Home Called TO SERVE Beatrice BYEMANZI

Beatrice BYEMANZI

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Who are you?

I am a mother, a wife, a church leader and child of God. I come from a large, loving, close knit extended family. I am the fourth child in a family of five; three girls and two boys. My husband Jeremy and I met while I was at the University in my first year. We met in a singing group called Worship Harvest, which later became a church.

We became fast friends and after being really good friends, we started dating in 2006, and got married in December 2008 and now have two adorable girls.

These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to have lasting and meaningful marriages.

How do you do it?

First of all, nothing meaningful in life comes easy, marriage inclusive. That said, I think marriage has been painted as this really dark, difficult place, yet it isn’t. A friend of ours says “there is no happy marriage. Just two happy individuals in a marriage.” And I couldn’t agree more. Jeremy and I are each other’s friend before anything else so we connect at the most basic level. We also have such a strong support system. We have friends who have decided to share their lives with us, and have made it clear that marriage is NOT private; you need people to walk with who will be brutally honest with you, rebuke you, cry with you and celebrate with you. Jeremy and I are honest about our mistakes, struggles and successes. We don’t pretend to be perfect; but we are happy most of the time.

Everybody is complaining about the younger generation. In your view is there cause for concern?

I don’t think there is a problem with young people at all. I think this is a generation filled with loads of possibility. My concern is that there are not enough role models for these young people to model their own lives upon. A casual glance at the headlines shows that this is a nation dealing with a conflict in its morals and values. The fact that we have one of the youngest populations in the world doesn’t make things any easier. But I know that we shall pull through these confusing times because we are a generation with such promise. We just need an injection of a steady, solid, value system that we can fall back on.

What does success mean to you and do you consider yourself a success?

Success is such a difficult thing to define. For me, my hugest I’m mentoring as many young people as can allow me to, and within my resources. I am also being mentored by other people so that I am accountable and constantly learning. If each one of us invested our life in helping one more person be better, what kind of world would it be? Beautiful, right? It would be full of confident, satisfied, wholesome individuals. I know it is very idealistic and yet very possible. It begins with you.

What’s your advice to people about the media?

Music, books and TV are very powerful tools of communication, and whether we believe it or not, they influence us. For example, I have caught myself watching a movie and hoping the man leaves his boring wife and ends up with the girl he is cheating on her with. With time, and without realizing it, my mind is being renewed to accept adultery as

okay, and even good, yet I shouldn’t. While everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial. So, be careful what you allow into your mind; it is not a garbage bin.

At what point did you decide that you wanted a career in the church?

Never. LOL. I never “decided” to have a career in church. Yet here I am enjoying every single day here. I can’t even call it a career. There is no word for it. It’s simply a privilege I hope I use to the maximum while I still have the opportunity.

What keeps you grounded?

God and my family. These are all people who know me to the core. I can’t fool them. I don’t mesmerize them. They give it to me as it is. So, I keep them close, so that if ever I grow a big head, they have the grace to burst the bubble.

Apparently, these days going to church is a trend. What do you think?

Really? Then that’s a good trend. I hope it outlasts all the rest. Although the truth is that the concept of “church” is not the Sunday morning service in a four walled building. Church is us loving people in meaningful, practical ways from Monday to Sunday.

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