Reconciliation – Full Circle!

My daughter Nadia ministered with me in Rwanda!  What an absolute God-ordained time for us. I preached at Eglise Vivante Church on Sunday and she gave her testimony. It was so good to hear her give glory to God for being able to share her story in the church and also thanking them for their faithful prayers even when they had not met her. A father came to her after the service and asked if he could come to see her to talk about his son who has a serious drug problem. Nadia and I met with him, and after she had given him insight into the challenges that come with drug addiction and how to know if his son is over it, we prayed with him. He left very hopeful that God will also do a miracle in his son’s life. It appears that drug use amongst the youth is on a steep rise in Rwanda.

Ministering together at Ngoma Women’s Prison
The next day we traveled to Ngoma Women’s Prison where I have ministered several times and where we started a large women’s sewing coop inside the prison. Nadia had an opportunity to share her testimony with the more than 600 women. They were riveted as Nadia spoke about the wrong choices she made that led to drug use, to serious addiction, and eventually to prison, where she found God. Many women started crying as she spoke about the hope and future God has for each of them (Jer.29:11), and that he loves them irrespective of what they had done. All they need to do is repent and become followers of Jesus. More than a hundred women stood up to pray. God can use our testimonies so powerfully if we are willing to be poured out for him.

Byumba Cathedral
Our final public appearance was at the Byumba Cathedral where I spoke about the dangers of following Jesus at a distance (as Peter did on the night Jesus was betrayed) which opens us up to the plans of Satan and even denying that we are his followers. In the middle of the sermon, I invited Nadia to join me, and she gave her testimony about how she followed at a distance and ended up a drug addict and a prisoner. Once again people were riveted and wide-eyed. The youth pastor asked her to return to preach to the youth at a large revival conference in Rwanda this year. (He said nothing about me returning J). She received many invitations to return and to share her testimony. She was quite shaken by the response and very humbled that God used her story to touch and change lives. To me it is nothing less than a miracle.

Other activities in-between speaking engagements were to visit the newly built classrooms for a crèche for the children up to age 3 who are with their mothers in Ngoma prison. There are currently 30 kids who previously spent their days inside the prison with their mothers. The rooms are barren except for a few small chairs. To turn it into a child-friendly learning environment they need: carpets, paint, small tables, a TV screen and DVDs to watch educational programs, toys, books, small beds and mattresses to sleep on (beds will be built in the carpentry shop), and more. The total estimated cost for this opportunity to bless these children and their families is about $2500 US. Click here or on the Donate tab to help these precious children with some basic needs.

Secondly, we planned the pilot project for Project Ubumwe to be run concurrently in the Rilima and Ngoma Prisons. Ubumwe means “together in unity,” and is a restorative justice program we are implementing in partnership with Prison Fellowship Rwanda. Many prisoners have repented over the past year of ministry (more than 1300 in Rilima prison alone). Project Ubumwe prepares them to meet with their victims to ask forgiveness and offer restoration. Also, it prepares the victims to grant forgiveness.

Thirdly, we arrange for a facilitated meeting between the parties at the prison for steps 1 and 2 to be implemented. Finally, we also prepare prisoners and their families to meet so that they can be informed of the real reason they are incarcerated. Many family members believe their family is innocent, because they denied guilt for so long.

We are appointing two chaplains to each prison, and a professional curriculum writer to tailor-make the teachings for Project Ubumwe. The materials will be used to train the chaplains (who will be the main facilitators), the pastor inmates, and the prison staff.

The challenge and the opportunity: We have started implementing this program on a wing and a prayer with what we have available ($670 US donated as seed money). However, Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR) cannot obtain the official approval of the Department of Corrections unless we can assure them that we actually have the funds in hand to run the program for the next 6 – 9 months. This is because in years past, groups have come with schemes only to run out of money and leave everything up in the air. Realistically, we will need at least $10,000US to pay chaplains a stipend, cover travel and communications costs, provide for a curriculum development writer/coordinator and a full-time worker in country, and to oversee the roll-out and administration costs for Prison Fellowship who will be deploying their full infrastructure. Click here to donate towards this key project.

The objective is to extend from a pilot to implementation in all the prisons in Rwanda. This project will also be closely watched by neighboring countries who also struggle with issues of restorative justice and reconciliation. This kind of in-depth program is urgently needed to stem the frequent ethnic conflicts we see in the region.

Please pray for the funding (also please consider giving) and for success of the pilot program, the players involved, the prisoners, victims and families. Donate now.

God bless you in great abundance!