Over the last several years, the church in Rwanda has gone through a difficult and stretching season. In 2018, the government began shutting down thousands of churches across the country due to new building codes and safety requirements. The changes came suddenly, and many churches, including ours, were forced to close or find new gathering spaces that met these strict standards. Navigating these regulations has not been easy. Like many other pastors, our church leadership has had to guide our congregation through not only spiritual needs, but also legal processes, building inspections, and rental challenges.
Last July, we had to leave the hall we were renting, again due to changes in government policy. Since then, we have been praying and looking for a solution. I am thrilled to share that just last week, we found an amazing hall available for rent. It fully meets all the government’s requirements for church buildings, and the rent is half the cost of what other venues have been charging us. Even better, it is just a 5-minute drive from our previous location. This is a huge answer to prayer, especially because the government now requires churches to hold sole leases, which makes monthly costs much harder to manage. Finding a space that fits both the regulations and our budget is a great encouragement.
So what happens next? Once we sign the lease agreement, we will submit it to the government along with the other required documents, including 1,000 signatures from the local community. After that, we will wait for approval. This process has been slow and uncertain, because we don’t have control over when the government will let us begin using the space. It has been both tricky and challenging.
Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for wisdom as we complete the lease process and for favor so we don’t encounter unnecessary delays. The new hall is beautiful. It is a single-floor conference space with a balcony. There are rooms in the back we can use for our children’s ministry and a green area for the kids to play. We also have a renovated church building more than two hours outside of Kigali that is waiting for inspection. The government will not allow us to reopen that branch until our main campus in the city is approved.
Even with all these hurdles, I am filled with hope. The Lord has been faithful, and I believe He is making a way for our church to gather again.
