We are thankful to our friends at Christianity Today and the Humanitarian Disaster Institute as they did a recent podcast featuring IAFR’s Refugee Church Consultant, Pastor Jean Pierre Gatera. You can listen in by clicking the image above.

Allow me to highlight just a few of the insights Pastor Gatera shared during the interview.

Refugees are more than people in need.

Gatera notes that most Americans think of refugees only as people in need. We fail to recognize them as people willing and able to make a meaningful contribution to society. As he puts it, “The fact that they became refugees doesn’t erase what God has put inside them and is useful wherever they go.”

How to sustain hope in times of hardship.

Pastor Gatera is no stranger to hardship. He was born a refugee. He was forced to flee Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. He spent nearly 20 years in Kakuma refugee camp in the semi desert of remote northwestern Kenya.

When asked how he has sustained hope over the years, his answer was clear.

“Always read the Word of God, pray, and fellowship with God’s people.”

He went on to emphasize two other practices that help keep hope alive and well.

Focus on what you have - not on what you don't have.

First, surround yourself with people who maintain a positive attitude in spite of daunting challenges. It will only demoralize us if we focus solely on our hardships and problems.

Gatera is convinced that there is a positive side to every situation, “and we need to dwell on that as we move forward.” An important part of having a positive attitude is to focus on what we have rather than on what we don't have.

I saw this mentality at work in Kakuma refugee camp. Pastor Gatera was teaching fellow refugee pastors on the subject of tithing in a place where people are far from home, live in mud shelters, have no electricity, and live on UN rations.

A blackboard listed the local market value of the ration refugees receive - maize, rice, oil, beans, salt, and soap. He helped the pastors envision how a 10% tithe from their rations could empower local church ministries. Gatera helped shift their focus away from what they didn't have to what they did have. And a surge of fresh hope washed over the gathering.

Serve others even when enduring hardship.

Gatera says that a second key to sustaining hope is to continue to serve others even when enduring hardship. In his words,

“If you don’t keep growing and using the gifts which you have, you will start dying slowly – even without knowing.”

Serving others strengthens hope “because as you serve, you also see God manifesting himself in a new way.”

These are just a couple of highlights from the podcast. I hope you will find time to listen to the whole thing.

Partner with Pastor Gatera!

Pastor Gatera's time for ministry is presently limited as he has to work a full time job to meet the needs of his family. We are praying that a team of people and churches will join with him and free him up for full-time ministry before the end of the year. His support need is $4,500/month.

CLICK HERE to support the ministry of Pastor Gatera.

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