TRANSCRIPT

NATHAN JONES

This month, I had opportunity to interview Cecile from Kigali City in Rwanda, who is spreading the message of stewardship through her role as the manager of local Christian radio station.

I’m your host, Nathan Jones, and thank you again for joining me on this episode of the Inspiring Stewards podcast.

Alright, Cecile, thank you for joining me today. This is wonderful. Give us a little bit of your background, your story, your family of origin, and your life growing up.

CECILE NYIRAHAVUGIMANA

Thank you, Nathan. This is the time I have been waiting for. My name is Cecile Nyirahavugimana, a second born in my family of 4 children. I’m married to Ezechias Ntirengenya for eleven years. We were blessed by God with 4 children now – three girls and one boy. 

I was born in Southern Province, in Kamonyi district, into Christian family. My grandfather was an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Kamonyi. My father was a truck driver, so I didn't spend my time with him. Because of his working conditions, he used to spend so many days away from home. My mother died when I was five years old. I do not even remember her, but people told me that she was a Christian.

Later, when I was nine years old, my father died and my siblings and I were sent to our grandmother. But my uncle also looked after us. Our lives changed dramatically after our father died, even though our uncle provided for us. Of course, as children who had lost their parents, we felt that pain. But I thank God that I am now okay. 

I now hold a bachelor's degree in economics, and I work as the Managing Director of Umucyo Radio station.

Umucyo Radio station is a Christian radio station dedicated to spread the gospel in Rwanda. We are extremely grateful now because, since we started as the Christian radio station in Rwandan territory in 2005, we have witnessed so many people turn to God. Through our channel, Jesus Christ has saved countless hearts.

NATHAN

Wonderful! Tell us about how you came personal faith in Jesus and how that impacted your life.

CECILE

As I mentioned, I was born in a Christian family. And I remember when I was a child, I used to attend every Sunday school service, as all children of my ages. But the way I received Jesus Christ as my savior, I remember that it was the time I was studying in secondary school.

It was one morning at school. In our time, students were used to be given some minutes of prayers before classes. During that prayer, it was when I felt the Holy Spirit touching my heart and I accepted. Since then, I started serving Him in different ways.

Going back to my secondary studies, I was intelligent in the human sciences option class. I was confident in my ability that I would receive university scholarship. Sadly, I didn’t.

During that period of disappointment from not receiving a scholarship, I was given opportunity to work as a presenter on Radio Umucyo. It was around 2005, around the time Umucyo Radio was founded. I served there and then after 5 years, I got some money to help pay for my university studies.

You know, Nathan, I have learned that everything happened for reason, and only God knows why. I had given up hope after finishing high school, but God had different plans. 

I joined private university and I did economics. I combined both studying and serving at the radio station. I used to study day and work at night at the radio station but also, I continued to serve God throughout my university studies in prayer team. Even today, I’m still connected to the team in my university.

So, accepting Jesus as my savior has changed my life by reminding me that God is above all and knows everything, and that I am not living on my own but by God's grace. 

NATHAN

Wonderful. Well, let’s jump today, 2023. How does the Lord have you involved in His Kingdom today? You mentioned, the Managing Director of the radio station… Tells us more about that or other things you’re involved in.

CECILE

My day-to-day duties, I serve as a Managing Director of Umucyo Radio with the responsibility of coordinating and managing all activity of radio for the sake of expanding the Kingdom of God.

Umucyo Radio station has the mission of preaching the gospel using multimedia channels and engaging the audience with high-quality information, program, and making sure that the audience are connected to the message of Jesus Christ.

Aside from that, I am an evangelist and serving as a leader in both my choir and the deacon department at my local church, Kiyovu Parish.

The deacon department has a variety of responsibilities, including supporting children from families with low incomes with school fees and other necessities.

NATHAN

Cecile, this is the Inspiring Stewards podcast. How does the concept of stewardship inform your life today? 

CECILE

Thank you very much for this question. It’s an interesting question for me.

As I have mentioned earlier, I was blessed to be in a leadership position which is means that I have more duties of coordinating different activities. And of course, I am supposed to raise our children in a godly way. Me and my husband work together in raising our children in godly way but it is in my task too. I’m stewarding in such ways too.  

Sometimes, some people think that to be steward is only limited to serving in church activities, but for me, stewardship is life.

In our everyday activity, we must remember that while our worldly supervisors will question us for the results, God who judge fairly will also ask us what we have done for the sake of His Kingdom. “What have you done since I appointed you to the role of Managing Director? What have you accomplished in your family since I blessed you with marriage and children?”

Therefore, to avoid the blank answers, in my daily duties, I must try to ensure that I am not working for myself, but for the glory of God.

NATHAN

Cecile, as you look around in your context, how would say that you see God at work, either in the world or more locally to where you live? 

CECILE

God is truly at work right now despite our struggles. God has provided us with peace in the setting of Rwanda. We are grateful for the way He sharpened our country and brought peace into the hearts of the people. Churches played an important role in reconciliation through prayer and social activities.

People are freely praying and some are even accepting Jesus Christ as their savior. Christians are eager to share the gospel publicly and we’re seeing more Christian festivals and events. Even through Christian broadcasters, we listen to gospel.

On the global scale, I see God move and work all over the world, raising people and Christian organizations that try to teach biblical truth, such as GTP. I had the opportunity to attend Stations of Generosity, which was held in Kigali. You can see that God is cultivating a desire in people's hearts to proclaim the gospel.

NATHAN 

Cecile, any final thoughts you would like to leave us with today? 

CECILE

Yeah, all I can say is that God is always God and He never changes, even though we as humans change. He loves us and He wants us to enjoy abundant life. But the problem is that we don't embrace the gift that has been given to us. God wants to use everyone for His glory, yet we often reject the call.

He speaks to us, but we do not want to hear His voice. He wants to reach out to us, but we are not there. He has given us His word as  daily bread, but we do not want to read and to listen to Him. Let’s read the word and put into action what God tells us.

I also encourage all Christians to live as Christians. Sometimes, we deceive ourselves in thinking that being a Christian means simply going to church and fasting, which is fine. But does your life reflect Jesus? Do others see Jesus while you move around the workplace? Christianity is life.

NATHAN

Cecile, thank you so much for your time today.

CECILE

Thank you, Nathan.