News From Around the World

• Good Works Brings Smiles to Rwandan Brethren
• Language Barrier Overcome by Smiles
• Brethren in Malawi Experience Growth in the Midst of Hardship

Good Works Brings Smiles to Rwandan Brethren

UCG elders Greg Swartz and Joel Meeker spent 10 days in April in Rwanda on a groundbreaking Good Works project providing free dental care to our brethren in this East African country.

Dr. Swartz, who is a dentist, and his wife, Jan, had accompanied Mr. Meeker on a pastoral trip to Rwanda two years earlier and was struck by the faithfulness of our brethren, but also the lack of dental care available to them.

Dr. Swartz volunteered his time to provide dental care for one week, and after consultation with UCG Good Works coordinator Tom Kirkpatrick, an official project was organized. Mr. Meeker, pastor for French-African churches, would provide logistical and translation support in the predominantly French-speaking nation.

Dr. Swartz brought much personal equipment, worth many thousands of dollars, to use as he worked. The project got off to a somewhat tense start when his luggage, filled with dental supplies and his clothing, didn't arrive in Rwanda when he did. Everyone was relieved when the luggage arrived intact the next day.

"We really felt God's blessing on the project" said Dr. Swartz. "We had originally arranged to rent the office of a private dentist in Kigali, but the Rwandan Medical Board only authorized us to work at the Centre Hospitialier de Kigali, one of the two largest hospitals in the capital city of Kigali. This turned out to be a great blessing not only because the hospital was better equipped than the private office, but also because it allowed us contact with medical authorities in Rwanda who really saw the Church's light shine."

The department head, Dr. Immaculée Kamanzi, graciously invited Dr. Swartz to use her personal office, which was the best equipped at the hospital.

In spite of everyone's best efforts, conditions were sometimes challenging. For example, the water supply at the hospital was often cut off, forcing the dental assistants to irrigate teeth manually with a syringe. This was new to Dr. Swartz, but unfortunately often the way local dentists have to work.

During the five days that Dr. Swartz worked, he treated 25 Church members and family members ranging in ages from 8 to 84, providing services ranging from teeth cleaning and filling cavities, to root canals and extractions. He also accepted other challenging cases suggested to him by the dental staff, so that they could observe the most up-to-date procedures for treatment.

Each day, some Church members and their children would travel several hours by bush taxi from their rural villages for treatment in Kigali. For some, it was their first trip to the "big city." When asked how they found the experience, several children replied that the city was very big, there was so much traffic it seemed like a "car race," the dental treatment didn't hurt at all (contrary to what they had been told to expect) and the dental chair was very soft (they had never before sat on a padded chair).

Toward the end of the week, Dr. Swartz and Mr. Meeker hosted the hospital director Dr. Munyarugamba, the dentists and staff to a special dinner. Rwandan Church elder Jean-Marie Mundeli, who had done a great deal of advance work in preparing for the project, made introductory comments, and extended thanks to everyone for their help in making the project a success.

Additional comments, thanks and expressions of friendship were presented by Mr. Meeker and Dr. Swartz as well as by the hospital director, Dr. Munyarugamba and by Dr. Kamanzi.

Hospital staff and other observers also commented on how impressed they were by this labor of love. Dr. Kamanzi commented, "You really make a great effort to help your Church members."

In addition to serving brethren and others in need, this project has already raised awareness of the Church's existence in Rwanda and favorably impacted the Church's reputation with government authorities.

Both Dr. Munyarugamba and Dr. Kamanzi have asked that Dr. Swartz return to repeat the kind of work that he accomplished this year. They expressed a continuing need to update both their understanding of new technology as well as their professional skills.

As a personal parting gift, Dr. Swartz left the dental department a $1,000 apex locator apparatus, which allows dentists to precisely measure progress in root canal procedures. Dr. Kamanzi was very touched by this generosity and excited to have this machine available in her department.

Inaugurating New Building

Before leaving Rwanda, Dr. Swartz and Mr. Meeker had the chance to participate in another joyful occasion also made possible by the Good Works program. About 60 people attend UCG services in the remote village of Giti . Until recently, services were held in a mud-brick and bamboo shelter built next to the house of Jean-Baptiste Sibobugingo, a deacon in the Church. However, the mayor of Giti had condemned the shelter as inadequate.

Through the generosity of the Good Works program, a new building was constructed on a beautiful hilltop lot. On the last Sabbath the American visitors were in Rwanda, the official inauguration of the hall was held. During the special Sabbath service, Mr. Meeker gave a sermon on appreciating God's blessings, and taking care of what He gives us.

After services, everyone gathered in front of the building, for the official dedication prayer asked by Mr. Meeker. Both the sermon and the prayer were translated from French into Kinyarwanda, the local language. He was then joined by Mr. Mundeli, Mr. Sibobugingo and Dr. Swartz for the official ribbon cutting. Then everyone entered the building to share a meal prepared under the direction of Mrs. Mundeli.

During this time, brethren asked Mr. Mundeli to translate and read a letter of thanks addressed to Dr. Swartz.

Our Rwandan brethren were overjoyed at this blessing from God, and at the generous love of their brethren in other parts of the world. They send their heartfelt thanks to all those who have participated in Good Works fund-raisers.

—Joel Meeker

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Language Barrier Overcome by Smiles

In April, I had a wonderful opportunity to do dental work in a hospital clinic in Kigali, Rwanda. Leaving from the States with a suitcase and a carry-on stuffed with dental equipment and supplies, I really did not know what to expect.

We were assigned to the Kigali Hospital Center, a facility with four dental chairs, three dentists (25 percent of the dentists in the entire nation!), an oral surgeon from Cuba, as well as a support staff. From the very first hour, the clinic doctors were asking me to see their patients. I was happy to accommodate them as much as possible, although the schedule became pretty tight.

What a privilege to be able to do work for our brethren in the rural portions of Rwanda! While language was still a roadblock of sorts, it was overcome by smiles, warm embraces, appreciation on both sides, some helpful interpreters and spending time together. Services the next Sabbath were once again one of the highlights of my life. My patients and I now have a special bond, and it was visible and palpable by the look in their eyes, the warm smiles on their faces and the mutual regret that our time together had to come to an end. And their smiles are cleaner and brighter (and bigger) than before!

—Greg Swartz

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Brethren in Malawi Experience Growth in the Midst of Hardship

—by Nicholas Mbicholo

The Church in Malawi, once a British protectorate in central Africa, is growing, and The Good News magazine is reaching all corners of the country.

There are about 50 members across the country in two congregations, over 300 kilometers (about 200 miles) apart. About half are in the country's capital, Lilongwe, in the central region where elder Gladstone Chonde feeds the flock.

The other group of a similar number is in the commercial city of Blantyre in the southern region where recently ordained deacon Elifazi Salawila serves.

South Africa-based pastor Bill Jahns regularly visits Malawi. There are two prospective members counseling for baptism on the heels of one baptism after the Feast last year.

Feast preparations have started. The Feast is to be held at the same place it has been held the last three years, the Nkopola Lodge on Lake Malawi. International visitors are expected.

Against the background of Malawi's poor economy, the brethren have to rely on the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ to see them through.

Like other countries struggling to survive, Malawi's 12 million people face critical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, which has left behind a million orphans, and a recurring famine. In addition, the chief export crop, tobacco, is declining due to global antismoking awareness.

To comfort the Malawi brethren, brethren in Canada have donated famine-relief funds. Another form of relief is from LifeNets grants. Some brethren have been assisted in their livelihood development projects.

In Blantyre, there are plans to build a house for worship services. A senior member, Gilton Gwire Chakhaza, who first listened to the gospel over the radio in 1955 preached by the late Herbert W. Armstrong and who was baptized in 1975, is helping with the site acquisition for the Church building.

Blantyre sits on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley. Experts trace a geological fault line from Damascus through Jerusalem, along the Nile River and through Malawi. This may be the fault line described in Zechariah 14:4 that will burst at the coming of Christ.

Despite geological threats and other possible prophetic disasters, the brethren in Malawi exhibit high spiritual morale. Like a mustard seed bearing abundance, there has been a big increase from only 18 in 2002 to 48 members who took the Passover in 2006.

The Blantyre deacon, Mr. Salawila said, "We were only eight including Dr. Chilopora when we first met in 2001. Later in the year, on Sept. 27, we, including Mr. Gladstone Chonde, met Victor Kubik in Lilongwe."

Malawi has 12 senior members whose ages are between 62 and 75. There is one widow and there are three widowers.

Sabbath lessons are being prepared and will be taught by Loney Mpilangwe. Bilton Salawila, a son of the deacon, who runs a private school of music, regularly conducts choirs in Blantyre.

The Church in Malawi is growing stronger in faith day by day. Despite social problems, there is hope of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. UN