BUJUMBURA January 4th (ABP) – The family of the President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, joined, on Sunday, January 2, 2022, the Christians of the Kimina branch of the Saint Chrysostome parish of Kabezi, Bujumbura province (west of Burundi), in the celebration of Epiphany, a Christian feast which recalls when the Messiah appeared to the magi and that the latter worshiped him. The Sunday mass was officiated by the parish priest of Kabezi, Father Sylvère Ntasumbumuyange, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
The parish priest of Kabezi thanked the President of the Republic for having made that trip to share prayer with the Christians of Kimina, a locality which is experiencing spectacular development, thanks to a native priest of that locality, that is, Father Alphonse Ndabiseruye, responsible for the Kamenge Youth Center and supervisor of that branch that he built, in addition to the Communal High School and a health center in Kimina.
In his homily, Father Ntasumbumuyange recalled that the feast of Epiphany, celebrated in the Catholic Church, recalls when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, appeared to the wise men (magi), while specifying that He began to manifest to the shepherds, considered pagans, then to the three wise men Gaspard, Balthazar and Melchior, who came and offered him gifts.
They knelt to worship the Messiah, though he was little, which was a sign of His divinity, and His power has always existed, added Father Ntasumbumuyange, indicating that the gifts we can offer Him are our hearts by praying and bowing down before God.
Speaking after the mass, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye wished a Merry Christmas to the Christians of the Kimina branch and offered them the best wishes for the year 2022.
He indicated that he chose to make a trip to Kimina in order to realize the degree of development of that locality, which he has known for some time and affirmed that Burundi is a country that has been blessed.
He added that those who say that Burundi is poor, are sometimes wrong because it is a country which does not resort to abroad to feed its population.
He went on to say that Bujumbura province is rich and beautiful, and even Bubanza because, when one goes there, they see that there are no straw houses and they cannot say that people are poor while their houses are covered with iron sheets.
Burundi can develop in a period of time as long as the Burundians change their minds and work hard, the President of the Republic said.
According to Mr. Ndayishimiye, people walk on money without realizing it. He gave the example of a mushroom growing project, which he himself undertook for some time, and which now provides him with millions of Burundi francs.
The Head of State pointed out to the Christians in the Mass that lamenting is the source of poverty, meaning that if you mourn and say, “I am poor,” you automatically become so.
He called on the Burundians not to see themselves as Hutu, Tutsi or Twa, but as Burundians and to create a new Burundi within ourselves.
Before ending his remarks, the Head of State promised to visit the parish of Saint Chrysostome of Kabezi, which is under construction and to make his contribution, as the parish priest requested.
Mr. Ndayishimiye also invited the Christians of the Kimina branch to think of contributing whenever they get something, for the building of their parish.