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Rwanda’s Quest: Rekindling the Light of the Prince of Peace PMU’s Partnership with the Bible Presbyterian Church of Rwanda February, 2005 Dr. Len Pine, Dr. Kevin Backus

“The Land of a Thousand Hills” is marked by the staggering beauty of majestic volcanoes, lush plantations, and terraced hills that make the most out of the rich volcanic soil. Formed in fire and upheaval, the land now bears the scars of human strife, and longs for peace.

At every turn of the road, vistas of lava plains blanketed with farms and plantations greet you; lakes and streams nestle into the valleys and shimmer in the sunset (Lake Kivu, on the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, shines in the distance below).

Volcanoes dominate much of the western sections of Rwanda. Here, along the border with Congo, is the famous Volcans National Park, in which reside the even more famous Mountain Gorillas. But everywhere something can be planted, there are plantations, farms, and terraces.

Getting around Rwanda is not too difficult, at least on the main roads, which are in good condition. Get off the road like we did, however, and it is another story. Here is the minibus in which we toured the mountain country. Our driver took us down roads that would make a 4x4 blanch with fear. Most people just walk.

Everywhere we went, we were greeted with smiles, often with astonishment. In the remote villages, many (especially children) had not seen a white man before. Our van was frequently mobbed by the curious, and those who were asking for money. Below is a typical “traffic” pattern in the countryside.

On most farms, traditional huts like these are common. The standard crops are maize and potatoes, with millet and beans as alternates. Women till the fields with hand tools mostly. Bananas and tea are grown on plantations. Meat is usually reserved for company, and may be goat (most common), chicken, or beef.

Those that are slightly wealthier may live in a house built on a pole barn model, above, with the spaces in between the poles filled in with eucalyptus branches and leaves, and roofed with tin. In the towns, or among the more prosperous, muddaubed, whitewashed houses with tile roofs are common.

Our host was Phanuel Munezero, a theology student from Ruhengeri (see the map, next page). His entire family was murdered in the genocide of 1994, except for himself and his youngest brother (5 years old at the time). Phanuel leads the group of pastors and lay leaders that are seeking to organize the Bible Presbyterian Church of Rwanda. (Below: Kigali from the airport parking lot.)

Rwanda: Land of a Thousand Hills Bible Presbyterian Church of Rwanda area of activity

Our task was to visit and evaluate the churches that had been gathered up by Phanuel and the other ministers as believers returned to their homes from a time of exile in Congo and Uganda. This is the first church we visited, in the village of Gihorwe. Many more people were standing outside and listening as Dr. Pine preached. Note the eucalyptus-stuffed walls. Very few bugs!

Rwandese people love to sing. Many of the churches had choirs like this one, and the congregation sang a lot, too. They had very few hymnals and Bibles: all was done from memory, and they would sing for a long time without stopping. Below is the Gihorwe congregation gathered outside after the Lord’s Day service.

Our next visit was to the church in the village of Kareba, in the shadow of the Volcans Park (volcano seen below is about 14,000 feet high). They have no building, so meet in the center of the village. Hundreds came to hear the gospel and see the visitors. Again, singing was a big part of the worship, and giving, too.

The Rwandese Christians bestowed gifts upon us at every stop. The Kareba church gave us a rooster, an expensive gift, for our coming. The rooster made a fine meal that night! Our next stop was in Rwanyakayaga, where the church had no roof, but much joy. These are all just poor farmers who love the Lord.

The next church we visited was in the town of Cyanzarwe, close to Congo. We gathered outside since the building was not big enough to hold everyone. Dr. Backus preached, and afterwards we met with one of the town elders (between Drs. Pine and Backus), who invited us back so that we could work together with him to help develop the area. The pastor of the church is on Dr. Pine’s right.

Our final church visit was at a small congregation in Cyanika, north of Ruhengeri. This church also has no roof over it, and dirt floors like all the others. The equatorial sun was hot that day! Afterwards, we gathered for a meal at the pastor’s home, and the children and mothers asked for their picture to be taken.

We typically were invited to the pastors’ homes after a service for a meal, or at least a light snack. Here, all the pastors and elders of the district who were interested in our mission gathered in the Cyanika pastor’s home for a meal. There were over twenty of us crowded into the front room of this home!

Part of the task of organizing a new church body in Rwanda requires registration with the government. We met with the governor of the Ruhengeri province, Rucagu Boniface, who promised his assistance in the process, no strings attached. The Lord had prepared the way. Below are the some of the 25 pastors and elders who met with us in Ruhengeri to organize themselves into the BPC of Rwanda.

Since the men came from varied backgrounds, it was necessary to discuss such matters as church government, theology, and discipline before an agreement could be reached to move forward with constituting the church in Rwanda. The fourhour meeting resulted in unanimous agreement that we press ahead together, and laid the foundation for future missions and educational work.