Dear Friends, 10/25/2017
Happy Fall. I’m glad to take this opportunity to update you on our ministry activities in recent months.
August began with a 3-day Children’s Bible school at Agape Church of one of our ACTS pastors, Pastor Patrick. He is burdened for the children of his community, and we are blessed to minister with him in reaching these children.
The following week, I assisted in teaching for a staff training of a local evangelistic ministry with whom we have many opportunities to work together evangelizing youth.
The third week, we held our first Scarlet Cord ladies’ conference, with two days of Bible teaching for just the women in our center. These ladies are growing in Christ. They enjoyed the seminar so much, they requested to have one every month. They continue to advance their skills and have even begun sewing items to sell in the afternoons following classes.
The month ended with a 2-day Sunday school teachers’ training with over 100 teachers from 40 churches coming together to learn how to engage the children in their churches and neighborhoods with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
September started by celebrating the Doctorate degree graduation of Pastor Emmanuel, another ACTS pastor whom we are privileged to partner with in assisting his churches and holding evangelistic outreaches, as well as in working together with their Christian organization to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth in their region.
This month, I began group counseling sessions in the Scarlet Cord on the trauma of sexual assault and finding healing and restoration in Christ. So many of these women have survived immense trauma and are finding hope.
We had quite an amazing Sunday school teacher’s training this month in a cold mountain region of the country. Ten churches had congregated together to learn what Sunday school is and how to teach the children. While these were allegedly doctrinally sound churches, as we began teaching, it was evident their Bible knowledge was very limited. As we continued, we realized we were coming against an even greater barrier. That evening, my colleague and I both felt certain that many of the attendees had never accepted Christ as their Savior. When we began the second day with a clear gospel presentation and an opportunity to accept God’s free gift of salvation, 18 of the 30 participants knelt and prayed to become children of God. With 4 more saved in the evening, 22 persons prayed to receive Salvation as a result of this training. I plan to return to this area within the next months to follow up with these teachers and continue training them.
The month ended with the birth of twins cared for through our Baby Love project. The twins were separated from their mother who was critically ill, but after 3 weeks of care, mother and babies were reunited and able to go home together.
In October, we celebrated the graduation of 17 ladies from 3-months of vocational education. These students learned hair weaving and braiding as well as pedicures and manicures. This center is about 6 hours outside of our capital city, and is a partnership with a local Rwandan ministry, Rwanda Christian Action Ministries. Our partnership has been a wonderful way to reach out to youth in this area who are often unable to obtain work due to lack of skills, education, and means to advance without support. As this group graduated, another 20 students, 17 young men and 3 women, began 3 months of study in hair cutting, styling, shaving, coloring and cosmetics.
A third Sunday School teachers’ training was held by the request of Pastors in the western region of the country bordering Burundi. There 36 protestant churches came together for 2 days to concentrate on sharing the Gospel of Christ in a way that children can understand and want to learn more. Through these trainings, we had the opportunity to train 250 teachers and pastors from 85 churches in the past 2 months. The number one reason cited by church leaders in Rwanda for not having children’s ministries is lack of knowledge and training. It is exciting to be able to teach and encourage reaching children with the Gospel.
As this month comes to a close, our sponsorship students will begin their final exams this next week, and will close out their school year mid-November.
We are organizing a Pastors Conference in the Congo this next month, and I ask that you would be in prayer for it.
I cannot end without special thanks to all of you who pray and give compassionately toward this ministry. God is blessing and continues to provide so many areas of service to the people here.
With Gratitude,
Laura Y.
Laura Yockey
Love Alive International
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