April 13, 2026 • Makohá Francis Agati

Hope in the Heart of Africa: Burundi Church Gathers for Powerful Convention

Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace!  I took a flight from my home country, Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, to the Heart of Africa, Burundi. I was welcomed at the airport by our pastor and country coordinator of The Church of God, Pastor Hakizimana Epaphras, his wife, and a few leaders, with a smile of welcome to their country. Well, it’s very hot and dusty roads with potholes, and many people on the streets lining up to wait for vans since fuel shortages in Burundi are a daily scenario for transport. We were driven to the hotel where I stayed for the rest of the time I was in Burundi for ministry. Burundi is a landlocked country in Africa’s Great Lakes region, known as “The Heart of Africa” due to its location and heart-like shape. 

Our National Convention and Leadership Seminar’s theme was: “The Role of a Minister in the Church: Growth in The Church of God.” “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (1 Peter 5:2). January 28-31, 2026, elders, pastors, and some members of The Church of God in Burundi gathered at Kabezi Hall in Kabezi mugere county in Burundi for our National Convention. We had to select a few leaders to travel and attend due to high transportation costs, since fuel is so scarce in the country. We do have 14 churches totaling 1,325 Christians as of now, but we had to select two leaders and members from each church to attend, so we were around 45 in number. We would have loved for all the members to be there, but due to shortages of fuel and expensiveness of transportation, we invited only a few to attend. 

The leaders and the few members had a wonderful time of fellowship and worship together, learning more of the Word of God, prayer, and breaking bread physically and spiritually. 

I would love to commend each of them for serving the Lord and loving The Church of God and those ones who were in attendance. 

We were challenged by each minister as they ministered the word of God, and felt conviction as Pastor Hakizimana Epaphras and Bishop Francis Agati shared the Word of the Lord. There were cries to the Lord filled with the Spirit, and praise and worship to the Lord were heard from the saints in the Hall. Each of the leaders and members left the Convention with a strong conviction to continue serving the Lord in their respective areas. 

Last year and this year have been great years here, where we saw 50 members join and where the Lord did a miracle to register the Church in Burundi, which is hard to do in Burundi and Rwanda. We are very grateful to our General Overseer and all who gave towards the National Convention, for the buying of a laptop, computer, and printer for our church office in Burundi, and also to help us install electricity in our office. 

The most challenging need in Burundi is property or land to build a church, which there is a lack of. We need land and funds to help us build at least a church in Kabezi to be our headquarters church in the country, this is one of the government’s requirements, and also to have other developmental projects to help people in the Church and communities. 

Please know that your brothers and sisters in Burundi love you, and they are praying for you as you pray for them too. May the Lord bless you for your love and support! Amen.