RwandaN Christians living in Canada and USA will converge in North America for a convention between September 4 and 6. The event is organised by the Rwandan Christian Leadership in the U.S. and Canada in partnership with the Rwandan Embassy in the U.S. The Rwanda Christian Convention in North America event will be hosted in Chicago, Illinois, and about five hundred people are expected to attend. The theme of the event will be: “I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation.” Like many other Rwandans, the church leadership and the Christians of Rwanda, have also been part of a history that was marked by ethnic segregation, which led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Both the church and its followers have thus suffered the consequences of those dark times. Christians and church leaders in the U.S. and in Canada attest that the consequences of ethnic-based segregation are still plaguing their community. “To restore the true essence of the church, and carry out its purpose, it is imperative for this community to refute any sort of segregation, restore unity and reconciliation, and promote solidarity as Rwandans, and as the church of Christ,” the statement from the organisers said in part. One of the main organisers of the event, Pastor Denise Heaven Amandou, a Rwandan, and leader of the Michigan-based church Jesus Touch International Ministries said: “It is crucial for Rwandans in the Diaspora to meet and implore God to be amongst us, give us strength to work together, instill the culture of unity, reconciliation and love, and continue to build and participate in the development of Rwanda.” Different churches will lead the worship at the event. On top of sharing the word of God, discussions will also take place on how the community in the Diaspora can participate in the development of Rwanda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
