This is probably the most difficult prayer letter I have ever had to write because this has been our home for 15 years. After talking with Pastor Wilkerson and Bro Bosje, we have decided to leave Rwanda and move to Burundi—the country below Rwanda. When looking at all of the details involved, it seems clear that the Lord is definitely moving us in many ways:
1. Now there are over 7,000 churches closed by the government. After four months, I still don’t even know why ours was closed, and other churches are the same way. Some had papers, some did not, and many had good locations—but they were still closed. It is simply an attack against churches.
2. Home churches are declared illegal. But some of our Christians are still having church in their homes the best they can. Please pray for them.
3. We did NOT get our radio reopened with the emergency case in May, which shows this is political, and the judge was afraid to rule for us and the law of Rwanda.
4. We are losing our church property. First, the area has been declared to be a park zone—so we can never build on it. Second, the government allowed a developer to take the whole hillside and expropriate everyone there. So, at least we will get some money (in the distant future) for the land, which will help us Burundi.
5. The door is wide open in Burundi. Rwanda has heard the Gospel plainly for nine years with our radio. Burundi has not. There are no strong Baptist churches there. Shouldn’t they have the opportunity to hear?
6. I have not mentioned much about it before, but the Lord put Burundi on my heart a long time ago. In 2014, we took a survey trip there to see about starting a radio for them—but it was just not the time yet. Also FYI, both countries are tiny, and together they are smaller than Indiana.
So, the plan: We have another court case on July 18. If the radio is opened, then my assistant pastors can run it, and I will only be six hours away to help with problems. If not, then we take the machines to Burundi. But win or lose, we will go to Burundi and start a church and another radio station there. So, the court case will decide if we are missionaries to Rwanda/Burundi or just to Burundi. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support.
In His service,
Gregg, Angela, Caleb, Hannah, Timothy, Virginia, Micah, and Zachery Schoof
