This morning I felt like a circuit riding preacher. Last night I discovered I was being asked to preach at two churches this morning. So, we left at 8 AM to visit the pentecostal church in a rural setting of Ruhango. I preached and then Theophile preached. We were invited to come back and teach the leaders of that church the "Three Lessons on the Holy Spirit."

Soon we were back in the car headed to the Free Methodist Church in Ruhango. This was our host church for the week. Levi, the preacher, wanted me to preach for his congregation. He was still excited about what he had learned earlier in the week. He shared specifically with the congregation about Acts 2:36-38.

As we were departing for our next teaching location, Levi asked if we would come back next time with more lessons on the Bible.

Saturday or Sunday we will leave Ruhango to teach in Butare, South Province. Monday – Wednesday we taught “Three Lessons on the Holy Spirit” for twenty church leaders in Ruhango. We had been with most of these church leaders in January. Today and yesterday we traveled thirty minutes south to teach “Five Purposes of the Church” for twenty leaders in Nyanza.

These leaders were very excited about what they discovered concerning biblical worship, evangelism, community, discipleship, and ministry. Once again we studied the truth of God’s Word together. Next, they worked together on how to apply God’s truth in their culture. They divided into three groups and then reported their ideas for increasing ministry and community (two purposes where they believed they were the weakest). Then we discussed how they might implement these ideas in their local churches. They expressed deep thanks for the teaching and the gift of Kinyarwanda Study Bibles provided by friends in the U.S.

Now, finally, I get a few days break before teaching again in Butare on Monday.

Today we finished three days of studying Three Lessons on the Holy Spirit with twenty church leaders in Ruhango, South Province. This was a special group as they continually expressed their excitement about the new things they were learning.
Levi, the host, kept telling the others after each break something new he had learned and how excited he was. After the first break on Tuesday he asked the group to sing praise to God for what they were learning. He told the group he had never understood before why Jesus said, "the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than” John the Baptist (Lk. 7:28). Then he was so excited about Acts 2:36-38; what Peter said, the crowd’s response, and Peter's response. Then today, when these church leaders were able to see 1 Corinthians 12-14 as one context instead of three separate pieces: Oh, they were extremely excited when they began to see what Paul was doing.

In their excitement, can you tell I am excited? It is such a joy to help God's people to discover truth in God's Word.

Last Wednesday night Theophile, his wife Miriam, a few friends, and I were able to greet the two teams from Manchester Christian Church at the Kigali airport. After four days of enjoying serving together in Rwanda, we went three different directions on Sunday afternoon. The medical team from MCC remained in Kibuye. They will work at the hospital there until midday on Tuesday when they will rejoin the MCC team in Kigali. The Kigali team is now with Theophile as they teach and meet with several groups of women in the local churches. Stephen, our interpreter, and I traveled to Ruhango to teach the first of eight more groups of church leaders on this trip.

Yes, I hated to say goodbye for now to the two MCC teams. It has been a joy to share with some old friends and meet some new ones. Perhaps the greatest joy was to see those who are here for the first time as they opened their hearts to Rwanda; the people, the beauty of the country, the pain and problems, the smiles, the spiritual hunger, and the Rwandans' open hearts for brothers and sisters in Christ from another culture on the other side of the world.

However, I am here to teach church leaders. Today, Stephen and I began a three-day study on the Holy Spirit with twenty church leaders in the South Province. There is significant confusion among these leaders about the Holy Spirit. I love it when their faces express that they have just discovered some new truth from God's Word.

Goodbye MCC teams ---- Oh, the joy of serving God's church leaders in Rwanda!

In my last blog I had asked for prayer for Dorcas from the refugee camp. She was taken to the hospital in serious condition after the neighbor’s house had fallen on her last Sunday. We received news last night that Dorcas is now home and doing better. I do not have further details on the nature of her injuries. Thank you for your prayers.

On Thursday the EACL group finished four days studying Luke 5-11. Their growth is encouraging. I asked them to compare the two miracles in Luke 8:40-56. After a few accurate responses, Desire began to point out several contrasts; an “unclean” woman and the prominence of Jairus, a twelve year old girl compared to “a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,” and Jesus’ compassion for both situations. Let me assure you, three years ago that insight would not have happened in this group. I was thrilled to see how God is doing a special work in these church leaders.

Late Wednesday night a group of fourteen (two teams) from Manchester Christian Church arrived at the Kigali airport. After getting them to their lodging I got to bed a little after 2 PM. Thursday they visited two genocide memorials and then visited the EACL group. Friday morning Theophile, Stephen (a friend and second interpreter) and I traveled to Kibuye on Lake Kivu where one group is working in the hospital for three days and the second group (all women) taught a group of Christian women today at the Kiziba Refugee Camp. It is difficult to describe, but God used the MCC women to bless the refugee women and He used the refugee women to bless the MCC team. It was a powerful day as these sisters in Christ from two very different cultures shared community in Christ today. God was glorified!

A few of you know Denys. Many have seen the picture above of Denys and his family. He is a refugee and preaches in the Nyabiheke Refugee Camp. We have taught refugee church leaders many times in the church building where Denys preaches.

Denys arrived in Kigali on Sunday to join the Equip a Church Leader group in their study of Luke. When we finished today, shortly after 4:15, Denys left abruptly. He discovered that his daughter, Dorcas, had been seriously injured when a neighbor’s house fell on her Sunday night. She is now in the hospital in serious condition. Life is not easy in Rwanda, and especially in the refugee camps.

Please pray for Denys, his family, and these church leaders.

This was not the first blog I wanted to send for this trip, but Denys needs our prayers now.