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Australian Pastor Becomes a Peacebuilder in East Africa
Written by John Bellavance, vice president, UPF-Australia
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Melbourne, Australia—An Ambassador for Peace in Victoria State has become a model of serving others and sharing a vision for peace in East Africa.
The Work for Peace in Uganda
Rev. John Izvernariu, the head pastor of the Hume Community Baptist Church in Melbourne, was asked by Bishop John Corin to work with him to promote peace and human development in Uganda.
During his tour Rev. Izvernariu also worked closely with Dr. Birungi Gilbert, the founder of Mercy House Children’s Home, School and Hospital. This is a non-denominational Christian organization whose objectives are church planting, establishing health care, children’s care, education and economic development for the most disadvantaged people of the region.
Rev. Izvernariu was a guest speaker at the annual Mercy International Conference, which is held each year in East Africa in order to empower and support leaders to bring positive change in their communities.
He encouraged local and church leaders to renew their relationship with God and to pursue the work of peace in Uganda by working with others across color, religious, and ethnic lines. He also asked the leaders to support the neediest people who cross their path. He personally gave money and clothes to the staff and children at the children’s home and paid housing and hotel bills for international guests. He also encouraged the leaders to attend the peace conference in Burundi in 2018.
The Work for Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In DR Congo, Rev. Izvernariu spent much of his time with church and government leaders who promised to organize a peace conference in the near future.
He visited an orphanage in the town of Kanungu, where he was welcomed by Sarah Kyomuhendo, the regional chair of the United Pastors Fellowship. Rev. Izvernariu was told of the many challenges the people of Kanungu face—among them, a lack of education, which leads to poverty. Many of the children became orphans due to HIV/AIDS. While in Kanungu he gave gifts and financial support to people. Dr. Birungi Gilbert and Rev. Izvernariu visited a remote Pygmy village, where they identified the need for a school, vocational training and an orphanage.
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