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 planta-
tions greet you; lakes and streams nestle into the valleys and shimmer in the sun-
set (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 re-
served 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, mud-
daubed, 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 Presbyte-
rian 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 Pha-
nuel 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 Vol-
cans 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 equato-
rial 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 inter-
ested 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, Ru-
cagu 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 four-
hour meeting resulted in unanimous agreement that we press ahead together, and
laid the foundation for future missions and educational work.