Picture credit: Bible Society / Mark Woods
The ninth African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI) conference opened in prayer and song in the presence of Rwanda's Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente. The prayers were led by Bishop Nathan Gasatura of the Anglican diocese of Butare in Rwanda and his wife Florence, and the songs by the Kigali Chorale, a choir drawn from local churches.
Speaking to the conference's theme of 'From Trauma to Triumph', Bishop Gasatura drew on the story of Nehemiah, who took the Hebrews from a moment of suffering and slavery to a new beginning. Reflecting on Rwanda's recent history in the light of the story, he spoke of the need for leaders to be prayerful, visionary and resilient; and social mobilisers, team builders, loving and caring.
The conference was welcomed by the Archbishop of Kigali and chairman of the board of the Bible Society of Rwanda, Most Revd Antoine Kambanda. The fact that ABLI was being held in Rwanda, he said, was a tribute to the stability of the country and the strength of its institutions. He thanked Rwanda's President Paul Kagame for bringing 'trauma to triumph, death to life, darkness to light'.
He spoke of the role of Bible Societies not just in distributing the Bible, but in contributing to the holistic transformation of nations. Every country, he said, could learn from Rwanda's experience in using the Bible as a tool to help heal the wounds of trauma and bring about reconciliation.
'We have discovered the power of forgiveness,' he said, which 'leads from death to life'.
ABLI, he said, wanted to 'deny and change the dark image of Africa' that was often prevalent in Western media. The Rwandan Bible Society, in partnership with others, aimed to mentor young leaders, preparing them to become healers and role models for a future generation.
In a brief address, ABLI moderator Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, contrasted the 1994 Rwandan genocide with the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black president, recalling that journalists travelling to cover the auguration had been diverted to cover the genocide instead. These were, he said, Africa's highest and lowest moments. 'Twenty-five years ago this country was literally on its knees,' he said. 'It signified gloom and despair. Now it signifies hope and dignity.'
Paying tribute to the role played by President Kagame, he stressed that 'leadership matters': 'Vision, purpose and courage are the attributes we know are essential in overcoming despair and bringing hope.' He urged the need for clarity of vision, solidarity and a sense of unity, and resilience in the face of obstacles.
Revd Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in the US – and a dual-nationality Rwandan citizen for the last 15 years - spoke powerfully of how the Church was called to work for the poor, a message echoed by Ndide Nwuneli, a Lagos-based social entrepreneur who challenged the Churches to overcome their differences and work together. Churches have vast assets, she said, but need to be imaginative in using them and courageous in confronting corruption and wrongdoing.
The Prime Minister of Rwanda received the gift of a specially bound Bible on behalf of President Kagame. He commended the 'great work of Bible mission' and spoke of how biblical values were being used to bring reconciliation to Rwanda through partnerships between the Churches, government and NGOs, and was warmly applauded by the audience.
Picture credit: Bible Society / Mark Woods/Dennis Machio
