A Sanctuary of Hope: Rukago New sucursal Chapel Nears Completion

A vital new spiritual and community sanctuary is nearing completion in the Rukago Parish, bringing immense joy and hope to the local Christian community.

For a long time, local believers faced the grueling challenge of walking long distances to attend morning and Sunday services at the distant central parish, a journey made particularly difficult and sometimes impossible during the heavy rainy seasons.

To address this pressing need, the Salesian community in AGL Province through the Planning and Development Office initiated the construction of the Rukago New Sucursal Chapel .

Samuel Iradukunda, a Salesian trainee who spent time working closely within the Rukago community, observed that while the villagers possess a deep faith and a love for church activities, they lacked a proper structure to occupy them and support their spiritual growth.

He emphasized that the welcoming new chapel will finally allow the growing congregation to praise God under comfortable conditions, receive the sacraments, and strengthen their life in Christ.

The path to completing the chapel has required navigating severe national challenges, including an acute fuel shortage in Burundi.

This crisis heavily disrupted supply chains, delayed the transportation of materials, and caused constant price increases.

Furthermore, border closure created operational barriers, hindering supervisors from traveling easily to monitor the construction site directly.

Despite these setbacks, the builders and the local congregation demonstrated remarkable resilience.

Parish members united to raise extra local contributions to help close the final funding gap, successfully completing the installation of the metal roof.

Although there are some remaining works, once fully inaugurated, the sucursal will serve as a beautiful multi-generational hub, offering a safe and welcoming space for elders, children, youth movements, and local choirs to worship and gather in comfort.