Pastor Paul

I thought it would be good before we return home to do a blog on Pastor Paul Ndahigwa. Paul and his wife Odette live fairly close to the church in Gatenga in Kigali. He is a man with many facets. At heart a pastor, he will often stop his car just to have a chat to someone he knows, and he knows many people. I get the sense that there is often some spiritual content to the conversation - would love to know what he is saying.

He is always on the move, on the phone, going to meetings, and organising more. I sense there is much more going on in his life than I know - I sense a business man, and a bit of a politician. Today for example I am sure he had an invite to the presidential inauguration of Paul Kagame, and I am sure he was there in Remera Stadium.

As you will remember, he is also a farmer, with I think 3 farms. He is very proud of his cattle and we passed one of his larger farms on the way to Akigera National Park the other day, and shot his long horned cows from a distance.

He is pastor of a church which frankly is pretty run down, but gets often 400 - 500 people there on a Sunday morning. I have not heard him preach but suspect that he is pretty frank, because that is his way. He is a leader and expects much of his congregation. As a result they have projects in a number of areas with street children and schools.

I have been disappointed that our business with many many planning drawings and papers has meant that Roger and I have not really learnt what Paul and his church have been doing and what they aspire to do in the future. We have invited John Mutesa to spend a couple of hours with us in the next couple of days in the hope that we learn more, and I trust I will experience more on my next visit.