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A Young Leader in Rwanda Helping to Rebuild His Country

A year after the brutal genocide in Rwanda, a young man named Luke came to know Christ. Having witnessed unspeakable brutality, much of it at the hands of young people like himself, Luke became determined to help rebuild his nation and become a positive force for change.

Rwanda is now a nation being rebuilt by young people who are sold out to Jesus. In the face of unbelievable suffering, evil and destruction these young people are living out the values of God’s Kingdom – love, grace, forgiveness, purity, self-sacrifice and servant-hood.

Soon after his conversion, Luke attended Youth for Christ Rwanda’s Leadership and Discipleship training program. God’s hand was on Luke and He was preparing him for His purpose.

Luke returned to his local church which had no pastor or leader. At 18 years of age Luke became the church leader. Luke began a Sports Ministry as a local outreach to young people using basketball, soccer and volleyball as a means of contacting them.

After a time, schools reopened in Rwanda and Luke started Youth for Christ Bible clubs in his local school. Luke also organized for Youth for Christ Bible Clubs to be opened in other local high schools, expanding the ministry to reach as many young people as he could.

Luke attended every Youth for Christ Youth Leadership Training program that was offered, hungry to receive training and grow in his relationship with God. During school holidays Luke along with other YFC young leaders would attend Bible studies in the home of Youth for Christ Rwanda’s National Director Jean-Baptiste. Soon Luke and another young leader, Johanna, became prayer partners with Youth for Christ praying and fasting early each Tuesday morning before school.

After finishing school Luke was employed in business and then also went to work for a local non government organization (NGO), earning a great deal of money. Luke began to notice corruption in the NGO and finally decided that he could no longer commit to this organization. He continued in business but Luke’s passion for reaching young led him to volunteer for Youth for Christ coordinating and training.

In 2002 Luke accepted God’s call on his life and joined Youth for Christ full-time, becoming the Coordinator for Volunteers and expanding his role to coordinate volunteers for the whole nation. There are now 400 plus volunteers and 12 paid staff under his leadership.

In May 2004 Luke married Lydia and they have a son, Timothy who was born in May 2005.
Luke served as manager of a project to reach 100,000 people in 2005. This was done through training young people and mobilizing them in teams and sending them out throughout Rwanda.

Recently, teams under Luke’s leadership went to three provinces in the south of Rwanda. At least 15,000 people came to listen to the Gospel, with about 3,000 of them receiving Jesus Christ into their lives. In one province, pastors could not believe what they saw. The teams ministered on the streets and in market places. Everybody was overwhelmed at the boldness of the Youth for Christ staff and volunteers.

In the past ten years, through the support of ministry partners like you, 350,000 young people have been reached and 70,000 of these have committed their lives to Christ. By the end of 2005 a further 800 young leaders were trained, and through them 100,000 more young people will be reached. This is the multiplication of one young person reached as a result of the faithfulness of supporters like you.

Check out this video on “Elevate Rwanda” – just one of the Youth for Christ projects in Rwanda:

A year after the brutal genocide in Rwanda, a young man named Luke came to know Christ. Having witnessed unspeakable brutality, much of it at the hands of young people like himself, Luke became determined to help rebuild his nation and become a positive force for change.

Rwanda is now a nation being rebuilt by young people who are sold out to Jesus. In the face of unbelievable suffering, evil and destruction these young people are living out the values of God’s Kingdom – love, grace, forgiveness, purity, self-sacrifice and servant-hood.

Soon after his conversion, Luke attended Youth for Christ Rwanda’s Leadership and Discipleship training program. God’s hand was on Luke and He was preparing him for His purpose.

Luke returned to his local church which had no pastor or leader. At 18 years of age Luke became the church leader. Luke began a Sports Ministry as a local outreach to young people using basketball, soccer and volleyball as a means of contacting them.

After a time, schools reopened in Rwanda and Luke started Youth for Christ Bible clubs in his local school. Luke also organized for Youth for Christ Bible Clubs to be opened in other local high schools, expanding the ministry to reach as many young people as he could.

Luke attended every Youth for Christ Youth Leadership Training program that was offered, hungry to receive training and grow in his relationship with God. During school holidays Luke along with other YFC young leaders would attend Bible studies in the home of Youth for Christ Rwanda’s National Director Jean-Baptiste. Soon Luke and another young leader, Johanna, became prayer partners with Youth for Christ praying and fasting early each Tuesday morning before school.

After finishing school Luke was employed in business and then also went to work for a local non government organization (NGO), earning a great deal of money. Luke began to notice corruption in the NGO and finally decided that he could no longer commit to this organization. He continued in business but Luke’s passion for reaching young led him to volunteer for Youth for Christ coordinating and training.

In 2002 Luke accepted God’s call on his life and joined Youth for Christ full-time, becoming the Coordinator for Volunteers and expanding his role to coordinate volunteers for the whole nation. There are now 400 plus volunteers and 12 paid staff under his leadership.

In May 2004 Luke married Lydia and they have a son, Timothy who was born in May 2005.
Luke served as manager of a project to reach 100,000 people in 2005. This was done through training young people and mobilizing them in teams and sending them out throughout Rwanda.

Recently, teams under Luke’s leadership went to three provinces in the south of Rwanda. At least 15,000 people came to listen to the Gospel, with about 3,000 of them receiving Jesus Christ into their lives. In one province, pastors could not believe what they saw. The teams ministered on the streets and in market places. Everybody was overwhelmed at the boldness of the Youth for Christ staff and volunteers.

In the past ten years, through the support of ministry partners like you, 350,000 young people have been reached and 70,000 of these have committed their lives to Christ. By the end of 2005 a further 800 young leaders were trained, and through them 100,000 more young people will be reached. This is the multiplication of one young person reached as a result of the faithfulness of supporters like you.

Check out this video on “Elevate Rwanda” – just one of the Youth for Christ projects in Rwanda: