It was back-to-school for lots of Canadian students this past week and it will be back-to-church for a some people this Sunday, although cottage season stretches longer and longer into the Fall. What if we couldn't go to a building for worship because of state persecution. For so many Canadians attending a service of worship is something they literally never do, so they wouldn't need to be dissuaded, but what about those of us who do?
In Rwanda thousands of churches and mosques have been shut down, supposedly because the pastors are poorly trained and there are no washrooms. The faithful see it as government suppression of freedom of religion which has been growing steadily for a decade, with the deaths of a number of leaders and the intimidation of worshippers.
This news is disturbing in a country where hundreds of thousands were murdered in the genocide of nearly 25 years ago. Many took refuge in churches, only to be murdered in the sanctuaries, their bodies left to rot.
Despite the closures many Christians are gathering for house meetings, according to Religious News Service:
KIGALI, Rwanda (RNS) – Grace Umutesi has
secretly been conducting services in her house in the Bannyahe slum on
the outskirts of the capital since officials shut down her church in
July for failing to comply with building safety standards and other
regulations.
“I’m very disappointed by the decision of the
government to close our church,” said Umutesi, 35, a mother of four.
“But we cannot stop to pray and praise God because our church has been
closed. God is everywhere and he listens to our prayers.”
God be with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and all those Rwandans who desire freedom of worship.
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