December 2021 Focus on Missions Blog: Rwanda Projects

Focus on Missions is a committee of St. Paul's Anglican Church assisting Vestry and Corporation to oversee the missions budget and related missions activities. Our team does the following: Provides and directs prayer support for missions projects, Interviews and trains individuals for short-term missions, Provides regular updates to the congregation and wider church community about St. Paul’s missions-related activities, Helps create and monitor agreements with international partners and projects.

Rwanda Microfinance
Over the years we have seen several small businesses blossom in Rwanda. Following training in savings, credit and business planning, microloans have been provided to groups to help members start small businesses to support themselves and their families. Unfortunately, COVID has restricted travel and commerce between districts, and has had an adverse effect on both businesses and loan repayments. Since new loans cannot be extended until old ones are paid off, most of the program is currently on hold. Together with the Cyangugu administrator (Wilber) we hope and pray that the program will return to some form of normality. Please continue to pray for the people of Rwanda as we share our faith and persevere through this difficult time.   

Rural Development Inter-Diocesan Service (RDIS) Housing Project   The 2021 house building project in both Shyogwe and Cyangugu Dioceses was successful and two new houses were constructed for needful families. The RDIS organization is very thankful to St. Paul’s because we are currently the only financing partner for this project. RDIS continues to provide full accounting for the funds sent and also provides narrative reports about how the recipient families were determined, how the construction proceeded and how the new homes were inaugurated. Below are two excerpts from the report.

Rwanda Youth Education  
The Youth Education Program, also administered by Wilber in the Cyagugu Diocese, has a committee to select students who have previously been forced to quit school due to unfavourable family circumstances. These students are given an opportunity to return to classes. Five students were selected when the program first started, and the number has grown to thirteen. Ideally, they will be assisted until they complete Senior 6 or a vocational program. Some interruptions to classes occurred because of COVID, but students were able to resume classes on October 11. We are pleased to announce that one student, Theodore, successfully completed Senior 6 this year. Recently we approved assistance for two additional students (Mahoro Keza and Niyo Adelphine, shown below), who will be able to return to classes in 2022.

Students have enjoyed exchanging letters with St. Paul’s youth and this letter writing campaign is being continued. The program provides renewed hope and motivation for students to acquire skills to take back to their communities. Please pray for the students and their families as they continue classes in the New Year.