I would be honored to introduce you to one of the many faithful pastors who serve alongside us in our Texas District.

Please meet Pastor Chris Rusare Rugazura. He and his wife, Beatrice, have been married since 2007 and are blessed with a beautiful daughter named Hadassah Faith.

Pastor Chris is leading New Creation Mission Church in San Antonio, thanks to the active engagement of LINC South Texas and a group of local LCMS congregations. He is also working toward completing his seminary degree through the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) in St. Louis.

Chris’s path to pastoral ministry is quite different from many of our own. In fact, his younger years tell a story fit for the movies.

Chris was born in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a village without roads or electricity. Local life centered on raising cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. Despite the agricultural focus, the village’s main activity was worship.

When Chris was around 12 years old, a rally was held in his area, led by a preacher named Billy Graham from the United States. Thousands of people attended. As Chris remembers it, Rev. Graham spoke of a vision for his life — that he would become a bridge for many people and that his residence would one day be in the USA.

Unfortunately, the DRC has endured decades of war and conflict. In 2009, Chris’s village was attacked. People were killed with machetes, others were shot, and some were captured and burned in their homes. It was a massacre beyond belief. Everyone saved their lives however they were able. Many ended up in Burundi, Rwanda, or Kenya.

Despite the intense difficulty, Chris acknowledges that this was also the time when his calling began to take shape. By then, he was known as an evangelist, passionate about preaching on the streets and in the markets. He even had a vision of opening a church.

With the support of his family, a new church was planted. They started outside, with no shelter from the rain or sun. They had no chairs or equipment.

“But because we trusted God,” Chris remembers, “one man came and found us praying outside and told us to come. He gave us a place in a primary school.”

After seven years in Kenya, Chris was legally brought to this country in 2016. When he arrived here, the call continued. Other immigrants from East and Central Africa gathered around him. They told him, “When we go to worship services here, we do not understand the English language, and our children’s prayers are decreasing.”

New Creation Mission Church was born. Today, their ministry focuses on proclaiming the Gospel, serving human needs, and equipping believers.

Pastor Chris and the ministries he leads—both in San Antonio and back home in Africa—have significant needs. Sometimes there does not seem to be a clear path forward.

But this man of deep faith continues to lean on our faithful God, counting on His divine plan and provision.

If you would like to learn more about Pastor Chris or explore ways to engage with this mission effort, I encourage you to contact Rev. Carlos Boerger at carlosboerger@gmail.com. Carlos serves as a tireless mentor, encourager, and friend to Pastor Chris.

Together, they are making an eternal difference in many lives.

By Rev. Pete Mueller
Mission Strategist, Area C