Cibitoke sits in Burundi’s rugged northwest, pressed against the borders of both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. It was here, in a room of 33 pastors and church leaders, that Jean Paul facilitated the Leader as Shepherd workshop.
He came with a clear plan to keep the group moving forward with focus and energy, grounding them in the principles and their practical application. The session was going well.
And then the discussion turned to forgiveness.
No one could have scripted what happened next. One of the pastors rose from his seat and walked to the front of the room. In his hand was a piece of paper. On it he had written a request for reconciliation – to another man sitting at the very same table. They were from the same church but they had not spoken in a long time. Their dispute had already moved beyond the walls of the congregation and into the courts.
Jean Paul and his wife Jacky stayed behind after the workshop ended, rerouting their travel plans so they could sit with both men and simply listen. A full resolution was not reached that day. But the fact that the moment happened at all – that a man who had carried bitterness into a church training session chose to walk forward rather than stay silent – is a testament to the power of the shepherding message. That step, however incomplete, is the beginning of a heart open to the mercy and grace of God.
These pastors and church leaders are already planning to gather again in two months, eager to share testimonies of how living out Christ-like attitudes and behaviors, rather than sinful ones, has made a difference in their lives and ministries.
