RWANDA - AFRICA

Feedback from Rwanda:

I.  Introduction

Global Day of Prayer 1-11/05/2005

Since 2005, A.E.E Rwanda in partnership with churches has been coordinating “Global day of prayer” activities. For 2008 we have focused on four strategic zones which are:   

1. Kigali City
2. Gashora district
3. Huye district
4. Nyagatare district

This report covers the activities of Global day of Prayer in Rwanda, and addresses the following activities: Ten days on knees, weekly intercession of the city, youth prayer programs especially at the main universities of Rwanda and GDOP celebration day in Gashora district.

• Collective intercession in the program “Ten days on knees”

Even as each of the four areas had certain particularities, they have other similar experiences.

In Kigali, two different sites were used for the occasion. In the city at Inkurunziza Church, more than 500 hundreds Christians from different churches joined together for prayer every day during lunch hour services. We had a special program “Ten days on knees” with Bible teachings for the whole week. A speaker of that week was a Nigerian missionary called Moussa Galikida from CAPRO ministry, who he taught about: “The power of church of Jesus Christ”. He was emphasized the calling of the church as an agent of a transforming revival in Rwanda.

Another site was a place allocated for weekly intercession of the city, and intercessors from different churches usually meet to pray together every Monday from 4.00-7.00 p.m. We used this prayer room to pray for the city and the as well as for Rwanda as a whole. We also went further interceding for other countries. Our vision is to see similar prayer rooms in all the districts of Rwanda.

In Nyagatare district, churches together with the Mutara Polytechnic University organized a prayer crusade from May 1st to 4th. During the “Ten days of Prayer”, AEE team led the prayer crusades in that zone. Christians had been mobilized to join ten days of prayer, basically interceding for Nyagatare city.  After the opening days of the crusades, the students and Christians continued to prayer on their own. We praise God for the impact of this prayer movement in many lives of the people. 

As for Huye district, the Ten days on knees program was done by students at the National University of Rwanda which counts 8,000 students and different churches in the area. It was wonderful to see Christian students interceding hand in hand with Christians from the local churches.

On Friday 09th May, we had a prophecy concerning Rwanda saying that: God is called Rwanda to sent missionaries to the Arab countries. On the same day we had more than 4 people who had been given the same message before that day. In confirmation of this, we witnessed God using Rwandan Christian soldiers to reach Moslems, in Sudan where these soldiers have been deployed for UN peace keeping.

Christian from different churches prayed for revival for Rwanda and for Africa during Ten days of Prayer at Inkuru Nziza Church in Kigali.

III. Global Day of Prayer celebration day 11th May 2008.

Gashora was selected to host Global Day of Prayer event on national level. This area used to have a lot of witchcraft and we praise God for the way God is changing Gashora through the power of prayer.  It was a sensitive coincidence for the Global Day of Prayer and the mission in Gashora where 18 different denominations were together for this mission. This mission started on Global day of Prayer and finished one week after, it was a harvest time. On Pentecostal day in the morning, we sent A.E.E staff to preach in different churches, and around 200 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ for the first time.

In the afternoon we had a big prayer crusade with roughly 3,000 people showing up for the event. We had organized this crusade in a play ground near a market center called   Nyabagendwa. This was a strategic place to reach many people especially non-believers. We had a wonderful moment with Christian choirs singing and the entire congregation joining in for common choruses. The powerful preaching entitled “the power of the cross of Jesus Christ” also moved the audience so strongly.

“Amahoro Choir” sang a song during Global day of prayer 2008 in Gashora mission

• Training sessions

During the mission, Churches leaders, youth leaders and other key leaders were encouraged to pray for the transformation of Africa. we trained for three days 150 lay leaders sent by those pastor. After the training, more than 100 lay leaders renewed their commitment in the ministry, whereas 35 came to Jesus Christ for the first time. We are thankful to God for touching these souls. In addition, the youth and couples from the churches in the area received special ministry in one day conference per group.

The youth met on Friday and couples on Saturday. The youth in Rwanda represents more than 60% of the population, 450 youth representatives turned up for their conference, which addresses their challenges related to sexual immoralities, drugs. They thought together how to overcome those havocs in order to develop more of their talents and gifts. A big number renewed their commitment to Jesus Christ and 20 came forward to receive Jesus Christ into their lives.

The couples enjoyed the teachings which were so relevant to their family situations. The aim of the conference was to empower Christian married people to built “purpose driven families and to educate their children to have Christian values”, and it was the first   conference of this kind in that zone. Many people renewed their commitment and concern towards their children and their partners and we took time praying for families. Their questions and reflections during and at the end of the long session showed their degree of understanding, and their desire to learn more. They looked powerfully touched of God.

• Evangelistic outreaches

Poverty is the most prominent result of the 1994 war and genocide in Gashora. The killings date from 1959, with a climax during genocide. Gashora has been much affected by a long hot dry season, which caused a strong famine that forced people to move away to search for a living elsewhere. Another big challenge is the spiritual emptiness in the churches. It has rendered them very weak, and a lot of witchcraft is practiced even among the so called Godly people. We carried out a variety of evangelistic outreaches such as open air meetings, film projection, and church visits. The number reached altogether was more than 9,000 people, of whom God graciously gave us a good harvest of 3500 new converts. We also counted 1100 key church leaders trained during the mission. It was very encouraging to see people responded unreservedly to all the initiatives of the mission.

• Film projection

We had Jesus Christ Film projection in 4 different zones:

1. Juru football play ground
2. Gashora Market ground
3. Rilima primary school ground
4. Rweru footballs play ground.

All these zones were very strategic to reach many people. We conjointly gave evangelistic messages with Film projection at each and every site we went to. We managed to touch more than 6,000 people, with about 2500 committing their lives to Jesus Christ. Follow up of them was a big challenge but we encouraged new believers to join churches around them. Local pastors with A.E.E team were there to help people on ground.
 

• Closing rally

We closed this mission on 17th May 2008. In the morning A.E.E team preached in different churches and the afternoon was marked by a big crusade with around 3,500 people. Jubilant singing and powerful message about Jesus power left a remarkable reminder in those who were present. Around 500 people, including 150 children came to Christ Jesus for the first time.