Rwanda #9: Imana Ishimwe (Praise God)

Outside of the Buganamana church sanctuary built with local labor supported by First Presbyterian Church, Nashville (nearly completed)

Present for our Sunday worship were (R to L) Rev. Julie  Kandema (Vice President of the EPR), Rev. Joseph Ndagiro (moderator of Gisenyi Presbytery), and Rev. Dr. and Mrs Pascal Bataringaya (President of the EPR)

Inside sanctuary with congregants, including members from their 3 prayerhouses

Receiving a gift from the congregation (Rev. Ndagiro & Rev. Bataringaya)

Photo from the rear of the church

by Frank Dimmock

Saturday:

After the FPC Nashville group left for the airport, Saturday afternoon, the Outreach team drove together with the EPR vice president to Gisenyi in the Northern Province. We arrived very late, but rested in a wonderful convent guesthouse that the church had arranged. It was on the shore of Lake Kivu just across from the city of Goma, D.R.C..

Sunday:        

We were excited to see the new Buganamana sanctuary and worship with them. The sanctuary is beautiful and they were SO joyous! They have about 700 members in regular attendance and many had worked hard to carry building materials and help in the construction. Rev. Ndagiro, Presbytery moderator, preached the sermon from John 11:25 Jesus as the resurrection and the life. He explained that this verse is the theme of the Presbytery for 2019. He called on members to listen and learn about Jesus, trust in Him, and serve by helping others. Following the sermon, the pastor reported to members and guests the progress on the construction. They only remain with gutters, rain collection tanks, landscaping, and toilets outside, and benches and furnishings inside. The EPR President and Presbytery moderator presented a gift to the Outreach team and Ebralie presented a Bible, and pledge for more Bibles, to the church. We were blessed. Imana Ishimwe (Praise God)

We had a wonderful lunch with the church leaders, then began our journey back to Kigale.

The EPR has about 400,000 members in 7 Presbyteries, with 212 congregations served by 120 active pastors. They are training evangelists (80) who will serve in many rural congregations and prayer houses.

God is good and it is a blessing to see how He is working through our friends here to grow His Kingdom.