Since I learned the lesson, I have been peaceful and confident… and nothing scares me, knowing that Jesus is always with me.
Since I learned the lesson, I have been peaceful and confident… and nothing scares me, knowing that Jesus is always with me.
Burundi is a young country – children under the age of 15 are estimated to represent a staggering 45% of the national population!
Investing in children is a long-term, but essential strategy. An NAE study showed that 63% adult Christians chose to follow Jesus between the ages of 4 and Researcher George Barna reflects:
“If people do not embrace Jesus Christ as their Saviour before they reach their teenage years, the chance of their doing so at all is slim.”
So, children’s ministry is incredibly strategic – a Sunday school may contain tomorrow’s leaders, business owners, spouses, police officers, maybe even a future president! Imagine how society would change if we could set them on the path of love, service and integrity from the outset.
The Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) has been reaching out to children in Burundi since 1952, now led by Anastase Bimenyimana. The passionate team train and equip leaders, specifically to reach out to and nurture the faith of children.
A great example of how CEF works was seen recently in rural Bujumbura. A group of children were in a field, dutifully herding cows and goats, when CEF worker Maurice took the opportunity to share the Gospel with them. His words had a real impact, with five wanting to accept Jesus as their Saviour straight away!
Maurice gave them books to help them grow in their faith. But he wondered if this encounter would have an ongoing impact on their lives?
In these moments, workers like Maurice have to pray and trust that the seeds planted will have the opportunity to grow.
It was with real joy that when he came back that way, some two hours later, he found one of the boys sat in a ditch, having tied up the animals he was herding, totally engrossed in the book he had been given!
The humble beginnings of this boy’s faith journey really touched us – and we are praying for more stories like this from our new partner CEF in the future!
TMC also equips Sunday school teachers, youth club leaders, and volunteers by providing clear, engaging, and biblically sound lessons to help them grow and lead well. The programme has breathed fresh life into many Sunday Schools, which are often outdated and unengaging.
In the past 3 years, 88,000 children have graduated from TMC. At FECABU Church Rutana, the atmosphere has been revitalised, as the children learn and grow in their faith – the testimonies are pouring in!
David, 10, used to be overwhelmed by a fear of death. Though he faithfully attended church, his nights were full of anxiety, until a TMC lesson changed everything. The story of a rescued kitten, used to illustrate God’s unconditional love, gave David a new sense of peace and security in Christ.
“Since I learned the lesson, I have been peaceful and confident… and nothing scares me, knowing that Jesus is always with me.”
Furgence, another TMC graduate, had been a regular Sunday school attendee but his life was filled with wrongdoing. “I would steal, insult others, tell lies, fight with other children, and disobey adults.” A re-telling of the Adam and Eve story in the TMC Book brought the reality of sin home to Furgence. As he learned how pride and disobedience entered the world through Satan’s temptation, Furgence came to see his own need for repentance. “I’ve left the old Furgence and my sinful ways,” he says, “Now I have changed. I am a child of God, and I have eternal life.”
Burundi is full of children facing deep emotional and spiritual needs, and here, through CEF, UCCD, and other partners working with children, we see the power of God’s Word shining through, bringing transformation, salvation, and renewed hope. That’s the kind of development that can change the direction of a nation!
