Union of Baptist Churches

We are privileged to introduce you to a man who has been greatly impacted by the ministry of UBC. His story, which he shares below, is one of redemption, hope, and full reliance upon Jesus Christ.

I am called by the name of Hagumishuti Eilya. I was born in Rutshuru territory in Nyanzale village in the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 23, 1975. I am the third born of my family. My father was married to four other women, and my mother was the second wife. She was very jealous of the other wives and children. She used to train us to grow into conflicts with the other children of my father and consider them as enemies. At age 11, my two older sisters and I were trained by our grandmother in witchcraft. She wanted us to poison our brother and become the leaders of our family.

In an effort to try to control my father, my mother introduced him to drugs. She supplied him with drugs to keep him in our home so that she would have access to all of his income. She did not want the other wives to have anything.

At age 14, I was in secondary school with my brother, Nelson, the son of the first wife of my father. I used to run races with him at school. By the end the school year, he began to win all of our races. My mother was totally jealous of that. Nelson and I would tend the family goats in the afternoon. One day, my mother and grandmother gave me a banana that had been poisoned and told me to give it to Nelson. I gave him that banana, and I ate one without poison. After tending the goats, we each went back to our homes.

About an hour later, someone came running to our home to say that Nelson was about to die because of complications in his belly. My father, mother, and grandmother ran to check on him and instructed all of us children to stay at home. After a few minutes, I decided that I needed to join them. Nelson was my friend, and I knew that I should not have given him the banana. I had to try to remedy this problem. When I arrived, I was met with many people weeping. I told my father and the neighbors present what I had done. They gave Nelson traditional medicines that caused him to vomit the poison. Fortunately, he survived.

My mother and grandmother were immediately captured and beaten by the villagers. They both died two days later. I, too, was beaten, but my stepmother intervened. She was a Christian and knew how I had been impacted by my mother’s teachings. She wanted me to live with her and attend Sunday School and church. I went, but was insulted by all the other children because of what happened. No one would be my friend. I learned about Jesus and was mentored by Pastor Ushindi. At 16, I was baptized. There were still very few people that would accept me. I began to fall away from my faith.

At 19, I decided to join a rebellion group in our village. During the war against the government army, I was captured and put in prison. I was there for one year and four months before I escaped, fleeing to the town of Goma. I met a woman and got married, but I continued living in a very sinful way.

In September 2017, I met Pastor Kazaviyo while I was working. He started telling me about the news of Jesus Christ. I told him that I know all that. He asked me if I had received Christ in my life. I said yes and that I have been baptized since I was 16 years old. He asked me why I hadn’t continued to serve God in church. That really made me stop and think. When he saw that, he continued to question me. I told him all about my life story and the devastating things that I had experienced. He comforted me and gave me a new hope in Jesus Christ. He invited me to his church, where I began to learn more about Jesus and grow in my faith.

I am now an evangelist and share the hope of Jesus with others. The Lord has blessed me with a wife and five children. The Lord has cared for me, even when I had done so many terrible things. I am grateful for the ministry of UBC that helped me find God and His purpose for my life.

Fellowship Bible Church – Myanmar

There are many people that are involved in the work of Fellowship Bible Church and all of our ministries. We would like to tell you about two of the men that are just a small part of what God is doing in Myanmar.

John – Church Planter

John is one of our church planters among the Buddhist people in Yangon. He was born again in 2001 and got the vision to do evangelism and church planting. He immediately began to share his faith with a few people, even though he was very fearful.

John has worked with FBC as a minister since 2014. He has seen the work and direction of God throughout his ministry. He has witnessed people experience healing and other miracles of God. And God has given him much more confidence. He is now able to approach anyone and share the Gospel.

John was able to start a church in the community. The area is filled with unbelievers, and most are very poor. Each week, about 150 people attend services. This year, 35 people accepted Jesus as their savior! He regularly visits homes in the area to distribute tracts and invite people to church.

John says: “By working with FBCM, I have the benefits of financial support, prayer, education, Bibles for ministry, and strategies for evangelizing. Myanmar Bible College sent students to help our church with evangelism outreach and to share the love of God house by house, at the market, and on the bus and train.”

Thang Law – Myanmar Bible College

Thang Law was a student at Myanmar Bible College and completed his Bachelor of Theology in 2015. He completed his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology at Myanmar Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in 2018. During his time in graduate school, he began serving as a warden in the boy’s dormitory of MBC. He was happy to serve because it was the place where he began his studies of the word of God. As warden, he has full responsibility for all boy students and manages the dorm and all activities including devotions, cleaning, study hours, discipline, and more.

He began to develop ways to improve communication among the students. Because they came from varied cultures, tribal backgrounds, and life experiences, it was sometimes difficult for them to find common ground. What they do have in common is an eagerness to learn the Bible and serve God in ministry in the future. The eagerness he sees in them, continues to motivate him. The students have become very organized and diligent in their daily household responsibilities, as well as their studies.

Thang says: “They are quite eager to study. They often come to me during study time to ask about the things they do not understand. I am also able to talk with them about their future plans. They have a burning desire to serve God, and the are being well trained for that at MBC. I hope and expect these students will become great servant leaders in our country.”

Thank you for your prayers and financial support of our ministry. It allows us to continue to fill the great commission of Jesus Christ in Myanmar.

Kerith Ministry – Rwanda

We are grateful for your continued support of our ministry. Because of your faithful giving, we were able to construct two additional classroom buildings last year, which allows us to provide life-changing education for more children. I would like to tell you about two of our students and the impact that education is making in their lives. It would not be possible without your prayers and assistance. Please continue to keep our ministry in your prayers.

Mary Among

Before joining Kerith, Mary was subjected to child labor. She would chase away birds in people’s rice gardens to be able to get a meal. Mary could not go to school because her parents could not afford to pay school fees and not even raise scholastic materials for her. Mary was sleeping on a mat with her four sisters and brothers, with nothing to cover themselves. Their parents were simply too poor to meet their basic needs. Mary led a miserable life and daily admired her friends that went to school.

Mary joined Kerith in 2009. Since then, she has been able to pursue her education with no delays and is currently in high school. In addition, she no longer uses a mat, but sleeps on a mattress with bed sheets and a covering, has access to clean water and medical care, and has made new friends that have made her more outgoing. She has grown spiritually and helps to lead other children at Kerith in the evening devotions. She is confident sharing the word of God!

Mary wants to become a surgeon and is working so hard to continue her studies. Your contributions help us provide the education that Mary needs in order to succeed. Please join us in praying for Mary and her future. We know that she will become a wonderful surgeon some day!

Barbra Kisakye

Barbra Kisakye is another one of the kids at Kerith home. She was born to a woman who used to attend our church. Her mum was so sickly. Little did we know that she was suffering from HIV/AIDS. Her mum came to Pallisa town after being chased from her home by her husband who accused her of infidelity, saying that was how she contracted the disease. Barbra’s father then married a woman who did not want Barbra living in the home and sent her away to live with her sickly, helpless mum. Barbra was not stable in school since her mother could not afford all the school requirements and school fees due to her condition.

Barbra and her mother faithfully attended our church. The Sunday School teachers took notice of Barbra’s vulnerability. Through our church, she was able to get her primary education. Sadly, Barbra lost her mum a week before her final exams in her primary education. She was left an orphan. Because of the way women are treated in our culture, we knew how difficult life was going to be for her. By this time, our congregation was very attached to this precious girl. It was determined that she would come to live in the children’s home. Without our intervention, she would have ended up living on the streets with no hope of a future.

Since she came to Kerith, Barbra has been able to continue with her studies and make friends with the other children. She has also grown in her spiritual life. She is in the music ministry at church and also helps with young children in their Sunday School classes.

By the grace of God, Barbra is turning 14 years of age and attending a secondary school in senior two (equivalent of 10th grade in the US). She is a very smart girl, loves her books, and puts much emphasis on her science subjects. Barbra is working so hard toward becoming a nurse.

Seira Community Ministry – Rwanda

The Lord has faithfully been growing the churches that are part of our ministry. Our first church in Kigali now has two services every Sunday with over 600 people hearing the word of God.

The members of the church in Rukumberi met for the first time under a cover of tarps hobbled together to give protection from the sun. Last summer, church members began working together to make all of the bricks for a church building. They now have a beautiful, safe place to meet protected from the elements. The church is also surrounded with gardens that are used to help provide for the community.

In Jarama, we have a church and water project that provides clean water to those living nearby. The people are so grateful to have clean water and because the church helped to bring in the well, they have started coming to the church to hear the word of God. The church has grown from 150 members to 300 this year.

Nyirabazungu Peresi

Meet one of our church members in Jarama. Her name is Nyirabazungu Peresi. She has lived with HIV for many years. She had no hope to live after she received the news of her diagnosis.

In 2013, when we went to Jarama to start a new church, we met Nyirabazungu when she attended a seminar where we shared the Gospel. The pastor told the people that the impact of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. She was very touched by that word, but did not accept Christ that day.

The next day, I was there with other members of our ministry. As I left, she stopped my car on the road and started to ask me how she could have eternal life. She told me that she was dying. I asked who told her she was dying and that no one can know the time they will die. She answered with two things – I am living with HIV because my husband frequented prostitutes. When he died, I began prostituting so that others would have the disease too. I do not have peace in doing that. Also, I am drinking too much, and sitting with people that are no good.

We prayed together, and now she is a Christian. She helps in our Sunday School classes and is also the secretary at the church. We praise God that she has turned from her wickedness and is living her life for the Lord.

Nyiramivumbi Pascasie

On the last Saturday of the month, we go to visit with those who are in the hospital. We give them clothes, food, soaps, and other items depending on what we are able to get every month. We also spend time praying with them.

Nyiramivumbi was very seriously ill, without someone to help care for her. People from our church continued to visit her in the hospital for months, praying with her and sharing about Jesus. God answered our prayers; and finally, Nyiramivumbi was well enough to go home. She began attending our church services and accepted Christ as her Savior last year. She is 83 years old and is very proud of being a member of the church that cared for her while she was ill. We continue to help her as different needs arise, and she is faithful in praying for others.

Seira Community Ministry

God continues to bless the church in Rwanda! Recently constructed churches are now filled with both people and songs of praise. A team recently visited the Seira Community Churches, our partner there, and participated in three special services where a total of 47 people were baptized, including this excited young lady.

As previously reported, literally thousands of churches have been forced to close in Rwanda due to new government regulations that dictate stringent building standards. One by one, we are rebuilding churches as God’s people provide the funding. Currently, we have several locations where the property is ready for construction. A gift of $500, $1,000, or more towards church construction will help us to continue moving forward with the Gospel.

Another way to help in Rwanda is by providing a goat to a needy family. Goats provide milk and eventually income to help sustain and encourage a whole household. A gift of $50 will purchase a goat and help change a family’s future for the better.

Union of Baptist Churches

Harvesters’ partner in the D.R. Congo continues to grow their ministry and impact lives there through church planting, training pastors and leaders, educating children, assisting widows, and providing orphan care. Recently, a team from the United States spent several days in Goma conducting sessions for pastors, leaders, women, and children. Everyone was blessed by how God used the time to encourage both the team and the Congolese people involved. It is impressive to experience the joy that is present among God’s people who live in such a difficult place.

In our recent newsletters, we’ve described several efforts to strengthen the Congolese churches and open doors of evangelism through efforts to meet material needs. Ongoing, there are continued opportunities to bless people and communities in special ways. Our partner there is praying for funding to install a second water storage tank to serve widows in Kibumba, typically referred to as “the widow’s village”. The tank, which costs $2,400 to build, is used to capture rainwater that is stored for later use during the dry season. This project “pays for itself” since it reduces the amount of water that the women must purchase to sustain their families when the rainfall stops for several months each year.

As with widows, the orphans of the D.R. Congo also have pressing needs. At our “Orphan’s Framing Center” there, $500 will provide 1,000 meals, and $200 will cover the annual cost of education and needed uniforms for one child.

Thank you for your willingness to be part of what God is doing in D.R. Congo!