(Kigali, Rwanda) Fifteen years after the 1994 genocide that killed an estimated 1 million people in 100 days, the people of Rwanda continue the hard work of healing and restoration, laying the groundwork for a strong future. Through Kigali Festival with Andrew Palau on July 17-18, and the festival’s preceding Season of Service, hope and Good News were offered in abundance.
Attended by more than 70,000 people, the evangelist’s two-day festival was held on the Amahoro National Stadium grounds in Rwanda’s capital city. Another 3,000 people attended separate events for women, government, business, and civic leaders, and prisoners at Kigali Central Prison. More than 5,000 people made public decisions for Jesus Christ.
“It is a joy and privilege to see God’s powerful offer of life, freedom, and forgiveness so readily embraced,” said Palau. “The incredible response testifies to God’s work of reconciliation in beautiful Rwanda.”
The Palau festival was a partnership with Africa New Life Ministries, Hope Rwanda, and Water for Life, combining their efforts to gather more than 350 participating churches. The campaign was fully supported by Kigali City’s mayor, vice mayor, city council, and all of the city’s sector leadership.
Kigali Festival itself included all the classic components of a Palau festival: a Family Fun Zone for kids, action sports demonstrations by professional BMX and skateboard athletes, the Gospel message presented by Palau, and live concerts by Nicole C. Mullins, Building 429, Dave Lubben, and Rwandan musician and genocide survivor, Enric Sifa.
Preceding the festival, the Season of Service brought together churches, government leaders, businesses, and hundreds of volunteers. The initiative launched on April 17 at a local school and genocide survivors’ village where a new water catchment system and drill are being installed. Water for Life and the Luis Palau Association will continue for three years adding clean water systems for the city’s schools. A total of 22 service projects were completed and another 60 projects are being planned for completion over the next three years.
Play For Hope, a ministry to initiate and strengthen local sports outreaches, hosted an eight-week series of camps that culminated in a soccer tournament at the stadium with winners announced on the first festival night. At Africa New Life’s orphanage, as well as at the stadium grounds during the festival, Compassion Connect ran medical clinics where 700 patients received free dental, vision, and medical services.
Twenty-six delegates representing seven different nations attended the festival’s Next Generation Alliance® Extend the Impact Conference. Each is considering inviting Palau to host a future festival in their country.
“If the Rwandan situation can be amended by repentance and forgiveness, and the people here can be reconciled enough to live together again, it can happen anywhere in the world,” said Bishop John Rucyahana, Kigali Festival chairman.
Find out more at Andrew’s website.
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(Kigali, Rwanda) Rwanda President Paul Kagame met with international evangelist Andrew Palau in April, graciously committing to lend counsel and attend Palau’s upcoming Kigali Festival. As part of the festival in July, a preceding Season of Service was launched in tandem with the country’s 100-day commemoration of the fastest-killing genocide in human history.
Still recovering from the 1994 genocide that killed an estimated 1 million people in 100 days, more than 350 churches in Rwanda’s capital city invited Andrew Palau to bring his message of hope and Good News where the need is great. The festival is fully supported by the Kigali mayor, vice mayor, and city council.
Andrew is the son of well-known world evangelist Luis Palau, whose Next Generation Alliance® mentors young evangelists worldwide. NGA has a “five-year footprint” in Rwanda, according to Festival Director Dr. Tim Robnett. “The Alliance’s success prompted this invitation for Andrew. And other African nations are following suit,” he said.
The Palau model for festival evangelism that now includes a Season of Service (SOS) is fitting for Kigali. Citizens have long been involved in improving public areas through government-mandated community service called “umuganda” (work for free) projects. Kigali churches are mobilizing their congregations to do similar umuganda projects under Palau’s SOS banner where churches, government leaders, and citizens co-labor for the good of the community. “I’m inviting and challenging the pastors in Kigali to join Andrew Palau and to engage a transformational, sustainable ministry within their city,” said Bishop John Rucyahana.
Kigali’s SOS launched on April 17 at a local school where a new water catchment system will bring clean water to its 2,200 children and will also benefit those in the Genocide Survivors Village next door. “SOS is an effort to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ and open relationships for the sake of the Good News,” said Andrew.
The festival itself, on July 17-18 at Amahoro Stadium, is a free event for everyone. It will feature internationally-known Christian musicians as well as local Rwandan artists. Action sports athletes will demonstrate their skills and a Family Fun Zone will entertain young ones. Andrew will share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invite those in attendance to make a faith commitment.
“Rwanda is set for great days of transformation and redemption,” said Andrew.
Find out more at Andrew’s website.
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