WORLD SHINE MINISTRIES (WSM)

P.O. Box 10262, Kampala, Uganda

KIGEZI DIOCESE CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

INTRODUCTION

The Diocese of Kabale recently celebrated one hundred years since its founding. Thousands of believers including veterans of the East African Revival of the 1930s from diverse walks of life converged on the convention ground on Rugarama hill, in south western Uganda. The theme was Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. It was based on Hebrews 13:8. The Anglican Church of Uganda, Diocese of Kigezi had a very humble beginning. The first church was built by a Muganda Evangelist called Zakariya Balaba at Kikungiri in 1912. The second church was built on Rugarama hill in 1913. The Church Missionary Society White Missionaries came in 1921. In 1925 Rev. Jack Warren came to be Parish Priest and headteacher Kigezi High School. In 1935 Rev. Pittpitts became the first Archdeacon of Kigezi, Rwanda and Burundi. On February 2, 1951 Rev. P.J. Brazier became Assistant Bishop of Ankole/Kigezi Diocese in charge of Kigezi, Rwanda and Burundi. On January 8, 1967 the Rt. Rev. Richard Lyth was consecrated the first Bishop of Kigezi, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga Zaire. The first Synod sat on April 13-16, 1969 with a three-fold call to Renewal in Faith, Ministry and Unity. Kigezi Diocese had 6 Deaneries: Kabale, Muyebe, Kihanga, Nyaruhanga, Kinyasaano, Nyakatare and Seseme. Now there are four Diocese of Kigezi, North Kigezi, Muhabura and Kinkiizi. Christianity in Kigezi emphasized Spiritual birth with enlightenment to rid people of the primitive way of life. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1935 ushered in the drastic spiritual change in the lives of most Bakiga (Christians and non-Christians alike) who received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour: repentance of sin characterized with forsaking acts like adultery and alcoholism, restoration and reconciliation of relationships (emphasizing peace, love and unity); restitution (stolen property returned to owners); lay men and women teaching and preaching the gospel boldly; etc. secondly, both formal and informal education teaching reading, writing and arithmetic to enable Christians read the Bible to have a deeper understanding of the word of God. Thirdly, Christianity provided essential health services and mass sensitisation programmes to help Christians improve their hygiene and sanitation practices and immunisation against rampant killer diseases like small pox, measles, scabies and dysentery. Fourthly, it encouraged Christians to work hard and introduced cash crops like coffee and tea for economic empowerment. THE MISSION Our mission to Kabale was to join prayers for the consolidation of gains from Christianity in Kigezi Diocese and beyond.The host was the Kigezi Diocese Bishop George Katwesigye. The speakers included: the Church of Uganda Archbishop Stanley Ntagali who opened the conference, Rwanda Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, Congolese Bishop Enoch Kayeeye of Kiboga Zaire, Rev. Dr. William Rukirande, Rev. Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba, Rev. Dan Zoreeka, among others. The main speaker, Rev. Dr. Medad Birungi preached to a massive congregation in the Kabale Stadium.
(Below) Some of the surviving East African Revival veterans: Rev. Canon Gerishomu Ruhindi (99), Erina Kabigumira (98)

More East African Revival veterans Rev. Canon Wilson Komunda (97) & Rev. Canon Mahega(94)

The Jesus Match to Kabale stadium

Alleluia!!!... Jesus Christ never changes. As He was yesterday He is today and He will ever be. Amen. Rev. Dr. Birungi among thousands of believers in Kabale Stadiumtraffic police and a brass band were in attendance

More and more matchers

Archbishop Ntagali, Kigezi Diocese Bishop Katwesigye were among the matchers

More matching believers headed for Kabale Stadium

Prayer time

Archbishop Ntagali, Rev. Dr. Birungi, among others lead prayer

(Below) How Heavenly: Silhouetted against a clear blue sky, Rev. Dr. Birungi invokes Gods power

(Below): As far as the eye or camera can seemultitudes of believers worship

(Below) Modeling Primates? Archbishops Stanley Ntagali (Uganda), Onesphore Rwaje (Rwanda) & Enoch Kayeeye (DRC) step out to the waiting congregants

(Below) And they praised and worshipped

SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS

(Below): A surviving East African Revival veteran Rev. Canon Gerishomu Ruhindi
(98) flanked by Reverends Tumusiime, Birungi and Byarugaba

(Below): Joan C. Hall, 95, praises God: Ori Ruhanga, owiguru nensi

(Below): Congratulations for becoming Ugandas 8th Archbishop

(Below): A very smiley worshipperAmerican Mzungu

(Below) Scores of these young Christian Choir attended

(Below) More young people

(Below) A Uganda Red Cross vehicle waiting for blood donors?

(Below) How is the convention? Connie Birungi (centre) & hubby talk to Zeuriah

(Below): Glad to meet another East African Revival veteran

(Below): yet another veteran Mrs. Kabigumira 98 the mentor of Medad

(Below): Yet another worshipping veteran

(Below): Lovely prayer mountain in Kabale

CONCLUSION
It was a very successful Convention mission. Thousands were saved, healed and delivered. Hundreds rededicated their lives to Christ. In his message to the thousands of believers in Kigezi and beyond, Archbishop Stanley Ntagali noted, A Century of Christianity is a great moment to give thanks to God for the uncountable blessings upon the Diocese; looking back with thankful hearts for all that has been achieved over the years. Its evident that this has been possible by the grace of God. The back-born of this has been the power of the East African Revival that spread all over Greater Kigezi. It later covered the whole of East Africa and was to be known as the East African Revival Movement. The power which our Lord Jesus Christ had and used during his earthly ministry was passed onto us. The power of the Holy Spirit has led Kigezi this far mainly because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews13:8 The Kabale Diocesan Bishop George Katwesigye (right) noted: Our great grandparents who lived during those years better known as dark days, lived in total darkness in all spheres of life. The general lifecycle was characterized by hardships. They dressed in animal skins, lived in grass

thatched, ate from clay and wooden utensils, devalued women, practiced all kinds of religions and were victims of ignorance, poverty and disease. What a terrible life. It is our prayer that as we celebrate these 100 years of Christianity and Revival and wait for the second coming of the Lord, we get new zeal to keep the fire burning in Kigezi for the glory of God. May the Lord of Mercy who is the same yesterday, today and forever be with you. Amen. The African Evangelistic Enterprise National Team Leader, Rev. Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba (left) recalled, The most significant changes that have occurred in the Kigezi sub-region in the last century are varied and significant. By the turn of 1912, the ground for the success of Christianity had been ploughed and prepared. Kigezi was evangelised by lay Christians: Evangelists (Ababulizi) established churches, preached, led in prayer, taught catechism, led families, led in civic life, engaged in business and trade, represented Christ in their areas of influence. Ministry was team-based and team-work. The rapid growth of Christianity in Kigezi is also attributed to the moving of the Holy Spirit in what has been termed as the East African Revival. This rich legacy and heritage of Christian discipleship in Kigezi could be emulated by the wider church and future generations.

Other congratulatory messages that were published in a souvenir Centenary Magazine (1912-2012) (right) came from several other leaders including Muhabura Diocesan Bishop Cranmer Mugisha, Kinkiizi Diocesan Bishop Dan Zoreka, North Kigezi Diocesan Bishop Patrick Tugume, the Medical Supretendant Rugarama Hospital, Dr. Gilbert Mateeka, Hope Kivengere, Florence Bamwerinde, Rev. Patrick Mbaasa, Rev. Canon Stephen Tirwomwe, Caleb Twinamasiko, Hillary Byorugaba, Elinathan Akankwasa, Rev. Dr. Medard Rugyendo, Rev. Robert Friday, Festo Karwemera, Rev. Reuben Byomuhangi, among others. The reknown messengers of Christianity in Kigezi are listed in the magazine as Rev. Canon Ezekiel Balaba, Rev. Canon Abraham Zaribugire, Juliana Mufuko and Rev. Wilson Komunda. A famous missionary, Joan C. Hall (left) reviews Bishop Festo Kivengeres book Breath of Life (1971) in which she traces the Ruanda Mission work in Kigezi since 1921. On February 14th 1921, Dr. and Mrs. Len Sharp climbed up the steep footpath that led to their future home amongst what was then to be termed the wild and turbulent tribe, the Bakiga the Ruanda Mission had begun (Road to Revival 1946). There was a war from 1939 and in Rwanda and Burundi it was not permissible to teach children in English. Kabale Preparatory School was established in a garage.

The Ruanda Mission sent staff to this school. On the side of the Church, the first Bishop was Dick Lyth who not only introduced Christian Rural Service into Kigezi but also became the first Bishop of Kigezi and later handed over to Bishop Kivengere. Many other developments followed with the advent of more missionaries who came to Kigezi through the Ruanda Mission. They received warm welcome for the work they did. Also in the magazine is a list of 138 ordained clergy from Kigezi by 1980. They are led by Bishops Festo Kivengere and William Rukirande.

KIGEZI CENTENARY THEME SONG Time may pass, Seasons change Forever Christ the same, Yesterday, Today, Forever His love endures eternally, hes with us, And so we sing We sing! Chorus Hallelujah, 100 years of grace, Hallelujah, God the same forever more, Hallelujah, weve come this far! Verse 2 Unchanging grace, Amazing love you showed us, No height or depth, no storms of life

Can sway us from his hands And so we sing, we sing! Chorus Hallelujah, 100 years of grace, Hallelujah, God the same forever more, Hallelujah, weve come this far! Bridge: Ori Ruhanga, owiguru nensi, Ori Ruhanga, owebiro byoona, oshemeire Mukama, Otahinduka

Thank you all for praying. To God be the Glory. God Bless U all. ALFRED WASIKE WSM COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT PLUS TEAM-MATES: 1) PAUL MUTAMBA 2) JOEL JASSU