Muraho, Hello- My name is Andre and I serve with Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM), as the Africa Team Leader. I live with my family in Kigali, Rwanda.

For the last few weeks, I have been thinking about the three different realities that have the same patterns:

• Darkness/Hopeless- Light/Back to Life- Hope for the future
• The 1994 Genocide against Tutsi that happened in Rwanda- Unite – Renew
• The cold winter and every tree dormant- Spring/regeneration- Blossoming
• The passion of Christ- Resurrection- Hope for eternity.

At least from your end and from my end, each one of is experienced at least two of these realities. As you and I partner in this God-given Mission, it is also important to know that we share the same bond in Christ Jesus, and in life experience, hence this binds us together more in prayer and solidarity.

Praise items

We thank God that he blessed our Team with one more Member: Laura Muema, from Kenya. She joined our team in February and she will support all of our women and Children related ministries among all African church partners. Now the key ministry areas: Peace and Reconciliation, Food security, Pastoral Training, Leadership Development, Children- Gender and women, all have specialists who provide support to African partners.

In 2019, CBM, joined our partners in the region to foster mutual learning and accountability as equal partners. In March of t this year, two peer capacity assessment sessions took place in Kenya and in Rwanda. We thank God for the collaboration and mutual encouragement that were felt during those sessions.

The vaccination effort in the region has significantly reduced the new infections of COVID-19. Now, life is back: Churches can meet, schools are open, all businesses are open, and communities are recovering.

As the Africa Team, we have enrolled in a program to learn the Theology of Faith+ Work, by the Institute of Marketplace Transformation/ Regent College/Vancouver. As a Team, we are working on an adapted curriculum that will allow us to share our learning with church partners.

We praise God for the firm commitment of local churches in Africa. We continue to witness the ordaining of new pastors who are being sent to the mission field.

After sharing and celebrating with you God’s work among our Africa partners, we would like to invite you to join us in prayer for:

• Peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Praying for Justice for those who are deeply affected by those conflicts without having taken part in any of them.
• Pray for the upcoming Peer Capacity assessment session in South Sudan.
• Pray for clarity, wisdom, and the ability to make strategic decisions among the partners so that the resources available can bring more impact and transformation.
• Pray for our team as we attend the upcoming Faith + work training. Pray for the safety of our team and that we will continue to have good health and energy as we complete all our work.

Thanks for joining me in constant prayers for the items above. Blessings to you and your beloved ones.