there was anybody who survived. And many people of my relatives had been killed, very many of my relatives, very many relatives of my wife have been killed in that genocide. It was terrible.

PHILLIPS: So, you had all these family members that died in the genocide and you knew you had to get out of there, but you also really felt a strong calling to come back to your nation and to help rebuild your nation, why?

NZIRAMAKENGA: You know, as much as we lost so many people of my relatives, I am a minister of the gospel, and God has called me to bring the hearing. Even though we have lost so many people, we can't take side as a church. We have to bring the message of reconciliation. That is the preaching of the good news to both tribes. And that's how I went there. It was painful, but that's what I am supposed to do in order to help our nation be where it is and the way god wants us to be now in the future.

PHILLIPS: Well reverend, you have definitely put your faith into action. And we have followed so much -- so many different parts of your ministry. When we last talked with those involved with you, you were building a hospital. Tell me how that hospital, that clinic is going because I know you have been treating a lot of AIDS patients. You have lost so many people to genocide and to AIDS in Rwanda. Tell me about the progress of the hospital. It is it strong?

NZIRAMAKENGA: Well, we have people who have suffered, who have died due to the genocide. And there are those who have survived and there are those who haven't, because of HIV/AIDS. And as a result of that, there are so many children who are left helpless and the vision that God has given me is a type holistic type of ministry, helping the whole person as God has created him.

Hence, what I want to see happen is to see the children of Rwanda be treated, be in good health and be strong so that they can be the future leaders of the people in our country. So, that's what I want to see, and that's what my church is doing. Of course I preach the gospel, the good news.

PHILLIPS: Of course, you built many churches, you built a school, you built this hospital and you have even taken in a number of these orphans. How many kids did you bring into your home, you and your wife?

NZIRAMAKENGA: We have eight children in our house who are orphans that we care for. And we haven't built the hospital yet, but we're about to build the hospital, that's why I'm sharing with friends all around the world to come help us do this important ministry of treating the children of Rwanda. So we haven't started, but we're about to start building the hospital.

PHILLIPS: Well, and I know that you can log on to your Web site. We'll make sure we plug that a couple of times during this interview. We actually made up a graphic with the e-mail so you can actually get in touch with your organization and help donate.

But, tell me about these kids. Just as we look at these pictures and even watch them dance and watch them sing. Everything they've been through and losing, so many of them losing their parents. Where does this joy come from? It's an amazing part of the culture that just blows my mind, on a regular basis.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Yes. That joy of these children is in their blood. Many of those kid, yes, they have lost their relatives, but, you know, the joy comes by hearing the word of god, by being with people who are around them who encourage them to be what they are supposed to be. And, you know, dancing to the lord, just be happy.

That's what everybody needs. Those kids dance and they are so happy in their heart. The reason why they dance is that they are happy. And that's why you wanted them to see to grow up happy and eventually to grow up happy men and women who are grown up who can be a better leaders of tomorrow.

PHILLIPS: You know, we've covered the story at our network about what happened in Rwanda and what continues to happen there. But the movie "Hotel Rwanda" came out last year and just got so many people talking about life in Rwanda again. Do you think that was a good thing?

NZIRAMAKENGA: I didn't watch much of that, but I watched the other one sometime in April, which is kind of similar. But, you know, that's the beat of what has happened in Rwanda.

You know, what happened those three months was horrible. And you can't imagine so many people, more than one million killed in only 100 days. And, you know, how man can be so cruel, so brutal to his neighbor, to his relatives, to his men. I cannot describe these, but who are so terrible that these people can keep, you know, Rwanda can kill its people. It was incredible. But, it has happened, but today is (INAUDIBLE).

PHILLIPS: And the progress -- are you happy with how things are going forward and how life is getting better for so many people?

NZIRAMAKENGA: Of course, we are so happy for two reasons. One, the government of today is good, is really trying to do its best to see that things are in order, that pieces are destroyed. The Church of Jesus Christ, of which I am a part -- I am a part from my country and I'm a part of the body of Christ. And God has called me to preach the good news. The message of reconciliation has to come. But, remember, as much as we bring the message of reconciliation, you know today, Rwanda is so peaceful. It's hard to believe. But it's so peaceful.

PHILLIPS: Isn't that amazing that you can say Rwanda is peaceful.

NZIRAMAKENGA: I mean, it's one of the peaceful countries on the continent of Africa. I mean, you can walk from day to night, and we walk day and night. We preach. We do walk. And it's amazing. But the whole thing is that good government, good people. The church wanted to praise the lord -- it's role, preach the message of reconciliation -- happiness. People tend to want to do things that are goodly, but somebody, somewhere has to preach the message, the gospel, the good news that brings reconciliation, that brings happiness and given us to be what you are supposed to be in Rwanda. So I'm happy, because this is so -- because, you know...

PHILLIPS: We're talking about it.

NZIRAMAKENGA: OK. You are talk about it, yes.

PHILLIPS: And if you want to make a donation -- I know there's a lot from your nation living here in the United States -- here it is at onehundreddays.org. The Good Shepherd Hospital for Children. Those that want to make donation, will it go toward the hospital that you are finishing?

NZIRAMAKENGA: OK. Again, we haven't finished the hospital. We haven't started. So, let's get this right. We are now raising funds to build a hospital back at home.

PHILLIPS: Get it done.

NZIRAMAKENGA: So all the people donating the money will be given towards onehundreddays.org -- www.onehundreddays.org, that is -- we have the money for the hospital goes. And it's a good organization. Of course, there are some organizations that can do that. I mean, yes.

PHILLIPS: Yes, but I'm glad we have found you, and we continue to follow it.

And you're definitely a man of the word. I'm looking at your travel bible and this is definitely one that you read on a regular basis.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Oh, yes. I do that.

PHILLIPS: You don't let this out of your hands, do you?

NZIRAMAKENGA: No, no. I can't let go of this one because this book of the Lord -- you know, this is something that I cannot--I was telling my friend that I have two passports, the national passport and this passport.

PHILLIPS: And your passport.

NZIRAMAKENGA: And, you know, actually Luke 2:52. You know, it is a passage I love to talk about. Luke 2:52 and you allow me to read. It's a nice verse. It talks about a horrific type of ministry. And I involve that in ministry to preach the gospel, and I give the message as a whole.

You know Christ, the one of God, says clarity that -- excuse me. And Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and man. So, a man has to grow in those four dimensions. That's how I want to see the children of Rwanda. The message we preach has to come.

We have to get people to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. That's primarily important. We have to help them grow in a grace. We have to help them to be like Christ. You know, and Christ was here. He is an example. He grew up with those four dimensions.

PHILLIPS: Right.

NZIRAMAKENGA: He grew up in stature. He grew up in wisdom. I want the children of God of Rwanda to grow in wisdom.

PHILLIPS: Reverend, I feel like I just went to church. I can't thank you enough for being with us. I appreciate it so much.

NZIRAMAKENGA: OK.

PHILLIPS: Reverend, and I'm going to keep practicing. Nziramakenga.

NZIRAMAKENGA: That's my name, Nziramakenga.

PHILLIPS: There we go. That's right.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Nziramakenga.

PHILLIPS: Thank you, reverend.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Yes, thank you. God bless you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

NZIRAMAKENGA: And I want to see the whole continent of Africa transformed by the message of transformation it grows from.

PHILLIPS: Well, you've already started, and we'll continue to follow your progress. Thank you so much.

NZIRAMAKENGA: OK. Thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: All right.

NZIRAMAKENGA: Yes, thanks for this time.

PHILLIPS: We're going to take a quick break and also talk about the world of entertainment. What's on tap there. Brooke is going to tell us about it--Brooke.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.

Well, I'm not going to take you to church, but I'm going to take you to the concert trail from 2005. Some of music's biggest names are still on top. We'll take a look at who made the most on the road when LIVE FROM continues.

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PHILLIPS: Forty years later Iraq's biggest act is still packing them in. In fact, being a veteran really paid off for music's top road acts in 2005.

With that and everything entertainment let's check in with Brooke Anderson in L.A.

Hey, Brooke.

ANDERSON: Hey, Kyra.

These veterans are like fine wine, right? Just getting better with age.

Yes, it is only rock 'n roll, but fans of the Rolling Stones really do like it. The Stones have proven once again they reign supreme on the road. Their powerhouse tour, "A Bigger Bang," lifted concert sale tickets to a record new high for 2005. The Stones sold, get this, $162 million worth of tickets for the year. That smashed their own record of 121 million bucks from a 1994 tour. Talk about some satisfaction.

Oh, it is a beautiful day for Bono and the boys. U2's "Vertigo" grossed the second highest amount for the year with nearly $139 million.

Rounding out the top five concert tours, some more veterans. Celine Dion is third, Paul McCartney fourth and The Eagles round out the top five.

Well, it was a lovable pirate who was on the minds of many in 2005. Johnny Depp, who played Captain Jack Sparrow in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean," was the most searched name of the year on the movie web site, imdb.com. Now, this is the second consecutive year Johnny has topped the list of searches.

Following just behind Johnny, no surprise here, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are two and three on the list. By the way, the web site imdb.com. It is a great resource if you want to check out actors' resumes.

Two of the stars of Lost have more to worry about today than scripts and plot lines. First, Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Ana- Lucia on the show, is facing trial.

Rodriguez, who was arraigned yesterday on charges of drunken driving, was arrested in Oahu, Hawaii in early December after being pulled over and failing a sobriety test. Rodriguez on the right there. That's her co-star Watros on the left. I'll get to her in just a moment.

But Rodriguez, who is currently serving a three-year probation for similar offenses from 2004 in L.A., is now heading to trial. She entered a not guilty plea through her lawyer. Her trial is set for March 30th.

Now, back to her co--star, Cynthia Watros, on the left right there, her mug shot. She was also arrested for drunken driving along with Rodriguez, but doesn't quite have the record Rodriguez does. Watros' attorney says the actress plans to plead guilty, and that she is, quote, "very remorseful and wants to take responsibility for her actions."

And, Kyra, they were in Hawaii because that's where their hit show Lost is filmed.

PHILLIPS: All right, Brooke, thank you so much.

Well, the home team may once again be at home in New Orleans. Details next. The news keeps coming, and we keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM after this.

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PHILLIPS: We're not really sure how to handle this next story. It's textbook what not to do, or a criminal who deserves credit for his daring, which, it's got us talking here at CNN.

Seattle police busted a man yesterday for stealing a car. Now remember that. They went to do some paperwork leaving the handcuffed car theft suspect in the patrol car alone. Well, you can probably figure out what happened next, right?

Yes, the man stole the police car. He didn't get very far, but the incident inspired this comment from the police department's captain obvious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICH PRUITT, SEATTLE POLICE SPOKESMAN: The initial charge of auto theft, I imagine now he'll have a secondary charge of auto theft because he stole our police car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, today's do something bizarre to get into record books story comes from India. Watch this guy. Well, he's a martial arts teacher from Mumbai. I'm not even going to attempt to pronounce his name. But look him up in the Guinness Book as the guy who did the most push-ups on his fingertips in one minute -- you know how many, 114. The Guinness Book people were there to certify everything. Why did he do it? Well, why not. He already has five world reports for similarly sporty stuff. More on the New Orleans Saints marching home right now. Team owner Tom Benson let the team know that they'd be heading back to Mederie practice facility at the end of this season and they can look forward to less travel for home games in 2006. That's good news. The team also heard from the NFL commissioner. CNN sports Steven Overmyer here with all the details.

I wonder if they'll be doing 114 push-ups.

STEVE OVERMYER, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: On your fingertips.

PHILLIPS: Is that brutal? That guy was in incredible shape.

OVERMYER: He was. I don't know how to practice for that.

PHILLIPS: You were born with the gift.

OVERMYER: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: The Saints, though, good news.

OVERMYER: This really is good news for the New Orleans Saints and for the city of New Orleans as well. After a four-month odyssey of playing nothing but road games, the Saints are marching back to New Orleans. Back to New Orleans, the NFL franchise will return to their training facility outside of New Orleans after the season ends on Sunday.

After the devastation, of course, from Hurricane Katrina, the Saints were forced to leave New Orleans and set up shop in San Antonio where they played three of their quote, unquote "home games." Now this agreement between the Saints and the NFL likely eliminates the possibility of this team playing home games in San Antonio next year.

In a memo to the team today, owner Tom Benson said the Superdome could be rebuilt and ready for games by September. However, earlier this week, Louisiana state officials said the Superdome could be ready sometime in November. A decision on where the games will be played won't be announced until January. For wide receiver Joe Horn, he's one of the team leaders. He says this announcement actually comes with mixed reviews.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE HORN, NFL WIDE RECEIVER: I'm happy for the fans. Give them, give them an opportunity to see the Saints, to know that we are coming home.

Everybody doesn't want to go back. Some guys that didn't want to go back. The majority probably didn't want to go back. And we have to deal with it. I said what we have to do is deal with us going back. Let's make it positive.

It's a sad day, I think, for the fans here in San Antonio, because they rolled out the red carpet for us. They treated us well. Everywhere we went, they were respecting us, loving to have us here. I wish the NFL will grant them a football team because they deserve it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OVERMYER: Yes, San Antonio really did a fantastic job.

San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger said -- actually told "The San Antonio Express News" earlier this week, he is going to meeting with the Saints' owner and will advise him to sue the NFL to him to try keep the team in San Antonio. After his meeting with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Benson flew back to Louisiana where he is scheduled for a press conference, Kyra, at about 3:15 pm.

PHILLIPS: That's interesting, though, that he said that a lot of the players don't want to come back. But there are a dedicated Saints fans, too, that really want them to come back.

OVERMYER: I would imagine it's frustrating for the players because while the practice facilities might be in great shape, what about the homes? How are their homes going to be? Are the businesses going to be open?

I'm sure they're going to be running into the same hurdles that many of the evacuees, as they are coming back to New Orleans are running into as well. And they're just trying to figure out whether or not it's the best place for their families to be, too.

PHILLIPS: Concerned about their livelihood.

OVERMYER: Sure.

PHILLIPS: All right. Steve, thanks so much.

OVERMYER: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Well, your New Year's Eve forecast with our Chad Myers is up next as LIVE FROM heads into its final hour here of 2005. We'll be back right after this.

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PHILLIPS: All right, Chad Myers, what do you think for New Year's Eve. Good spots, bad spots. Where do we all go for a perfect New Year's Eve?

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