Our Youth in Mission (YIM) team of Rwanda during summer 2008 went to an area called Gatagara, located in the south part of Kigali city, about 120 kilometers (74 miles) from Kigali. We reached this village at 4 p.m. on June 18, and some members of the team were conducting our first Vacation Bible School (VBS) with kids. Others prepared the equipment for a JESUS Film showing while I shared the Gospel with a man who was mentally ill.
As I didn’t know Kinyarwanda language, I looked for someone to translate so I could speak to the man. What interested me in this man was seeing everyone try to get away when they saw him approach where I was standing. He greeted me and sat down. Apparently, many people thought he would destroy all our JESUS Film equipment or beat me, or behave destructively.
But God is wonderful. This man looked at me for a long moment without saying anything when he was sitting near me. People standing at a distance were watching to see what he would do next. I explained to the guy that we wanted to share the love of Jesus Christ with him, that Jesus Christ loves him so much. I said that it doesn’t matter if people forsake; Jesus will never forsake or forget him.
He really appreciated and loved this message. I explained to him that we were going to watch the JESUS Film and he agreed. We showed the film for two hours and I believe this man gave his life to Jesus among the 192 people who received Jesus that night. Praise God! It’s amazing, isn’t it?
The congregation met under a tree for Sunday worship sevices. Photo courtesy
Milly Ibanda.
People couldn’t believe they were seeing this man become interested in God, but the love of Jesus that surpasses all things is for everyone. The church in this area is getting started. We held our Sunday service under the trees and about 220 people joined us and prayed with us.
On July 11 we left Kigali city and went to evangelize in an area called Mwurire, located near Rwamagana town in the north part of Rwanda. Arriving at 12 p.m., we walked from the main road to the Nazarene church where a crowd of people waited for us, led by the Pastor Joseph Busuka.
It had been a seven-mile walk, climbing hills to reach the unreached with the gospel. What an opportunity we had! We began our ministry with door-to-door evangelism in the whole village of Mwurire. We divided ourselves into three groups of two people each, and in two hours we reached about 25 houses and huts where we prayed for the sick, shared the Word and invited people to attend our public preaching and songs of praises in the village.
After this door-to-door evangelism, a man came to us. He was so drunk that he began to make trouble. People in the village asked him to go home and sleep it off. He refused, and began shouting and even beating some people in the crowd.
In spite of this, we organized the people and began our open air crusade. The man continued his disruption, and the chief of the village began looking for police to come and arrest this man. Other people began to beat him, but I asked them to not do that and to let him be with us so he could hear the gospel. I persuaded the man to be silent during our short crusade. Then we invited people to come to the JESUS film showing at the Nazarene local church property in a banana tree field. The drunk man didn’t come.
During our open air crusade we announced that we would baptize people tomorrow at the river near the village. The following day, early in the morning, we went to the river expecting to baptize 18 people. What an amazing surprise! This drunken man from the day before came to the river in a serious mood.
A new believer receives prayer before being baptized. Photo courtesy Milly
Ibanda.
We learned his name is Darius. He came to the river and said, “I am sorry for what I did to you and your group yesterday, and I want to be Christian, and I want to be baptized also, even now. I didn’t sleep. Please pray for me; I confess from today I will abandon alcohol and no longer sin against Lord.”
A large group of believers stood for recognition after they were baptized
in their new faith in Christ. Photo courtesy Milly Ibanda.
Pastor Joseph and the secretary of that local church led this man Darius in prayer to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord. Then he was baptized—the 19th new believer to be baptized that day, the 12th of July, 2008. Praise God. What joy in heaven when even one person repents and comes to the Kingdom of God. We thank God for using us to be His feet in that area and advance His Kingdom; all the Glory to Him.
Group members: Milly Ibanda (team coordinator), Brian Wong (TNU), Hannah Beers (NNU), Stacie Eberhard (MVNU), Cassie Carlson (NNU), Sarah Pence (NNU)
-- Milly and Agnes Ibanda are religion students at Africa Nazarene University (ANU). He is working on his bachelor’s degree and she is working on her master’s degree. They attend the Church of the Nazarene that meets on the ANU campus. They have two children.