GateWay East Africa Ministries

November 9, 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Sifa Mungu!  Praise God!  We have just returned from doing the Lord’s work in Burundi.  God blessed our trip in so many ways and I am so thankful that so many of you were able to participate in this glorious kingdom work.  We were able to work for 9 days witnessing in the communities of Kabezi, Migera, Ruziba, Nkenga, Kanyosha, Rugombo, Kinyinya, and Gakungwe.  The Lord has established 7 new churches in these areas and we witnessed 4,704 people express the desire to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.  To God be the glory!

Burundi is definitely the most poverty stricken country in which we have worked.  There is an overpopulation of children and we witnessed much malnutrition and disease.  But with these conditions also comes a great responsiveness to the gospel.  The people know they need help.  Not only do they sense the need for help in this life but one can see their sense of need for hope in the life to come.  It is heartbreaking to see so many children and adults living in such difficult conditions.  Yet, at the same time it is encouraging to see people being transformed by the power of the gospel.  There is a great movement of God occurring among the people of Burundi.  One example of this can be seen in many of the governing leaders of the nation.  We were invited to meet with many of their Parliament and Senate as well as the mayor of Bujumbura.  Pastor Andre Dugger from Nashville led us all in prayer and Pastor Samson Kisia from Nairobi brought greetings from our churches.  I preached God’s Word to this group of Senators and members of Parliament and we sang songs of God’s praise in their chambers.  God is doing a wonderful work among them and I pray that God will raise up a country out of the ashes of many years of war to be a testimony of what He can and will do with a people who will look to Him for guidance.  

There are other denominations represented in the country but little of it is biblical.  It is so common in these east African nations to be nominally “Christian” and to be thoroughly unbiblical.  In response to the need for doctrinal fortification we are working to establish a Bible college in Burundi that will be able to serve the pastors and church leaders of Burundi and Rwanda.  We have now seen many new churches started in both of these countries and the vast majority of the pastors are untrained.  We must provide strong Biblical training or much of our work will be in vain.  I am currently working with the national leaders to start this school and I plan to go back soon to teach and strengthen the school and churches.  

God has been increasing the importance of this ministry and the burden of my heart for the people of east Africa.  Many others have shared with me that God has been doing the same in their heart.  In response to this burden we have set up GateWay East Africa Ministries that will be serving the east African countries in this region.  More information will be coming, but for now you can look at GateWay East Africa on Facebook and richmondgoolsby.blogspot.com.  We are committed to continuing to plant new churches in this area of the world and to start Bible colleges to train the national leaders.  We are also praying about taking a medical team for a trip of medical treatment and evangelism to Burundi in the near future.  Please be praying for us and may God bless you as you serve Him.

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Richmond Goolsby

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses,  commit these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”    2 Timothy 2:2