Partnership Meeting and More Visits with Partner Churches
Today was a break (for a while) from the traveling to partner churches routine. This was the day that the Gitarama Partnership Committee and we all met to discuss direction of the partnership.
We all agreed that the conquering language restrictions are a high priority. Several different ways of working on that goal were discussed. As we examined their 8-year prospective plan, another key issue that entertained much discussion was that of creating a self-supporting project which would tackle many aspects of their needs. One idea that was generated was that of opening a Presbyterian guest house in Gitarama. It could be built by church members, could be staffed by church members, the food that is served could be provided and prepared by church members, and finally could serve as an evangelism center.
Another major idea that received great attention was the need for a library or resource center. As they described their need for resources and teacher training and how they are lacking in curriculum and teaching tools, we told them of our Resource Center, and they immediately lit up with enthusiasm seeing this project as another potential evangelism tool.
The women of the congregation were asked to speak, and they expressed concerns about domestic issues for women and children, such as abusive relationships, employment and empowerment. We offered to help provide them resources to begin addressing some of these issues.
After presenting the letter of greeting from General Presbyter, Wayne Yost, and the resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda, and the new partnership banner, we received gifts from the partners as well.
Following a lunch at the home of Pastor Eugene Rubanda, we were on the road again headed Buha, partner church to Brookville. This visit and the next were re-scheduled from the days of delay in Brussels. At the end of this rugged drive, we found a surprisingly good quality church. The exterior of the building was solid; it had a poured cement floor over brick, cement benches, 8 big windows with wooden shutters and a double-wide side entrance. But more important than the building itself was what was happening on the inside.
As we walked in we were greeted with much singing and dancing to the praise and glory of God. Drums and metal shakers provided the rhythm while human voice and dancing feet provided the praise.
The Buha church was formed in 1974 with 40 members. Today the church now consists of 175 members, including 36 orphans and 19 widows. This church is 21 km from Gitarama. The flock is led by evangelist, Florien, whose very modest home is near the church.
Team member and Brookville church member, Betty Grunstra, presented Pastor Florien and the congregation with a new Communion cloth, as well as a Communion set. Betty received many gifts from Buha as well, including fruit, a basket, and a wooden carved plaque given by the young men of the church.
Back up the road we bounced, towards our next re-scheduled church, Birembo of the Ruhanga District, partner church of the Northern Indiana Co. Larger Parish, that includes, Rochester Mills, Gilgal, Plum Creek and Washington. We stopped at the Ruhanga EPR office to pick up this church leader, Beatha, a 27-year old probationary pastor, who will complete her studies in December of 2008.
The road was very rugged. Talking to several people along the road, we wondered when we would find this group of worshippers who have no church building, and never have had a church building.
Once again, darkness started to close in on us, and we still had not found our way. Through fields, pastures and over many bridges we drove into the dusk, finally stopping at a bridge that had too many logs missing to allow us to drive over it. Everybody was out of the car; many local residents joined us to give us advice concerning our dilemma. The final decision of Pastor Eugene, for the third time this week, that it was too dangerous to proceed. Disheartened that we could not reach the congregation on the other side of the defunct bridge, we managed to get turned around and headed back up the hill.
We stopped again at Pastor Beatha’s home, where she was presented her gift for the congregation of a Communion set from. It was then that Pastor Beatha was told of the generous cash gift made by her partner church, and the look on her face was priceless. She could not believe of the generosity of people she didn’t even know.
When Beatha heard we were headed to Butare-town to visit our old friends Pastor Rose Mary and Gabriel, she asked to come too. She and Pastor Rose Mary knew each other so she joined us as we careened down to Butare. The road is good, but nothing is as dark as an African night. We don’t know our liters from our centimeters, but it seemed like our speedometer was pegged about 80 kilometers per hour.
After sharing a wonderful evening of fellowship and an evening meal, we headed back home to Gitarama, an hour away.
With a sigh of relief, we have now completed a mission set for ourselves to visit all the partnership churches (except one). Clymer church and their partner Ntendri were formed too late to incorporate into the schedule Pastor Eugene had provided. Pastor Eugene asked me to prepare all the questions I would like to ask of the pastor and we will contact him before our departure for information about this church.
Tomorrow (Sunday) we go to the Birembo Church of the Mpushi District for worship. Many of our friends around Rwanda are joining us there. It will be a day of celebration of being together, and a rest day for this exhausted, but dedicated, group of Partnership travelers.
Amen.
