Thirteen members of an HTB pastorate have recently returned from leading an Alpha training event in Kigali, Rwanda – the first of a year-long initiative by HTB pastorates.

The Harpur pastorate was taking part in the Global Alpha Training initiative, an initiative involving 60 different worldwide partner churches to run 80 training events in 30 different countries during the next year.

More than 15 pastorates from HTB are set to take part in Alpha training events in countries such as India, Mauritius, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Sierra Leone and many more.

The main focus of the Harpur pastorate team’s trip to Rwanda was to lead a two day Alpha event training around 50 church leaders to run the Alpha course.

Three bishops, including the Archbishop’s representative, were present at the event.

One key church in Kigali has already committed to starting the course for the whole church in the new year.

Rwanda suffered a mass genocide in 1994 and, according to UNICEF, there are now an estimated one million orphans and other vulnerable children living in the country.

The team visited projects run by charities Tear Fund and Compassion looking after orphans of the genocide. Also being cared for were and those whose parents were arrested afterwards.

In one project, children were producing local crafts to sell through clubs. The team also visited the local medical centre where they treat HIV, malaria and other conditions with extremely limited medical resources.

Matt Harpur, the team’s pastorate leader said, ‘We saw hope as the children danced, sang, played football and volleyball. Many of the children wanted to be doctors or the country’s future president.

‘These projects are showing children Jesus’s love and they are also making a physical difference to the children’s lives.’ He went on to say, ‘It is great to see how God works in so many ways.

‘Rwanda is fantastic and if as much progress is made in the next 10 years as in the last 10 years, it will be and extremely exciting place to visit in 2017.’

In 2004 an HTB pastorate led an Alpha conference in Accra, Ghana attended by 500 people. It was the first time a pastorate had led an international conference of that kind.

The Global Alpha Training initiative is due to begin officially in January 2008 and run through to November.