Gitega Diocese
Burundi
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Gitega Diocese, east of Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura, was created in 1985. CMSI’s relationship with the diocese goes back many years – a partnership was formalised in 2003. The diocese is led by Bishop Aimé Joseph Kimararungu, who succeeded Gitega's first bishop, Rt Rev John Nduwayo, in 2018.
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As is true across the whole of Burundi, Gitega Diocese faces many of the challenges that are familiar in a post-conflict context – reconciliation, education and leadership. Consequently, these have been the priority areas for CMSI’s partnership with Gitega Diocese – and with Matana Diocese – in recent years.
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Some of the current priorities of Gitega Diocese include:
• Church planting in Ruyigi Province, which borders with Tanzania. Returnee refugees there had already formed new congregations from their time in the Refugee Camps in Tanzania.
• The training of church workers, both pastors and lay evangelists, especially in Ruyigi where the work of the Anglican Church is still new.
• To spiritually nurture new believers and to assist them materially and help them build adequate churches as their places for worship.
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