Road to Rwanda---Christmas '24

 

God’s richest blessings this Christmas

Dear Friends, Family, and Dearly Loved,

Merry Christmas!!  We have been blessed beyond measure this year!! Mainly because we have continued to be able to work and live here in the beautiful country of Rwanda and teach at Virunga Valley Academy-----look it up on your social media!  And in praying about our Christmas letter I feel like, rather than writing about our family…which overall is doing very well….I want to talk about the struggles faced by this country in which we live.

First, I want you to know that Rwanda is listed as the safest country in Africa, the most densely populated country in Africa, and our town is one of the best places to see highland Silverback mountain gorillas.  We live very comfortably on our social security check. Every day (with consideration for the clouds and mist) we see the 5 incredible volcanoes that surround our town of Musanze.

However, the struggles are also real.  We were just released from a period of concern over the presence of Marburg virus disease which is in the same family as Ebola.  As is usual with these fevers, it is not that the actual number of cases is that high, but that the mortality rate is great.  Additionally, it became personal when the extended family of one of our staff members (and dear friends) were some of the patient zeros for the outbreak and he lost loved ones.  We took temperatures and washed hands at the gate before entering campus.  I was astounded to see how seriously our students took this with extensive handwashing, etc.  When asked, they said they would do anything not to be in another lockdown situation like Covid. The government of Rwanda was VERY proactive in quarantines and patient tracking to contain the virus and the threat has now passed.

A further very real concern is the sudden government restrictions on the churches of Rwanda. Quoting from Christianity Today: “Rwanda has shut down almost 10,000 places of worship in the past two months, and now its president has proposed making churches pay taxes on their income.

The country’s crackdown on houses of worship comes as part of an ongoing push to protect Rwandans from church corruption and fraud and to ensure that their buildings meet certain physical standards.   

Just weeks after winning his fourth term, President Paul Kagame condemned “mushrooming churches” that “squeeze even the last penny from poor Rwandans.” https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/08/rwanda-closed-churches-africa/. 

Most of these churches continue to be closed after 6 months.  A fellow missionary who consults with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) reports that only 5 or 6 of their 50 churches are open today.  This means that the pastors are not being supported and many are suffering real hardships.  Christmas activities are so curtailed that some of the leaders are encouraging fasting for the month of December….I want you to stop and think about that.  How would we respond if our churches in the US requested fasting in December?  (The comparison brought tears to my eyes when our friend described the situation.)  Christ’s church universal will continue to grow in Rwanda as they navigate this new reality of house gatherings and individual spiritual growth.  What the future results and regulations will be is unknown.

Recently, we were also reminded that there are many, many people still here who lived through the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. That means that people that they meet on the street, or eat with in restaurants, or even attend church with, are the people who slaughtered family members.  This is a society that daily practices forgiveness, but also harbors memories.

I know this is a different Christmas letter.  Forgive me if it is a bit heavy and unusual.  I did feel that this was what God wanted me to share in order for you to pray for us and the beautiful country of Rwanda.  Our school will celebrate its 10^th anniversary this spring.  We also are having our accreditation visit (which is a BIG deal) in March.  We hope to have our book: (Blessed The Healing Power of the Beatitudes: Eight Cross-Cultural Steps to Emotional, Relational, Spiritual Wholeness ) published by the spring or summer.  We will let you know after it is available.  For more up-to-date thoughts check out our blog: http://asiabeatitudes.blogspot.com/

We do wish God’s fullest and richest blessings upon you this holy Christmas season, as we covet your prayers,

Rick and Ann Marklund