Famous preacher and televangelist Joyce Meyer and her husband Dave Meyer yesterday launched the Hand of Hope project at Kingdom Education Centre in Kigali.

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, Meyer was received by Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba, Bishop Joshua Masasu of Restoration Church and his wife, and Evangelist Sendrali Sebakara, among others.

Meyer was accompanied by a team of eight
In her welcome note, Pastor Rose Karasanyi, the school’s deputy director said that the school was founded in September 2000 with 46 pupils - 27 girls and 19 boys.

"To date we are blessed with 563 children - 283 girls and 280 boys. And we are following the curriculum of the Ministry of Education,” Pastor Rose said.

She further revealed that Kingdom Education Centre started working with the Joyce Meyer ministry in 2007 to feed the students.

Talking to The New Times, Joyce Meyer said that her ministry has a role of feeding the needy and that it’s in that line that the Hand of Hope project is extending to Rwanda.

"And we shall continue to be in Rwanda and work with the people of Rwanda,” Meyer pledged.

The renowned evangelist came to Rwanda for the first time in April 2006 to participate in the Hope Rwanda—100 Days of Hope crusade at Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali, where over 60,000 people gathered.

At the time, she launched one of the biggest prison outreaches in the country, delivering gift bags containing a Joyce Meyer book to every inmate in Rwanda and to minister to more than 5,000 prisoners in the courtyard of Kigali Central Prison.

Her ministry during her first visit also provided new homes for several families affected by the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis and gave more than 300 children boxes full of toys.

Present were Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini representing the Church of Rwanda, Rev. Leo Rucibigango of Restoration Church and Rev. Nathan Gasatura of Episcopal Church who was the master of ceremony, to mention but a few.

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