GITEGA June 22nd (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, closed on Saturday the prayer that was organized by the presidential family in Gitega to give thanks to the Almighty Who crowned with success the works carried out during his first year in the high office of the country and peacefully guarded Burundi and the Burundians.
The Head of State of Burundi expressed his thanks to President Pierre Nkurunziza who initiated the organization of those prayers of thanksgiving which, he stressed, constitute sources of divine blessings and give new strength to the participants who also pray for others.
In a sensational atmosphere enlivened by songs of praise and worship, President Ndayishimiye also prayed to God so that He should bless Burundi, the leaders of the various institutions and all the Burundians for them to carry out the actions planned in this 2nd year of his power that began on June 19, 2021.
Moreover, he called on all Burundians to be peacemakers and to unite their efforts in the various development actions of their respective localities.
The Head of State addressed his thanks to the leaders of the various national institutions, to the administrative leaders, to the political leaders, to the representatives of the civil society organizations and to all those who were present to the teachings of the three-day crusade which was focused on the biblical passage from the Colossians, chapter 3, 13. The passage is thus written as follows: “Being gentle to one another and having forgiveness for one another, if anyone has done wrong to their brother; even as the Lord had forgiveness for you”. That theme was enriched by teachings delivered by the Head of State and representatives of religious denominations, which highlighted the ultimate need to promote the values of truth, forgiveness and reconciliation to build a new Burundi, exempt from suspicions and accusations of globalization regarding the cyclical crises that have marked the past of the country.
During his teachings given to the leaders of the institutions on Saturday, President Ndayishimiye said that it is high time for the Burundians to awaken their consciousness in order to overcome the various evils which marked the historical past of the country. He castigated attitudes of proliferation of ethnic globalization allegations or other issues but encouraged the path of seeking the truth about the perpetrators of the tragic cyclical crises in Burundi. He said internal dialogue is the best way to find solutions to the issues that haunt Burundians. He decried any form of external interference in resolving Burundian issues. He invited the Burundians to sit down together around a table to find appropriate responses to building a new Burundi, marked by harmony, social justice and social conviviality.
Faith leader Isidore Mbayahaga gave a teaching centered on the benefits of mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, a necessary step to live in harmony with others. He said forgiveness to others requires exceptional courage, but it frees the offender and the offended.
On his part, Pastor Marc Kagisye preached by referring to the biblical passage taken from Genesis 48: 2, 3, 4 and 5 which highlights the benefits of forgiveness and reconciliation, a pledge of living in serenity. He explained that forgiveness does not mean forgetting but that it requires intelligence and divine graces from anyone who would like to abide by the commandments of God.
In his speech, the President of the Republic of Burundi gave thanks to God who blessed the three days of prayer which, he said, were moments of rich teachings and divine blessings. He expressed his thanks to the preachers, the leaders of the various institutions and the assembly. He invited everyone to integrate those teachings into their daily lives and to convey them everywhere. He finally urged the public to always hold to heart the Gospel passage from Hebrews, chapter 12, 14-15 which asks to make efforts to live in peace with everyone and to transcend any temptation to evil. He encouraged Burundians to work in synergy to rationally exploit the country’s natural resources and promote sustainable development.
Holding the flag in his hands, the Head of State of Burundi, in the company of his Better Half, prayed to God so that He should bless Burundi and the Burundians and bring success to the actions planned for this 2nd year of his power. He prayed for the protection of Burundi against the scourges, in this case, the coronavirus.