"Rwanda - A Purpose Driven New Generation"

May 17, 2007
African Enterprise

Three years ago Rwandan Team Leader, Antoine Rutayisire received a copy of 'The Purpose Driven Live' by Rick Warren. After reading it in one sitting on his trip back from the United States, Antoine was very impressed. He then decided that the Rwandan people who do not read English or French should also have the privilege of reading it in their native language. He started translating it, hoping to use the manuscript to lend to anyone who would be interested.

Antoine was not expecting to ever meet the author, so he was delighted that when Rick Warren visited Rwanda a year later he was invited to be his interpreter at speaking events. When Rick expressed the idea of getting the book translated into Kinyarwanda, Antoine told him it was almost finished!

The Kinyarwanda version of the book was launched last November. It came as a follow up to seminars which had a great impact on senior Rwandan church leaders. The intention was not only to turn the churches of Rwanda into 'purpose driven churches' but also to turn the whole nation into a 'purpose driven nation'. To see their President inviting a pastor 'to help turn Rwanda into a purpose driven nation' is in itself a prophetic sign. God is doing great things in that nation, but 'ibyiza biri imbere' (better days are soon to come)is a saying that has become very popular with the younger Rwandan people. It is good to hear such words from a generation that has sprouted out of the horrific days of the genocide!"