The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Laurent Mbanda, eulogised his son Edwin Mbanda who recently passed on while in his sleep in the United States.
"Love you, Eddie. You have left us, but you are with us and will never depart. Instead, we will join you someday. You had big dreams, and they will be fulfilled through us,” Mbanda tweeted.
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The news of the passing of Edwin Mbanda, 33, was shared on Tuesday, April 18, by Reverend Foley Beach, the Chairman of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), who is currently in Rwanda for the movement's international gathering.
"It is with great sadness that I share with you the tragic news that Archbishop Laurent Mbanda’s son, Edwin (Eddie) Mbanda, has unexpectedly passed away in his sleep in the United States,” reads Reverend Beach's statement tweeted via the Gafcon’s page.
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"As you can imagine, this is shocking and heartbreaking news. I, together with the GAFCON family, extend my deepest condolences to Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, his wife Chantal, and their children Eric and Erica,” he added.
Meanwhile, GAFCON tweeted again saying; "Almighty God, look with pity upon the sorrows of your servants for whom we pray. Remember them, Lord, in mercy; nourish them with patience; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; lift up your countenance upon them; and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen,” reads part of the statement.
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The development came at a time Mbanda was leading the local Anglican Church in hosting the GAFCON conference underway this week in the capital Kigali, bringing together more than 1300 delegates from 53 nations.
Edwin’s family is yet to release details regarding his burial.