Who shall I send and who will go for us? Then I said, "Here am I, send me." - Isaiah 6:8
In 1994, Rwanda was torn apart by genocide as the government ordered its Hutu population to kill off the minority Tutsis. The Rwandans, influenced by propaganda, lies, and a sense of misguided duty, responded. In just 100 days over a million Rwandans lay dead, victims of an episode of madness. But God is not done with Rwanda, and He is calling for hearts to be changed and hope restored in a country that the world ignored.
We at Bishop John and Harriet Rucyahana ministries are responding to the call to be a part of this restoration in three key areas: reconciliation, evangelism, and leadership development.RECONCILIATION
How can a man who butchered his neighbors dare to ask forgiveness? How can a woman who was raped and tortured forgive her attackers? It's not humanly possible, but with God, all things are possible.
Bishop John and Harriet Rucyahana Ministries is pursuing the work of reconciliation between the genocidaires and the victims of the genocide. This process is unimaginably difficult, but it is going forward. Across the country, Rwandans are seeking forgiveness or granting it, and cities, towns, and villages that were torn apart by senseless violence are coming together once more. People are living and worshiping together again, when not too long ago the world would have said that was impossible.
And yet more than ten years after the genocide there are still deep scars. Some cannot face the crimes they have committed or forgive the wrong that was done to them. Unhealed pain everyone and benefits no one, and only repentance and forgiveness can bring the healing that allows people to move beyond the past and forward into a brighter future.
EVANGELISM
The world would have us believe that being a Christian is a small part of a person's life, a minor quirk not a life-changing path. Bishop John and Harriet Rucyahana ministries preaches the gospel . According to Psalm 127:1 (NIV) "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain."
A ministry without God at its foundations will never accomplish anything of lasting significance. Rwandans, like all other peoples, need to have their lives transformed by the power of Christ.
This transformation causes love for between neighbors, joy in any circumstances, peace among peoples, patience in all things, kindness and gentleness in all actions, and self control to keep from doing evil. The result of this will be a nation that is guided by Christian principles, one in which living and working together is both possible and productive.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Africa has been plagued by poor leadership. Whether it's the exploitative colonial taskmasters or modern dictators, Africa has been ruled by people more concerned with their own interests than those of the people they are supposed to be leading.
Bishop John and Harriet Rucyahana Ministries seeks to be a force for change in Rwanda by developing the leadership that country. They intend to help the leaders live their lives by Christian principles for leadership. We teach the concept of servant leadership, that all leaders are called by God to be servants of the people, to look out for the well being of those below them.
Already, Africa's leaders are responding. According to Worldbank statistics, Rwanda has the lowest level of corruption, the fastest economic growth, and the cleanest cities in Africa. President Kagame has made it a personal mission to stamp out bribery and corruption wherever he can find it.
We are also teaching the rest of Rwanda how to be good citizens, to live peaceably with their neighbors, to be loyal to their country, and to seek to support their country in any way needed.
HOW CAN I HELP?
God is doing great things in Africa, and you have a limited-time opportunity to be a part of the miracle. By giving aid, you can be a part of something beyond your imagination.
The first thing we need is prayer. Pray that God will be with us every step of the way, that He will open our path before us and watch over the work that we do. Without His help, all of this will come to nothing.
The second thing we need is financial support. The money will be used to establish offices, purchase office supplies, acquire teaching materials, hire a basic staff, and continue the work of our ministry. Your money won't be confiscated by corrupt officials or wasted on massive ad campaigns to bring in even more funding; it will be spent on furthering the work of God in a country that desperately needs it.
Thirdly, we need volunteers. We have a special need for counselors who can help people through pain and loss and for preachers who can proclaim the truth of God's mercy and the wonders of his grace. We also need researchers, to uncover the truth about the past and show that the divisions among people groups are illusory. One group of our researchers has found that a group of Tutsis and Hutus who had been rival clans actually had a common ancestor, and were from the same people group. Those two groups held their first family reunion on July 7, 2010. It is miracles like that that you can be a part of.
But there are thousands of other gifts we can use. And helping can be as much as dedicating your life to the cause or coming for a week. As Bishop John said, "Sometimes people need to come and visit to see what God is doing. So come and pray, come and be."
We also need ambassadors who work in their home countries, to share what we are doing, raise support, and pray for our success.
If you are interested in becoming an ambassador of Christ and of our ministry, contact us at .