Rwanda: Chronology

  

Habimana Theoneste, who had been taught by missionaries in Lyon, France, returned to Rwanda and began sharing the gospel.

July 28, 1994 • Rwanda

Following the Rwandan genocide, the Church sent $760,000 USD worth of relief items to Rwanda, including food, medical supplies, clothing, blankets, and hygiene items.

2005 • Kigali, Rwanda

John Jackson, a United States embassy employee, organized meetings of Church members at his home. Meetings moved to the home of Nelson Samuel several years later.

March 16, 2008 • Kigali

The Kigali Branch was created with Eric K. Hyde as the first branch president.

August 23, 2008 • Kigali

The first baptismal service was held at Lake Muhazi.

2009 • Kigali

The first Primary organization was created with Agathe Rumanyika as president.

August 27, 2009 • Kigali

Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the country of Rwanda for the preaching of the gospel. The dedication took place on top of a mountain overlooking Kigali.

March 2010 • Kigali

Brent and Cheri Andrus, the first missionaries assigned to Rwanda, arrived in Kigali.

2011 • Rwanda

The Church sponsored humanitarian projects throughout the country, including clean water, sanitation, medical supplies and training, vision care, and neonatal resuscitation training.

2011 • Kigali

Emmanuel Rukundo was called to direct a Church program to help alleviate unemployment in Rwanda.

May 2011 • Kigali

The first institute classes were held with Godfrey Musaazi as the instructor.

September 2011 • Kigali

With the help of local members, the Church began translating materials into Kinyarwanda.

October 2011 • Kigali

Jackson Ndayambaje became the first missionary called from Rwanda. He served in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

November 2011 • Kigali

To comply with government prohibitions, members were directed not to hold meetings in the meetinghouse but to hold individual family worship services in their own homes. Regular meetings resumed in July 2012.

August 13, 2012 • Kigali

The Kigali Branch held a Helping Hands Day and invited senior citizens to the meetinghouse, where they received reading glasses, crutches, and wheelchairs.

October 24, 2013 • Rwanda

The Church received a provisional certificate to operate in Rwanda while proceeding to apply for legal recognition.

September 1, 2014 • Kigali

The Kigali Third Branch conducted a Helping Hands project, giving 265 pairs of glasses to members of the community.

March 26, 2017 • Kigali

The Kigali Rwanda District was created with three branches in Kagali and with Joshua Owino Opar as district president. A fourth branch was created in Kigali in 2019.

August 24, 2018 • Kigali

The Saints in Rwanda gathered to observe the annual All-Africa Mormon Helping Hands Day by contributing to the sanitation of their community.

September 13–15, 2018 • Kigali

Elder Joseph Sitati, a General Authority Seventy, delivered a key address on religious freedom for the third All Africa Religious Liberty Congress in Rwanda.