The Minister of Information, Louise Mushikiwabo,  Sunday said that churches have a very big role in nation building and bringing harmony between Rwanda and other countries.

She said this during the second international conference on the ‘Restoration of Hearts’ at the Restoration Church Headquarters in Kimisagara where she was Guest of Honour.

In her speech, the minister thanked the leaders of Restoration Church who organised the conference with the target of bringing people back to God and restoring hearts considering the fact that many were damaged by the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis.

"I thank Restoration Church for their continuous support of programmes of nation building including helping orphans, widows, education and health care,” she said.

The leader of the church, Joshua Ndagijimana Masasu, explained that the main aim of this annual International conference is to urge people to devote their lives to God and to administer to peoples’ hearts.

"This was a vision from God because Restoration Church began in October 1994 after the Genocide in order to help in restoring people’s hearts,” he said.

Masasu revealed that the church started with 20 members, but after preaching the Gospel which aimed at restoring hearts, the church now has over 30,000 members within Rwanda alone and they have been able to open up 40 branches outside Rwanda which all have the same slogan: ‘It is God who Restores the wounded Hearts.’

In an interview with The New Times, Masasu  revealed that Restoration Church has built five schools and two health centres.

He added that over 200 needy students are being catered for in terms of school fees by the church and that in conjunction with Compassion International, 2,700 others are sponsored.

He concluded that the conference was going to help in evaluating and finding ways on how God’s people can be able to live in total freedom. The theme of the conference was: ‘Where the spirit of the Lord dwells, there is freedom.’
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