A partnership between Pearce Church in North Chili, NY
and the Nzige school & village in Rwanda.
Linked with Love began in 2015 and is Pearce’s partnership with the Nzige (pronounced Inzeegay) School. In August 2011, the Free Methodist congregation in Nzige started the preschool, immediately making a significant impact on families with young children. In January 2018, primary grades 1-3 were added. This school, located on a hilltop in southeastern Rwanda, Africa, helps more than 300 children between the ages of 4 and 11 prepare for public school.
Some children walk many miles to get to school. Many eat only one meal a day, or they will save some of their dinner for breakfast the next morning.
Since its inception, the small preschool in Nzige has added several buildings, expanding to include primary grades. In addition, land has been purchased for a banana plantation and for grazing livestock. A playground has been added and new restroom facilities built. This year, construction began on a sanctuary to accommodate the growing ministry. Many sponsored children’s lives have been significantly improved through the generosity of the families of our congregation.
How are we “linked” with Nzige?
To date, over 150 children in Nzige have been sponsored by families at Pearce. Our kids are sponsoring a child through a weekly offering received in their Sunday school classes.
A total of seven teams, comprised of eighteen different individuals from Pearce Church and Pearce 4 Kids, have journeyed to Nzige. An eighth team, comprised of Pastor Wally and Rev. Dr. Doug Cullum, Dean of Northeastern Seminary, will leave on November 9 to provide pastoral training in Nzige for Free Methodist pastors.
In addition, Bishop Samuel Kayinamura; Rwandan ICCM Director, Ephaste Niyigena; and Neddy Nanjowe, Regional Coordinator for ICCM in Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda, have each made the journey to North Chili to affirm our partnership with this Rwandan community.
Pearce 4 Kids is a vital member of our partnership. They sponsor a child at the Nzige Preschool. Lydia, P4K director, and several teachers have been able to visit her and her family. On a regular basis, our kids visit a room that P4K set up to look like an Nzige classroom to learn more about Nzige and the children there.
P4K families and staff have also raised money to provide chickens for their new coop (providing one egg for each child two times each week) and to buy books for the new Nzige Preschool library.
Our Annual Mission Garage Sale designates proceeds to Nzige and has helped to build a new administration building and a new sanctuary.