Scholarships for Presbyterian Students at PIASS - November 2020 Update
PIASS students supported by The Outreach Foundation
Rwanda
Dear friends,
We greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Outreach Foundation is committed to helping equip the global church with capable leaders, particularly in areas like Rwanda where the church is growing. The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR for the French name “Eglise Presbyterienne au Rwanda”), needs trained pastors for their many young and vibrant congregations. In recent years, Outreach and partners have helped train five pastors who graduated from the theology department at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) and are now leaders of EPR congregations. There are currently several Presbyterian students sponsored by The Outreach Foundation in the theology program. This update includes stories from two of these students who are studying at PIASS thanks to your generous gifts.
Benjamin Hategekimana
I am a pastor, intern, and member of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda, Zinga presbytery, Nyagatare Parish. I was born into a non-Christian family. There was a lot of conflict in my family due to my father’s polygamy and alcoholism. My parents were always fighting. Living this way was difficult on one hand, but a blessing on the other hand because I decided not to imitate those behaviors.
My mother started attending the Presbyterian Church and after she was baptized, change started taking place in our home. She brought me to prayer groups and I received my call to pastoral ministry at a young age. God used The Outreach Foundation as an answer to my prayers as they helped to support me and enabled me to continue my studies at PIASS with a scholarship.
I was blessed to study at PIASS. I thank God for his calling and The Outreach Foundation for all the support and care which has led me to my calling in this mission of God. I am now serving the Lord. It is tough to do so during this period of COVID-19 but I am happy to do it.
Donatha Ndacyayisenga
Thank you for what you did for me while I was a student at PIASS. From 2015-2018, you paid all my school fees.
In 2019 I was appointed to a pastor internship in Matunguru parish. I am experiencing many different things in ministry here where Christians are glad to share their wishes and problems with me. It encourages me in my ministry.
Challenges here include the poverty of the parish where I serve. At times, I meet with people who need so much. This breaks my heart.
Be blessed.
The EPR has more than 300,000 members and is composed of seven autonomous presbyteries located all around the country. There is an office of the General Synod, which acts as the headquarters of the church, in Kigali. The Head Office oversees most of the administration and organization of the church. Like other institutions in Rwanda, the 1994 genocide affected the church which lost sixteen of its pastors and many members. Since the genocide, much emphasis has been placed on training the younger generation in peacebuilding and reconciliation, but the church also faces the challenge of caring for many orphans and widows, most of whom still suffer from trauma. This helps explain why more pastor training is needed to sustain the church growth and why a subject like Pastoral Care and Counseling has a big impact on the life of EPR congregations.
We are grateful for your generous support.
Frank Dimmock
Africa Mission Specialist
Read more about Scholarships for Presbyterian Students at PIASS HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking scholarships for $2,000 per year for a minimum of seven Presbyterian students at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.