Today we are starting a genocide memorial week when Rwandan people are remembering their dear ones who departed from us 17 years ago. Though the genocide took place in a period of about 3 months the situation was terrible during the civil wars that came before and after the genocide. Many of us were left hopeless and helpless after the loss of our dear ones and properties.  We are glad that we have been able to find the only long lasting hope and solution was found in Jesus Christ. Because of Him we have been able to forgive and reconcile with those who offended us.

Our mandate now is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bring eternal hope to the hopeless. The response has been good as many people are responding to the gospel. We are not abandoning the new believers, but we are doing with them a serious follow up and planting churches into their villages. In the last 3 years we have been able to plant 22 local churches.

Poverty has been a serious hindrance to progress. We do still have the majority of people living under poverty line of 250 Rwandan Francs (about US $ 0.42). Our goal has been always to have the people working very hard in building their churches using the available local materials. Most of our churches are built with sun dried mud bricks which needs only labor and the people have been faithful in making their contribution.

The biggest challenge has been the roofing because we do use iron sheets (teen roof) which needs cash yet the people cannot have that cash. In the last 3 years we have been able to roof 11 local churches with the financial contributions from many different individuals, churches and businesses.

We do now have 9 new churches that need roofs. This is a rainy season which means that many of the meetings are interrupted. Try to imagine how it feels like to have a church meeting in a church without roof where you the subject to rains and sunshine for a year, two …

In this time when we do remember the loss in the Rwandan genocide, you can be able to minister to Rwandan hearts by providing a roof for these churches. Do not despise any contribution because I assure you that the cost may seem not huge, but the impact and blessings will.

On the attachments is a list of our churches that need roof, meanwhile the following are the options by which you can give:

You can help in the following way:

·         A Small church roof $1800.00

·          A medium church roof $2000.00

·         A big church roof  $2500.00 each

·         1 Iron sheet $15.00 each

·         1 Kg of nails $3.00 each

·         1 Poll for roof truss $8.00 each

More details can be found on www.rwandachurchprojects.org

In Christ,   Rev. Emmanuel Ndolimana, General Secretary,

Evangelical Baptist Churches of Rwanda

P.O Box 2254 Kigali

Rwanda

Cell: +250 788 815 487

www.ebcr.org

“God has called us “out of darkness and into HIS glorious light” 1 Peter 2:9