Church-led change for kids: World Vision Rwanda proudly supporting children’s wellbeing
It's never been done before, but World Vision Rwanda has proudly united seven denominational bodies across the county. The result is church-led change for kids.
For World Vision Rwanda National Director, George Gitau, this is very exciting.
He only imagined that the multi-denominational gathering would start with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). But it quickly became much more.
The seven church bodies decided they needed more than an MOU. As one body in Christ they decided they needed to create a covenant.
They discussed what they would do together under this new covenant. They all agreed, they want to see the best for the children of Rwanda.
"We came up with the Sunday of the Rwandan Child," explains George. "This is a day … in August, where all the congregations … will be preaching on one agenda, and that's about child protection."
Sunday of the Rwandan Child creates a precedent for children to speak in their own voice about the issues that matter to them.
"A child is going to be put in front of adults to be able to share the word of God," George says. "And to be around what parents should be doing with their children. So it is a very powerful outcome of this covenant."
The churches also decided on creating a national event – the "Christian Children's Summit". It will bring children from across Rwanda as representatives of different districts where they will be able to speak up about issues concerning children.
George is enthusiastic: "We will have government representatives, we will have church leaders represented in the forum, we will have other children represented in the forum. So it is a very powerful forum where … children who are Christian leaders, will come and really share about their communities and what the bigger society needs to consider along the lines of the needs of children."
In a country that has suffered so much, children carry the flame of hope and a united church in Rwanda is helping them to do it.
"The church is very excited about this forum," reflects George, "and we are also excited that World Vision was part of the group that brought church – the body of Christ – together, to form that unified body that is willing to look forward in a country that went through a very horrific genocide in 1994".
George can't emphasise it enough, "It's a very powerful thing".
George asks us to pray
In a country that was already affected by hunger, extreme poverty, poor health and limited access to healthcare, the atrocities of the genocide in 1994 brought extraordinary suffering to the people of Rwanda.
They have had 20 years to rebuild. There is so much more to heal.
George asks, "I want you to pray for peace in the country, true healing and reconciliation. So that even as people commemorate what happened in 1994, at least they will be looking forward and not looking backwards.
Because when you look back, that you are able to remember those wounds, and that hurts. Instead of being able to encourage you to looking to the future where our best is still at."
Please also pray for:
- resources to intervene in the area of health
- sustainable livelihoods
- economic development
- mother and child nutrition
- water, sanitation and hygiene