Home >> Rwanda

Rwanda

___________________________________________________________________________________

Demographics

Population: 9.9 million
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 57%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11%, Muslim 5%, none 2%
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili
Economy: Agriculture products (coffee, tea, pyrehtrum), Industries (cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages) ___________________________________________________________________________________

About Rwanda

Rwanda is a small landlocked country in East Africa. It is a nation that is best known for the genocide that took place in 1994. Rwanda is mainly composed of two tribes, the majority Hutu (“poor”) and minority Tutsi (“rich”). During the genocide, armed Hutu militias systematically killed Tutsi men, women, and children, and also killed Hutus who wanted peace. The genocide left the country deeply scarred and troubled.

Yet in the last few years, Rwanda has been advancing at a remarkable rate. Improvements in infrastructure and the economy can be seen, and the racial rifts between the Hutu and the Tutsi people are healing. The main religion of Rwanda is Christianity, but this has largely been Christian in name only, with a large number of Roman Catholics. In recent years, however, there has been a revival and many are coming to genuine faith in Christ.

Cornerstone’s first involvement in Rwanda was in 2005 with a team led by Pastor Daniel Chua. Pastor Lip Yong then followed up in 2007 and established a relationship with Pastor Kamanzi. He began working in partnership with Cornerstone Singapore and Zion Fellowship to start a new Bible school that would teach clear and sound doctrine, yet be as affordable as possible to everyone. Zion Ministerial Institute, Kigali was thus started in November 2007 with the intent that it might be both wide-reaching and theologically in-depth. While there are bible schools in Rwanda, they are often too expensive for most local pastors to attend, though many desire sound biblical teaching.

As the school is more comfortable with French than English, the assistance of Pastor Ted Topper (leader of Zion Fellowship in Burkina Faso) was necessary. Thanks to his efforts, French-language Zion materials were supplied to the new school and lessons began in 2007.

The first class of students graduated in September of 2008. 60 students started in the school, but eventually only 15 graduated. These graduates were either pastors or are in full-time ministry.

In May 2009, Cornerstone Singapore sent a teaching team to Rwanda and plans to send several teams there each year to aid in the teaching. The school is gaining a good reputation and is educating pastors and leaders from throughout the nation of Rwanda.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Cornerstone Bible School: Zion Ministerial Institute, Kigali

Leadership: Pastor Theophile Kamanzi is the Senior Pastor of the Apostolic Church and Zion Ministerial Institute in Kigali, Rwanda. He has partnered with Cornerstone since 2007, and is a respected leader of the Christian community in Rwanda. Pastor Kamanzi was educated in France and is married with four grown children.