City Evangelization, Busanza Vocational Training School - December 2016 Update

Rwanda

Brothers and sisters and partners in the work of the Kingdom,  

It is with great joy we greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord! First of all we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your friendship and Christian love shown over the years. Our partnership has deep roots, and the Gospel is bearing fruit in our country and our communities of EPR Kanombe including Ndera, Busanza and Kabeza. Our mission is to build a strong parish whose Christians are spiritually mature and able to testify to God’s Kingdom in the world. In our parish, evangelization is the main activity. We have two services every week – the English service from 8:00-9:30 a.m. and KINYARWANDA service from 9:30-12:00. We have prayer programs on Thursday and Friday evenings, and sometimes we have concerts and evangelistic gatherings. We provide training for our elders and deacons, preachers, choirs, couples, youth, etc. Our pastor and elders take time to visit members in their homes for encouragement. 

Your generosity allowed our congregation to build a large, modern sanctuary at Kanombe which can seat 1,200 people and a sanctuary in Busanza community, as well. We just completed and dedicated a vocational school to help the community with skills training, which we hope will result in increased job opportunities for the area and also increase our membership. Regarding community assistance, we help the poor to have the mandatory health insurance known as MUTUELLE DE SANTE. We help our members form savings and credit associations. We also offer training on how to create and run small businesses.    

We appreciate the time you spend with us when you visit. We were blessed this year by being with our friend Dr. Bob LaGrone (and his two daughters), and our own sister Ebralie Mwizerwa from The Outreach Foundation. It has been a great experience for me as a new pastor for the Kanombe congregation. 

Our membership has increased to 652 of which 215 are children. Most of our members are unemployed and/or poor. We rely on a small group of members with little income and big family responsibilities. So we appreciate being able to supplement their tithes with your generous donations.

The vocational school in Busanza is up and running. We now have 105 students enrolled in sewing classes and 25 in hairstyling, both women and youth. Other youth activities in the parish include the outreach service program/house for evangelism, Bible study, youth training, youth conferences, and the youth talent event. We offer the women training in how to create and run small businesses. We look forward to offering additional skills to equip our members, both men and women, youth and adults. Since most members are too poor to afford tuition, we are looking for people to offer scholarships to our students in the skills training school.  

Kanombe congregation has also begun ministering to children with special needs. These are children who are marginalized and would be ignored even by their own family members. The school for children living with disabilities (physical and mental) at Busanza is very important because it helps with the integration of these children into society and helps to restore their dignity. This ministry has been life changing for them even though it presents challenges to us. 

We are so thankful to you.

May God bless you,

Pastor Denys NIYONSENGA

Read more about City Evangelization, Busanza Vocational Training School by clicking HERE.

THE NEED
Outreach is seeking $20,000 for equipment for the vocational school and scholarships for needy students.