RUBAVU MISSION - RWANDA AE Rwanda recently completed a mission in Rubavu in the western province of Rwanda very close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since 1961 Rubavu had been experiencing ethnic divisions and massacres leading to mass killings of Tutsi by Hutu extremists during the 1994 genocide. During the same period multitudes crossed over to Congo where they lived in refugee camps. In 1997 another war was started by rebels from DRC and more people died leaving a large number of orphans and widows and many families destitute.

In 2006 AE opened a branch in the area to intensify its work with a vision to bring healing and reconciliation amongst the people. We trained primary students and their teachers and selected ten influential churches to work together to bring Godly transformation in Rubavu.

During the mission the team preached in different churches during which many people gave their lives to Jesus Christ. God touched their lives so powerfully that they committed themselves to become agents of unity and reconciliation in Rwandan society.

At the closing rally in the main stadium about 5000 people from different churches gathered to hear the message of the day. Amazing progress was made by the churches with 200 people stepping forward to accept the Lord.

In that stadium Devota, a lady who lost her husband and children during the genocide, gave her testimony about God’s touch to her life in a healing and reconciliation workshop in her home area in Nyamata. She stressed how God enabled her to forgive the people who killed her family. After her testimony, a group of 15 Hutu went down on their knees to humble themselves in confession of the atrocities done by their fellow Hutu. There was a closeness of spirit for the two parties involved and the whole stadium seemed cleansed of the heavy and dreadful past. Everyone present could sense the joyous atmosphere created by the prophetic songs that were sung by the assembled choir groups.

The Rubavu Mission impacted the lives of many people.