The Rev. Dr. Eleazar O. Ziherambere has been named the Director for African American Mission with American Baptist International Ministries. In this position, Dr. Ziherambere is to be working directly with American Baptist African American congregations to participate in global mission through education, identifying African American missionary candidates and visiting global missions.
A native of Rwanda in central Africa, Dr. Ziherambere has demonstrated dedication, innovation, courage and farsightedness throughout his more than 35 years in Christian ministry. The Rev. Dr. Reid S. Trulson, executive director for International Ministries, states: "The challenges that Eleazar has met in his service to Christ have uniquely prepared him for this vital ministry. Whether in the pastorate, as a visionary with African and international agencies, or while he ably filled previous positions with International Ministries (IM), Eleazar has embodied the goal of IM, which is, to glorify God in all the earth by crossing cultural boundaries to help people come to Christ, grow in Christ and change their worlds with Christ."
In his new work with African American pastors and congregations Dr. Ziherambere will be drawing upon his own pastoral years, which began in 1977, after he earned a Diploma in Theology from the School of Theology of Butare, Rwanda. His thesis was titled “The Victory of Non-Violence, through the Eyes of Martin Luther King, Jr.” While a pastor, he led the members of the Kigali Baptist Church of Kigali, Rwanda to expand their understanding of Christian discipleship and stewardship to the extent that they purchased property and built a ministry center that serves not only as a place of worship but also for an English language school, guest house, day care center and for other important ministries of outreach.
As a result of his work at Kigali, he was elected the youngest General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Churches in Rwanda. In this position, even while focusing on evangelism, he led in development projects that included constructing and equipping health centers in four different locations, building two high schools that are attended by more than one thousand students each year and creating a dozen elementary schools. He also was able to work through government channels to ensure the construction of a hydroelectric plant that even now continues to provide power to residents, a health center, a high school, a church and new factories. Being sensitive to the economic needs of families, he also led the Baptist Union during his fifteen-year ministry in empowering women through socio-economic programs that included establishing a microcredit agency.
During his term as General Secretary, Dr. Ziherambere also held the position of President of the Protestant Council of Rwanda. In that office he expanded the Council's membership to include groups such as Pentecostals and Seventh Day Adventists. Of even more significance was his work as a peace maker, which led to his participation at the 1992 International Baptist Peace Conference in Nicaragua.
Under Dr. Ziherambere’s leadership, the Protestant Council combined its efforts with those of Monsignor Thaddeus Nsengiyumva, President of the Catholic Episcopal Conference. Together they were instrumental in facilitating a 1993 peace accord between the Hutu-led Rwanda government and the Tutsi-led rebels. However that agreement was short lived, and Dr. Ziherambere was among those who eventually were forced to flee his homeland in the wake of the erupting genocide that killed hundreds of thousands of Rwandans.
As one who has dedicated his life to being a "servant of the people," Dr. Ziherambere helped refugees from both Uganda and Burundi. One group of Uganda refugees included a pregnant woman who was about to deliver her child. During a driving rainstorm he found himself aiding in that birth event. "My training was in theology not medicine," he reflects, "but there was a need and I was there to help. This experience led me to realize I needed to know more about economic relief efforts and development because the refugees didn't even have the necessities of life."
Through contacts made with Christian friends from the United States, Dr. Ziherambere worked toward earning a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Union University’s School of Theology in Richmond, Virginia, and in 1993 he also earned his Doctor of Ministry from that same institution. His dissertation was entitled, "The Role of Relief and Development in our Ministry of Evangelism."
From 1992 to 1997, Dr. Ziherambere was the General Secretary of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF) and the Baptist World Alliance's Regional Secretary for Africa. By the time he completed his ministries in those roles, he was able to ensure the AABF position was a full-time one for his successor.
In 1997, he became the Special Assistant for International Affairs with the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey. Working with 30 African American congregations, whose focus was on the ever-present needs just outside the doors of their facilities, Dr. Ziherambere encouraged them to support mission beyond their neighborhoods as well. More than 75% of them responded positively to the challenge!
As International Ministries was approaching the new millennium, Dr. Ziherambere was invited to be the All Africa Baptist Fellowship Ambassador. By 2002, he was given the position of Mission Partnership Coordinator through which he facilitated relationships between churches in Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia and American Baptist congregations in the United States. This led to his becoming the Area Director for Africa in 2004. While in this position, Dr. Ziherambere introduced more partnerships between International Ministries and African countries that included Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
Of his new ministry as Director for African American Mission, Dr. Ziherambere enthusiastically says, "It is both an honor and privilege to serve African American churches as they embrace the great legacy of global mission. This is a new day, and we can see before us an opportunity to move beyond our Jerusalems, all the way to the uttermost parts of the world. I thank God that this work comes through International Ministries, a church family that has stood with Africans in both bad and good times. Africans will never forget how American Baptist missionaries took up the cause for the rights of Congolese people, particularly those who were exploited and forced to work in the rubber and ivory trade in the twentieth century. The people of Africa also remember the courageous stand American Baptists took against the apartheid system in South Africa until it was finally ended in the early 1990s. I rejoice that this is the time when African American congregations can build on that legacy so that others around the globe can receive the Good News of Jesus Christ!"
Please contact the Rev. Dr. Ziherambere by phone at 1-800-222-3872, ext. 2355 or by email at http://www.internationalministries.org/people/1492
A native of Rwanda in central Africa, Dr. Ziherambere has demonstrated dedication, innovation, courage and farsightedness throughout his more than 35 years in Christian ministry. The Rev. Dr. Reid S. Trulson, executive director for International Ministries, states: "The challenges that Eleazar has met in his service to Christ have uniquely prepared him for this vital ministry. Whether in the pastorate, as a visionary with African and international agencies, or while he ably filled previous positions with International Ministries (IM), Eleazar has embodied the goal of IM, which is, to glorify God in all the earth by crossing cultural boundaries to help people come to Christ, grow in Christ and change their worlds with Christ."
In his new work with African American pastors and congregations Dr. Ziherambere will be drawing upon his own pastoral years, which began in 1977, after he earned a Diploma in Theology from the School of Theology of Butare, Rwanda. His thesis was titled “The Victory of Non-Violence, through the Eyes of Martin Luther King, Jr.” While a pastor, he led the members of the Kigali Baptist Church of Kigali, Rwanda to expand their understanding of Christian discipleship and stewardship to the extent that they purchased property and built a ministry center that serves not only as a place of worship but also for an English language school, guest house, day care center and for other important ministries of outreach.
As a result of his work at Kigali, he was elected the youngest General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Churches in Rwanda. In this position, even while focusing on evangelism, he led in development projects that included constructing and equipping health centers in four different locations, building two high schools that are attended by more than one thousand students each year and creating a dozen elementary schools. He also was able to work through government channels to ensure the construction of a hydroelectric plant that even now continues to provide power to residents, a health center, a high school, a church and new factories. Being sensitive to the economic needs of families, he also led the Baptist Union during his fifteen-year ministry in empowering women through socio-economic programs that included establishing a microcredit agency.
During his term as General Secretary, Dr. Ziherambere also held the position of President of the Protestant Council of Rwanda. In that office he expanded the Council's membership to include groups such as Pentecostals and Seventh Day Adventists. Of even more significance was his work as a peace maker, which led to his participation at the 1992 International Baptist Peace Conference in Nicaragua.
Under Dr. Ziherambere’s leadership, the Protestant Council combined its efforts with those of Monsignor Thaddeus Nsengiyumva, President of the Catholic Episcopal Conference. Together they were instrumental in facilitating a 1993 peace accord between the Hutu-led Rwanda government and the Tutsi-led rebels. However that agreement was short lived, and Dr. Ziherambere was among those who eventually were forced to flee his homeland in the wake of the erupting genocide that killed hundreds of thousands of Rwandans.
As one who has dedicated his life to being a "servant of the people," Dr. Ziherambere helped refugees from both Uganda and Burundi. One group of Uganda refugees included a pregnant woman who was about to deliver her child. During a driving rainstorm he found himself aiding in that birth event. "My training was in theology not medicine," he reflects, "but there was a need and I was there to help. This experience led me to realize I needed to know more about economic relief efforts and development because the refugees didn't even have the necessities of life."
Through contacts made with Christian friends from the United States, Dr. Ziherambere worked toward earning a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Union University’s School of Theology in Richmond, Virginia, and in 1993 he also earned his Doctor of Ministry from that same institution. His dissertation was entitled, "The Role of Relief and Development in our Ministry of Evangelism."
From 1992 to 1997, Dr. Ziherambere was the General Secretary of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF) and the Baptist World Alliance's Regional Secretary for Africa. By the time he completed his ministries in those roles, he was able to ensure the AABF position was a full-time one for his successor.
In 1997, he became the Special Assistant for International Affairs with the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey. Working with 30 African American congregations, whose focus was on the ever-present needs just outside the doors of their facilities, Dr. Ziherambere encouraged them to support mission beyond their neighborhoods as well. More than 75% of them responded positively to the challenge!
As International Ministries was approaching the new millennium, Dr. Ziherambere was invited to be the All Africa Baptist Fellowship Ambassador. By 2002, he was given the position of Mission Partnership Coordinator through which he facilitated relationships between churches in Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia and American Baptist congregations in the United States. This led to his becoming the Area Director for Africa in 2004. While in this position, Dr. Ziherambere introduced more partnerships between International Ministries and African countries that included Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
Of his new ministry as Director for African American Mission, Dr. Ziherambere enthusiastically says, "It is both an honor and privilege to serve African American churches as they embrace the great legacy of global mission. This is a new day, and we can see before us an opportunity to move beyond our Jerusalems, all the way to the uttermost parts of the world. I thank God that this work comes through International Ministries, a church family that has stood with Africans in both bad and good times. Africans will never forget how American Baptist missionaries took up the cause for the rights of Congolese people, particularly those who were exploited and forced to work in the rubber and ivory trade in the twentieth century. The people of Africa also remember the courageous stand American Baptists took against the apartheid system in South Africa until it was finally ended in the early 1990s. I rejoice that this is the time when African American congregations can build on that legacy so that others around the globe can receive the Good News of Jesus Christ!"
Please contact the Rev. Dr. Ziherambere by phone at 1-800-222-3872, ext. 2355 or by email at http://www.internationalministries.org/people/1492