September 9, 2010

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Rwanda Election Day – Pray for Peace

August 9, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

Today is Election Day in Rwanda and we ask that you say a special prayer asking the Lord of all Creation to bless this nation with peace today and in the coming weeks as the results of the election pan out. Below are a few articles on the elections for further reading…

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14347&article=32324

Over 12, 000 dedicate prayers to elections – By Bosco R. Asiimwe

GASABO – Over 12,000 believers from various religious denominations in Kigali City yesterday thronged Amahoro National Stadium to pray for today’s Presidential elections to be peaceful.

The crusade which kicked off in the afternoon till sunset was dubbed “Rwanda is in your hands Lord.”

The event was mostly characterized by prayers by several pastors, testimonies and entertainment from local church choirs such as the renowned Rehoboth Ministries, Catholic Choir, Amahoro and Hosiana of ADEPR and Adventist church, and a special entertainment from The Sisters.

Pastor Antoine Rutayisire, the senior pastor of St. Etienne who observed that bad politics plunged the country into Genocide, urged all churches to wake up and play their role in changing the mindset of Rwandans.

“It’s now our (churches) time to pave the way for a better Rwanda. Rwanda is ours always. If we sleep, it will crumble down,” Rutayisire noted, calling on all Rwandans to love and always pray for their country.

He recalled the day of April 17, 1994 when he was among those who survived in the Stadium and said “Rwanda was destroyed by Rwandans who should join hands to rebuild it.”

Bishop Faustin Bashaka observed that Rwanda has made a tremendous step in development, especially in the last seven years. Economy, good governance, education, healthcare and decentralization are among the sectors, Bashaka said have developed.

“All these and the peace and security Rwandans are enjoying was a result of good leadership and such leaders need to be rewarded…but only the lord can,” he said.

Various clergymen and women prayed that Rwanda continues to be peaceful.

Charles Murigande, the Minister of Education, who presided over the event, commended the religions’ efforts to change Rwandans.

He commended them for their partnership with the government in creating a peaceful country and to partner in having a seven year term of peace and development.

The crusade organised in partnership with Kigali City was also attended by the city Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira and the Anglican church Archbishop, Emmanuel Kolini, among others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10908087

Polls open in Rwanda's presidential election

The BBC's Will Ross: "They're voting for President Kagame largely because of the security he has brought to the country"

Rwandans are voting to elect their president, with incumbent Paul Kagame expected to win by a landslide.

Mr Kagame's supporters say he has brought both stability and steady economic growth since the country's genocide in 1994.

His critics accuse him of suppressing opposition and undermining democracy.

This is only the second presidential election since 1994, and five million Rwandans are registered to vote.

Mr Kagame won the election in 2003 with 95% of the vote.

'No apologies'

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Will Ross East Africa correspondent

President Kagame's posters are plastered right across the capital Kigali and also deep in the villages. You have to hunt very hard for any posters of the challengers.

It is clear that, for now, Mr Kagame is only willing to allow a certain degree of democracy. This he sees as the only way to keep the country stable after the horrors of 1994. He may have helped foster stability and steady economic growth but Mr Kagame's critics say a clampdown on the opposition and a general climate of oppression serve to keep him in power.

Mr Kagame faces three rivals in the election, all with links to the president's all-powerful Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

This has led some opponents to denounce the election as a charade.

But as he completed campaigning, Mr Kagame told critics among rights groups and the international community they should "not tell us how to shape our country".

He said of his RPF: "It is strong, it is organised, it has planned over a long time, historically it has been with the people to resolve challenging issues and therefore that results in a kind of overwhelming support. I have no regrets about it, I make no apologies."

Mr Kagame has held massive election rallies attended by tens of thousands of supporters.

His supporters say he has strengthened agricultural output, rebuilt the country's institutions, tackled corruption effectively and promoted women's rights and an environmentally friendly agenda.

His rivals have only managed much smaller rallies.

Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, of the PSD, told supporters at one: "We see our policies as a continuation of those of the RPF."

Some more vocal opponents of Mr Kagame were prevented from fielding candidates and have complained of intimidation.

However, Electoral Commission spokesman Pacifique Nduwimana said that "everything went smoothly" during the campaign, with no incidents of violence.

Voting began promptly at 0600 local time (0400 GMT) and the polls will close at 1500 (1300 GMT).

The Electoral Commission has accredited 1,394 observers, 214 of them from abroad, including from the African Union and Commonwealth.

Filed Under: Prayer Needs, Rwanda

Rwanda’s Children of Rape

July 1, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

I came across this BBC article today and wanted to share it with you. Powerful and moving…O Lord, let your healing hand rest upon the nation of Rwanda.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8768943.stm

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With: Rwanda

Hello Rwanda – 2009/2010 Crowson Family Photo Album

May 22, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

Our furlough is less than one week away and we are busy getting our presentations ready for  supporters, family and prayer warriors. We have so much to tell all of you!

I finished our "Hello Rwanda" Crowson Family Photo Album which will give you a glimpse into our new life and ministry in Rwanda. There are several biographical stories of some of our new Rwandan friends which we believe you will enjoy as well as updates on our vision and mission in Rwanda.

We are so grateful for so many of you who bless, support and pray for us! God is shining his light in the darkness and transforming a hurting nation. Praise be to His Name!

You can click this link to download the "Hello Rwanda – 2009/2010 Crowson Family Photo Album" in pdf format. It's almost 14mb, so make sure you have a good internet connection. Also, it's best displayed in Adobe Acrobat 8 or higher viewing two pages at a time side by side. Enjoy:)

Here's an excerpt from the first page of the Photo Album…

Our family transitioned from Togo, West Africa to Rwanda, Central Africa in January, 2009 to begin a new life and ministry.

Rwanda, a country affectionately known as 'The Land of a Thousand Hills', is a land filled with wonderful people living in an unparalleled story of recovery. The culture is colorful and the people are warm and receptive. In spite of their tragic history, Rwandans are filled with a hope and excitement about their future that will inspire every visitor.

We are thankful to God to be apart of His Transforming Work in Rwanda.

Filed Under: Christine, Featured, Murphy, Pictures, Rwanda Tagged With: Genocide, Matthew, Missions, Musanze Team, Photos, Rwanda, Rwandan Culture, Stephen, Transition

GACS Welcomes President Kagame

April 30, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

These articles were posted on the New Times website today.

Kagame explores new education partnerships.

USA – PRESIDENT Paul Kagame, Wednesday, visited the US based Greater Atlanta Christian School (GACS) located in Atlanta, Georgia with an aim of exploring an education partnership between the school and Rwanda.

The President is on a working visit to the US.

In line with the country’s vision 2020, GACS, is set to establish a Central Africa School of Excellence which will be based in Rwanda and Kagame was given an overview of the school’s master plan that will serve about 2000 students when complete.

According to the school’s president, Dr. David Fincher, the next step will be to determine the site of the complex in Rwanda.

In his remarks, President Kagame said that Rwanda is committed to investing in education so that the country can develop based on the knowledge and skills of its people.

“In Rwanda, education is a top priority because we consider it to be the key to unlocking our development objectives. All studies have shown that investments in human capital have invariably produced high economic returns,” Kagame said.

“We have no doubt that education empowers people, enlightens them, and in the end creates wealth for them”.

He added that Rwanda has made it a priority to provide access to quality education.

The President and his delegation were given a guided tour around various sections of the school including classrooms, ICT laboratories and recreational halls among others. The school was founded in 1961.

On the same day, Kagame travelled to Bentonville, Arkansas, where he met 81 Rwandan students who study under the Presidential Scholarship Program.

While addressing the group, President Kagame urged the students to excel in their studies after which they should return home ready to apply the acquired knowledge and contribute to the country’s development process.

The students study at five different colleges and universities in Arkansas under the Hendrix Program that supports top Rwandan students who qualify for the Rwanda Presidential Scholarship.

When it began in 2007, only four students were supported by the program. To-date, the number has grown to 81 and this year, 30 more will be admitted.

The students are pursuing degrees in Science and Technology with the largest group in the engineering faculty.

10 to graduate from Oklahoma University

USA – TEN Rwandan students will today graduate along with 300 classmates at the US based Oklahoma Christian University (OCU).

They will be the first to complete their studies under the Presidential Scholars programme that was signed between President Paul Kagame and OCU, during his first visit to the university in 2006.

Kagame will be one of the keynote speakers the graduation ceremony, and the First Lady,. Jeannette Kagame, is set to receive an honorary doctorate for her significant contribution to the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty.

In a phone interview with The New Times, Aline Kabbatende, one of the 10 students, expressed her joy to be finally able to acquire a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering.

“I am very excited to finally come to the end and it will also be a rare opportunity, especially for us who are out of the country, to have our President and First Lady attending this graduation ceremony,” Kabbatende said.

“I believe that there is great need for skills in my country and I am hoping to acquire a job on return and contribute to my country’s development. Certainly, I also intend to go for further studies because I still feel like this is still not enough”.

Four others will also graduate in Electrical Engineering, two in Chemistry, one each in Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and the other in Computer Science.

Kabattende added that from the beginning of last year, the scholars programme was also expanded to facilitate 10 Rwandan graduates to pursue their Masters’ Studies at OCU annually.

OCU’s president, Mike O’Neal, affirmed that Rwandan students have been outstanding performers in class and good citizens in the university community.

“Oklahoma Christian has formed a strong relationship with the leaders of Rwanda to help meet the long-term needs of President Kagame’s Vision 2020,” O’Neal said.

Under the Rwandan Presidential Scholars program, 10 top Rwandan high school students are brought to OC each year and today there are 60 students at the university.

Filed Under: Murphy, Rwanda Tagged With: Rwanda

Six New Discovery Bible Studies

March 23, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

I just received this from one of our very close Rwandan friends and fellow disciple-makers…

On Saturday 13, 2010 I had a meeting and prayer time with 12 people who started Discovery Bible Studies (2 people from each DBS). We wanted to share the progress made so far and encourage each other. I also wanted to share with them some elements that I translated from the material that David Watson gave us. I had translated the dbs process questions, what the church is; its characteristics and roles, the fivefold ministry, and a list of DBS lessons.

We had a time to go through different items mentioned above and the day passed so quickly.

“What I liked most about the DBS is the social responsibility part of it. The question that asks if there is a way we could meet those needs reminded me of a time when a man from our prayer group had a need to get a cow for his dowry and we fasted for three days. In our prayer group we had farmers who owned my cows but no one thought we could do something to meet that need. I wish I could go back and do things different. But thank God that now I can do things appropriately.” Ronald said.

You will see two pictures in attachement; one is for the all the people that came and another one is for six people who are facilitating DBSs. The very tall man is …. leading a DBS in Gitarama. Murakoze

Filed Under: Featured, Prayer Answers, Rwanda

Umunsi w’Abagore

March 8, 2010 By Christine

Today was the International Day of Women or in Kinyarwanda, Umunsi w'Abagore.  Twenty-three women from my neighborhood gathered together to celebrate the day.  There were some men as well and more children than I took time to count.  The day was celebrated with sodas, goat kebabs and boiled matoki as well as many speeches given by both women and men.

The women took the opportunity to dress up traditional Rwandan style, they looked beautiful!  My neighbor, Beatrice, came over to my house and dressed me up in some of her clothes before we went to the celebration.  I was so glad!  For a few moments during the day I forgot I was white and felt like I blended in.

I want to share one story told by the lady who made the first speech of the day.  This woman is a young mother who has earned a masters degree in economics and works for a bank.  She started her speech by encouraging women that getting an education is very important.  She had to work hard for her degrees and earned them without her family's support.  She went on to remind the women that even though they get an education and a job, there first responsibility is in their homes.  She told them to make sure that they keep their homes nice and that their children are well cared for.  She told them that even if they have a job and perhaps earn more money than their husband, he is still the leader of the family.  She shared an interesting Rwandan proverbial story with the group.

Here is the story:

One day a man came to a widow's house wanting to have sex with her.  She told him to come back to her house later.  While he was gone, she cooked many dishes for him.  Even though she used a variety of ingredients in the various dishes, the main ingredient of them all was beans.  When the man returned, he noticed that she had prepared some food for him.  He began lifting the lids off the different  dishes and what did he find?  Beans, beans and beans.  The woman said to the man, "Even though we women are all a little different, really we are all the same.  Go home to your wife and leave me alone!"

I thought that it was a profound story and very interesting that it was told on a day like today and in a group of women.  I have found it to be true from the United States to rural Togo to urban Rwanda!  Woman are women, we just come in many different flavors.  I enjoyed the day observing these women encourage and empower one another.  I feel honored to be living among them for this season of my life.

Here are a few pictures from the day…

This SlideShowPro photo gallery requires the Flash Player plugin and a web browser with JavaScript enabled.

Filed Under: Christine, Featured, Rwanda Tagged With: Christine, Rwanda, Rwandan Culture, Women

Luke10:2b Rwanda

February 24, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

Thank you for praying that the Lord would bless our 5 Year Planning retreat. It was awesome and we are excited about the direction laid out before us. We are still working on finalizing our objectives and goals but the weekend got us off to a great start! Once again, the Lord listened and answered our prayers.

One thing that I am super excited about is the vision that God gave us for a Global Prayer Network for Rwanda focusing on the prayer that Jesus told his disciples to pray as he sent them out into the harvest fields in Luke 10:2.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Jesus didn't tell them to pray for a ripe harvest. The harvest of people is already prepared. The challenge is that there are not enough workers to bring in the harvest!

As I was preparing for the retreat and thinking about all that is needed to launch a massive disciple-making revival in Rwanda I came across several articles that all emphasized the same point: a prayer movement precedes a disciple-making movement. The same articles used the example of two men in Colorado who were convicted by this passage and led to begin a Luke 10:2b movement of prayer teams to pray this prayer together everyday asking the Lord to send out more workers into the harvest fields. The Lord listened and is still answering their prayer and people are calling them from all across the United States saying "I want to make disciples in my area, can you help me."

Imagine our excitement as we read these stories and were convicted that this is what we need to do!

Thus, the Global Luke 10:2b Rwandan Prayer Network was born.

Here's how it works. We are asking our prayer warriors to find one other person and commit to praying the Luke 10:2b prayer for Rwanda together either on the phone, on skype or in person daily. That's right, everyday. It will take about 5 minutes but impact millions of people! As an example, our task force has committed to praying this prayer together every morning at 6:30am on Skype. For the past two weeks we have all prayed together either on Skype, text messages, on the phone or in person.

Our 5 year plan is to build a global prayer network of teams of two praying this prayer together everyday for the Rwandan harvest in:

  • Every Time Zone
  • Every State in the USA
  • Every Sector in Rwanda

Imagine the impact that round the clock, daily, prayers asking the Lord to send out more workers into the harvest fields of Rwanda would have! We're calling it the Luke 10:2b Rwandan Prayer Virus and we want to infect as many as possible! Already teams of two have committed and begun to pray this prayer for Rwanda.

I'm excited to tell you that the Lord has already begun to answer our prayers! Read this from Felix, our Kinyarwanda language teacher…

"The last weekend, a friend of mine living in … (Southern province) that I had introduced to the DBS (Discovery Bible Study) asked me to come and help him start it there because he felt God was calling him to serve there but didn't know how to start. So I went there and the DBS started with 6 people; 5 of them are non-believers. So let's pray that it will grow and have an impact on the communities there. Thanks!"

Who are these workers? Are they more expats from overseas? More short-term visitors? NO! They're Rwandans reaching Rwandans!

What to join? You will be most welcome! Its easy. Find someone and commit together to pray this prayer for Rwanda everyday. It doesn't matter how, just as long as you pray together. Then, each month, recruit two more people to commit to the same prayer. As you join in and recruit others, please let us know so that we can keep track of how and where the virus is spreading…

Right after the Lord Jesus told His disciples to pray this prayer He told them to GO! So, we are planning to go to every part of Rwanda, from border to border, town to town, sector to sector to begin a Discovery Bible Study. Our goal is to begin a DBS in every sector in Rwanda (450+) in the next five years. Imagine families and communities gathering together to listen to God's Word, discuss it's meaning and then working out what obedience will look like in their lives and then commit to obeying every week! It will transform Rwanda bringing healing and grace to the hurting and imprisoned!

Thank you again for your prayers for our family and for Rwanda. Come Lord Jesus Come! Rain down your Mercy and Grace upon this beautiful nation. Heal the hurting and revive the people!

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With: Luke10:2b, Prayer

DMM Rwanda – 5 Year Planning Retreat

February 5, 2010 By Murphy Crowson

This weekend the Rwanda Team will be having a 5 Year Planning retreat together. We've worked hard to develop the vision, mission and core values for the Disciple Making Movement in Rwanda that we are praying for. Now it's time to set objectives and goals that we can work towards to accomplish the Vision that God has given us. Please join us in prayer for the weekend…

  • Please pray that the Lord would open our hearts and minds to see Rwanda, it's people and their needs, as He sees them.
  • Please pray that the Lord would give us eyes to see clearly what He wants us to do in the next five years.
  • Please pray that the Lord would bless each of us with insight into the specific areas that He has equipped us to work in.
  • Please pray that God's hand would be upon all those leading and facilitating the weekend's activities.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for our family and ministry in Rwanda!

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With: Prayer, Rwanda

Marthe

January 16, 2010 By Christine

I don't usually write blog posts but Murphy asked if I would write about Marthe.  We moved into our house in Kicukiro, Kigali in February last year and soon after moving in a young woman came to ask if we wanted to have our house sprayed for mosquitos.  I said yes and gave the young woman our information.  She told me her name was Marthe and pointed out where she lived, just up the street from our house.  She told me she had a five year old daughter and that was the end of our conversation.  Almost as soon as she left our house I felt burdened for her.  I started praying for her every time I passed her house.  On two occasions I tried to visit her but she was never home.  I added her name to my prayer list and started lifting her name before the throne every morning.  

A year ago we moved to Rwanda from Togo, West Africa.  It was the most difficult move I have ever made.  Saying good-bye to my Togolese sisters and brothers felt like ripping my heart into pieces.  My first six months in Rwanda were challenging.  I cried a lot mourning the loss of friends and life and  in Togo.  I was unsure of the reason God called us away from Togo to Rwanda.  I did feel certain of the calling so I dove into language learning and began asking God to show me His purpose for me here.  Right away I felt a resounding sense, deep in my heart, to be patient and to trust God.  God led us here and he would show us his purpose in His perfect time.  

At the beginning of this month,  I was having a heart to heart with God about the up-coming year.   I was telling God, "I have been patient, I have been learning language, now what?" The words Jesus spoke to Peter in John 21 came rushing at me like a freight train.  "Simon son of John, do you love me", …"then feed my sheep".  I immediately went to those scriptures and read that dialogue.  I felt like Jesus was saying the same thing to me.  Jesus was challenging Peter, he was challenging me.  At that point in his life, Peter was broken and at the end of himself, now Jesus could use him.  Will I be broken and come to the end of myself?  I hope so!  Yes Jesus, I love you!  I will trust you and feed your sheep, please show me how!

Just a few days later Marthe came to our house.  It had been almost a year since I last saw her.  I had been praying for this woman daily for nearly a year without ever knowing why.  She was at our house conducting a survey for our neighborhood.  I asked if I could come and visit her at her home.  She seemed eager and happy for me to come.  This past Thursday I went to Marthe's house.  It was only my third time to speak to her but I felt like I had known her for so long.  We sat awkwardly for a moment and then she sprang up and announced that she had some photos to show me.  She left and came back with an album and a sack full of snap shots.  For an hour I sat in her small cinder block house, on her gold colored velour sofa sipping warm Fanta and listening as she shared her life with me.  I saw pictures of her as a teenager, pictures with her friends at the lake, pictures of her family.  I saw pictures of her wedding and learned that her husband lives in a town three hours away.  She didn't tell me the reason.  I saw pictures of her siblings and their weddings.  I saw pictures of her teachers and classmates at a technical school and later pictures of her students at that same school.  I saw pictures of her daughter and listened as she explained that four months ago her husband came with civil authorities and took her daughter away, she hasn't seen her since.  In the moment she told me that her loneliness felt palpable.  

I left Marthe's house amazed at the God we serve.  I may never know exactly why he burdened my heart to pray for her but perhaps it was because of the difficult journey that lay ahead of her.  I was overwhelmed by the the love God has for her and for all of us. He knows Marthe intimately and allowed me the opportunity to take just a glimpse into her heart.  I now have a specific prayer to pray for Marthe.  I don't know my future but I hope Marthe is in it.  I praise God for his patience with me!  I feel encouraged to keep pressing forward with my language learning and keep trusting God and feeding his sheep.  That may take many forms and shapes and I pray that everyday my eyes and my heart will be open so that I don't miss the opportunities He lays in my path.

Filed Under: Christine, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With: Christine, Prayer, Rwanda

Prayers this week…

November 2, 2009 By Murphy Crowson

I've got a couple of important meetings this week and ask for some special and specific prayers…

  • Tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm meeting with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) VP of Learning to talk about ways that ATN can partner with their mission in Rwanda.
  • Wednesday I have a meeting with Cephas to talk about his work Rwanda and Congo.
  • Also, I met a man who's job is to equip and empower prayer warriors in Rwanda! He doesn't speak french or english though. This is super motivating to me to keep learning Kinyarwanda! Pray that we can begin to form a friendship in spite of my struggling language ability!

If you could ask the Lord to bless these meetings that would be great. I want to help, serve, equip and empower Rwandans in every way that I can.

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer Needs, Rwanda
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