Raised by Christian parents and educated in a faith-based high school, Grace* was immersed in an environment that nurtured her love for praying and singing in the choir. “I was favoured in that environment,” Grace recalls, “but I hadn’t yet accepted Jesus Christ in my heart.”
Everything changed after secondary school. Grace began to drift away from a godly life, “I became a lukewarm Christian,” she admits. “My passion, love, and fear for Jesus Christ died. I stopped obeying God’s word and lost my fear of sin.” What followed was a dark time in Grace’s life. She experienced disappointments, depression, and the pain of broken relationships. “It was the worst part of my life,” she reflects and now testifies, “There is no peace or happiness in sin.”
But God had not given up on Grace. Her turning point came during a concert lead by gospel ministers where she heard a message about being a friend of Jesus. “They talked about how Jesus can live and walk with you in every step you take,” Grace says. “I felt like that word was meant for me.” In that moment, she decided to embrace this second chance Jesus was offering her. Grace decided to ask God to cleanse her from her sins and renew her life to one that is healthily bound in Christ.
“After that moment, I felt like every chain that tied me was cut,” Grace shares. “Happiness flowed into me, I felt relaxed and have nothing to worry about since Christ was with me.” From that day forward, Grace’s life has been marked by peace, joy, and a renewed commitment to grow spiritually. “I want to serve the Lord and use the talents he has given me to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers.”
Grace’s story is just one of the many lives transformed by God through Jesus. All About Life (JAAL) in Rwanda, an evangelistic outreach led by African Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE) Rwanda in partnership with Bible Society. Launched in 2023, JAAL Rwanda has reached over half a million people with the message of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. Like Grace, thousands of Rwandans have found new life in Christ, with over 16,000 making a commitment to follow Jesus during the JAAL Easter 2024 outreach.
Though Rwanda has a predominantly Christian population, the aftermath of the 1994 genocide left lingering questions about God’s love, sovereignty, and the role of the Church during such a tragic time. The lasting trauma of the past has left many Rwandans struggling with devoting fully to their faith.
The aim of AEE Rwanda’s Jesus. All About Life campaign is to foster Rwandans’ reconciliation with God by calling the church to bring back evangelism to the forefront of their mission. By supporting the local church with intentional discipleship training, AEE Rwanda is equipping the church to share the gospel with their communities and make disciples of Christ.
Your support for this project will bring hope and transformation to even more Rwandans as they encounter God’s message of redemption, forgiveness, and love, and his plan to restore all things through Christ.
To learn more and give, visit biblesociety.org.au/sow
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*Name changed to protect privacy
