"Rwanda Dave" Talks About the Vision

This quicktime video was taken on the proposed site for the new school. It lasts about 8 minutes. Enjoy!

Rwanda Students Study Abroad at OC

The Talon

Oklahoma Christian University
Sara Shumate, Staff Writer

Oklahoma Christian University’s latest study abroad program is bringing students into campus instead of sending them out of the country.

Ten of Oklahoma Christian University’s new students this year are here thanks to an agreement with the government of Rwanda. The students are the Rwandan Presidential Scholars, one of the newest connections between Oklahoma Christian and their home country.

The Rwanda Ministry of Education began choosing these students by selecting 24 students based on national exams. These students were then given an English proficiency test that narrowed the field to 16. These students were then interviewed by members of the Oklahoma Christian staff who traveled to Rwanda to choose the remaining ten.

Yves Mujyambere, who is majoring in electrical engineering, is one of the students who made it all the way through the selection process.

“I chose the program because I was offered a full scholarship by the government of my country and Oklahoma Christian but also because I could receive a good quality of education from Oklahoma Christian,” Mujyambere said.

Christelle Lyiza, another of the ten students, is majoring in chemistry and saw not only the education benefits in this opportunity but the cultural ones as well.

“I chose to apply for this program for two main reasons: I was aware that I will have a good knowledge in my studies. In addition, it was a great opportunity to learn from other people culture, language, technology, and to have an experience of studying abroad. Another motivation was studying at a Christian university,” Lyiza said.

When these students return to Rwanda, they will be among the future leaders of the country.

“The aim of this program is to train students from Rwanda in the fields of sciences and technology so that they can use the acquired education to help in the development of their country,” Mujyambere said.

While all the students new this year to Oklahoma Christian are adjusting to their new lives at college, these students also have to adjust to a different culture.

“My first impression of Oklahoma Christian was positive because people were very kind toward our group. I appreciate the interaction of students and their instructors. I was surprised that there was any public transportation like bus or train because almost every student and every family has a car,” Lyiza said.

“Americans like to have fun, to have free food, to do every thing fast and being on time.

You can find a job easily even if you are a student,” Lyiza said.

There are many ways in which the lives of the Rwandan students differ now that they are in Oklahoma.

“When we first arrived it was so hot and now it’s cooling down and will certainly be colder during the winter,” Mujyambere said. “In Rwanda, we don’t have all those seasons, temperatures are always moderate and people don’t have to worry about what to wear. Sometimes they do, when it’s raining. Another thing that differs is that there is no public transport here. Whenever you want to go somewhere, you need to find a ride if you don’t have your car. In Rwanda you can go almost everywhere without necessarily having your own car.”

The students are being housed by families from Quail Springs Church of Christ.

“I appreciate how people in the office of international program and different offices have received us during the first week at Oklahoma Christian. I would like to thank all people who work in these offices. I thank also the president, Mike O’Neal for the occasion we had to go to his house, and have dinner with his family,” Lyiza said.

Preparing for School at KICS

For more photos of the school preparations, click here!

Possible Location for New School

For more photos of this location, click here!

The People of Rwanda

For more photos from Rwanda, click here!

PRAYER REQUEST

Friends of Rwanda,

I would like to make sure you are praying as we seek God's will and provision as we work toward a church plant in Kigali. March 4th will be the official kick-off for the church. God has shown His favor on this effort over the past 16 months and we can only believe and trust that this will continue to be the case. With this registration comes an expectation that we either buy and develop land in or purchase an existing facility. We are being directed by various officials to the location you can see in the linked pictures. This facility provides unbelievable potential and seems to fit the vision of those involved in moving this mission effort forward. We (Quail Springs) recently sent a couple of our elders with backgrounds in architecture and engineering to assess the possibilities of building. In that process this facility was presented to them and it seems that there is an interest by some officials that we take a lead in demonstrating "community" through church, community center, and school.

You may be unaware that the Jenkins have been a key in the establishment of a new school called Kigali International Community School. This is a Christian school and has just begin. The potential for this school is also great and a huge need in Kigali. They are currently meeting in a borrowed home and are looking for a more practical facility. There are many other dreams and visions of what can be done for the Kingdom in Kigali and several planning to be there in the near future to join the work and service to this nation full-time. God seems to be doing great things in Rwanda and with His continued work through His servants in Rwanda and elsewhere we anticipate seeing great things into the future. There will certainly be more to share in the near future as visioning and planning continues.

This facility is a major landmark in the city and part of what the government developed some time ago with the hopes of someone taking leadership in developing community with faith as a part of that. My personal desire is that we could be the ones to take that lead and become a prominent face for leadership and faith in this major African city looking for a future filled with hope through faith and community. For some on this list this will look like a vision beyond our grasp. Hopefully, we don't limit ourselves by what a man can do because God is bigger than any of us and our little dreams. If $140 million can be put into the Superdome in New Orleans to make it usable, God's people can find a fraction of that with God to further the Kingdom in a nation that is seeking a better tomorrow that we know can come with God. I pray that we can have a vision as big as the Rwandan leadership and be confident because we have God leading our effort.

The photos at the links below were taken by Tom Gooch (Quail elder) as he and his wife, Sue, and Larry Schwab (Quail elder) were in Rwanda exploring the options for land/facilities development. Thank you Tom for making these available.

http://homepage.mac.com/tlgooch/PhotoAlbum10.html

http://homepage.mac.com/tlgooch/PhotoAlbum11.html

Please join this circle of prayer for the nation of Rwanda and what God is doing and will continue to do through His people. Thanks to all of you for the service and support you have given already. Please note that no plans have been made whatsoever. I am simply asking for prayers for a shared vision that several have who have seen these facilities and the other possibilities that exist. As the pictures and visions are starting to filter through various channels, I thought it was time to put some of this in context so we are working and praying together for whatever God's will might be. It may not include any of these facilities, but for those of us who have seen them and other options and have explored what may or may not be possible it seems that God is asking us to have faith and continue to work with Him.

Blessings,
Bryan Hixson
Rwanda Liaison for Quail Springs