I was excited as Jesus after the 70 returned with reports of successful ministry as those who went to Kenya and to Burundi were giving exciting stories demonstrating God’s power to heal and redeem. October and November 09 have been the realization of Rwanda being the light to the nations as the promise foretold (Is 60:3). We could rejoice in the Lord for the successes within our own country, as well as in Burundi and Kenya, but also keep struggling in prayer over situation in the Congo where thousands of displaced are facing it rough. LRM GL team can again confirm that your prayers and support have taken us through those mountains and valleys.
Our team held two seminars in Burundi in November for 40 Church leaders. In Gitega, a young pastor, who is a well appreciated counselor has never forgiven his father who rejected him when he was a baby. He felt as if he was ‘garbage’ and after hearing Elina testimony (her father rejected her at birth), the guy confessed he has found a new ‘Dad’ (II Cor 6:18) and could accept himself. A Hutu pastor confessed: ‘I was a pastor but I joined the mob, my heart filled with anger and hatred, with a big club on the way to the bush, pushing Tutsi ahead to kill them. As we got to the bush, I clearly heard God saying to me that He will hold me accountable for all the blood that we were about to shed. I was shaking and sweating, and stood by the Tutsis and warned that whoever will touch them will have to account before God. Everybody got frightened and those Tutsi neighbors escaped’. He stood to ask forgiveness.
In Bujumbura, a pastor confessed he got mad at God when he first realized he had AIDS. He confirmed the principle of God redeeming suffering because God is using him to help pastors with AIDS. We could see God raising pastors to the point of taking responsibility for their communities. Many people were becoming hopeless because of the killings that are happening preceding the next year elections. Our team encouraged Christians in one church with II Chronicles 7:14 to take action and not have the fatalistic attitude.
Anastase and Esperance joined Rhiannon in Naivasha to run a seminar for Mothers Union. Esperance recounts: ‘Politics mixed to ethnic hate brought a lot of suffering after the contested elections. The ladies in Kenya suffered rape, some saw their business going literally into flames. Most had to run like animals to escape death. At least the police was neutral but who could reach their station unless you are as fast as a rabbit! The church? In the mess, aligned into tribal rivalries. Many people were killed in churches. Ladies lost their trust in the church though they still love Jesus. They brought their pain to the cross wailing. Kenyans suffered as badly as Rwandans but no camera was there to report and nothing is done. Justice? A joke, the criminals are also the ‘winners’ of the elections, they have strong support of the people in power and nobody will bother them. People will continue to suffer since the international community is not mobilized to help the displaced. Some participants were going back to nowhere since they can’t go back to their homes occupied by the other tribe’. Anastase also confirmed that the church is still in denial and need to be helped to first acknowledge it failed the people and start the recovery process before the next elections which many predict will be ‘Armageddon’.
We keep praying about Congo, we feel the Lord calling us to hold a prayer rally including Congolese Hutu and Tutsi, Nyanga and Hunde, and leave behind a forum of friends who will transcend their divisions and become a catalyst of unity in the Body of Christ. We still believe the church has the key to the healing of Eastern Congo. We will start with a small community and of course working among the younger generation of pastors. We are already praying for Uganda as we foresee our first seminar in Gulu beginning next year. We invite you to pray with us that God will grant us all the needed resources, human, spiritual and financial for next year 09.
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