Following is an article that appeared in " The New Times", a paper that is distributed in Rwanda.
BY BONNY MUKOMBOZI
MUSANZE - An American evangelist, Arlene Tatum, has implored prisoners convicted of different crimes in the country to seek reconciliation with God and those they wronged in order to have peaceful minds.
Tatum, who is the founder of International Reconciliation Ministries (IRM), is traversing different government prisons in the country preaching to inmates in a bid to encourage the rehabilitation process.
“Today is the time to start making good choices despite the bad choices you made in the past,” Tatum told inmates at Ruhengeri Prison recently, as thousands of prisoners declared their dedication to God.
In her testimony Tatum, 65, who was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her skull, recounts her journey from bitterness to freedom, arguing that people should not be held back by their past -but live by the choices they make at the moment.
Referring to the Bible, Tatum said God reconciled people to himself through Jesus Christ.
“All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends too,” she said.
At Rilima Prison, in Bugesera, some inmates confessed their crimes and expressed remorse.
MUSANZE - An American evangelist, Arlene Tatum, has implored prisoners convicted of different crimes in the country to seek reconciliation with God and those they wronged in order to have peaceful minds.
Tatum, who is the founder of International Reconciliation Ministries (IRM), is traversing different government prisons in the country preaching to inmates in a bid to encourage the rehabilitation process.
“Today is the time to start making good choices despite the bad choices you made in the past,” Tatum told inmates at Ruhengeri Prison recently, as thousands of prisoners declared their dedication to God.
In her testimony Tatum, 65, who was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her skull, recounts her journey from bitterness to freedom, arguing that people should not be held back by their past -but live by the choices they make at the moment.
Referring to the Bible, Tatum said God reconciled people to himself through Jesus Christ.
“All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends too,” she said.
At Rilima Prison, in Bugesera, some inmates confessed their crimes and expressed remorse.
Today, we had a beautiful buffet lunch with Pastor Deo and the Prison Fellowship staff, who cooked it for us. I was brought to tears by their kind words as they each shared how they felt about the time they spent doing ministry with us. Then they presented us with authentic Rwandan wear, a shirt for David and a dress for me.
Tomorrow, a meeting is scheduled with Pastor Deo and the Foursquare Missionary and pastors from his church.
It is hard to believe that the day after tomorrow we leave for Portland.
My sore throat is all well and my broken toe is getting better.
Thank you for your continued prayers,
Arlene
for the team
Arlene I dont have the right words to say thank you for being a blessing to me, for being a blessing hundreds and thousands.Many of us here in Rwanda will continuasly pray for you and IRM.What God has impressed on your heart to share with the hurting/depressed and lost is what has made life worth living.
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