Reconciliation in Times of Conflict: Stories of Hope

This panel focuses on reconciliation and peace-building amid suffering and conflict. Ivan Rusyn shares his experiences from Ukraine, emphasizing ‘theology of a hug’, where presence and compassion help ease suffering in war. He highlights the necessity of justice in any lasting peace, reminding the audience that reconciliation without justice is incomplete. Rula Mansour from Palestine discusses reconciliation theology, stressing the importance of moving beyond divided pasts toward shared futures. She calls on the church to foster truth, forgiveness, and justice to build lasting peace. Daniel Kyungu from the DRC reflects on living with a disability and how his experience drives his passion for reconciliation. He urges the church to model love and forgiveness, particularly toward the vulnerable. The final speaker,Emmanuel Ndikumana from Burundi, shares his realization that forgiveness is God’s given means to liberate first the victim then the perpetrator of violence, highlighting forgiveness as a transformative tool for breaking cycles of violence. The panel concludes with a call to the church to lead in promoting justice, healing, and reconciliation.

Talk Outline

00:00 Introduction: Seeing Brokenness Through God’s Eyes
01:34 Panelist Introductions: Stories of Reconciliation
03:16 Rula’s Journey: Peace Building in a Land of Conflict
19:22 Daniel’s Story: Disability and Reconciliation in the DRC
26:47 Ivan’s Perspective: Compassion Amidst War in Ukraine
32:07 Emmanuel’s Insights: Forgiveness and Justice in Burundi
41:57 Conclusion: A Call to Action and Prayer

This recording is from the Fourth Lausanne Congress, held in Incheon, South Korea in September 2024. This gathering brought together global church leaders to collaborate on mission strategies for advancing the gospel. Through plenary sessions, table group discussions, and collaborative workshops, the Congress focused on addressing critical gaps in global mission today.

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Speakers' Bios

Ivan Rusyn

Ivan Rusyn is the President and Professor of Missions at the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) and an ordained minister in the Ukrainian Evangelical Church. He has become actively involved in relief efforts since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Daniel Kyungu Tchikala

As bishop with the 1st Community of the Church of Christ, Dr Daniel Kyungu Tchikala serves the Democratic Republic of Congo with his academic experience and passion for Christ.

Rula Khoury Mansour

Christian lawyer and theologian Rula Khoury Mansour is the founder and director of the Nazareth Center for Peace Studies. She has dedicated her career to peacebuilding around the world.

Emmanuel Ndikumana

Regional Director for Francophone Africa

Emmanuel Ndikumana is a native and citizen of Burundi. He is the founder and current executive director of Partners Trust International (PTI), a not-for-profit organization that invests in leadership development. Prior to his current role with PTI, Emmanuel served with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) first as the general secretary for the Burundi IFES movement and then as the training secretary for Francophone Africa.

Growing up in the context of ethnic tensions and particularly leading the IFES Burundi movement in the time of open ethnic conflict between Hutus and Tutsis has shaped Emmanuel’s vision of reconciliation as God’s mission. His ongoing doctoral work looks into how biblical forgiveness meets the predicaments caused by the need for justice in political reconciliation. Besides his role as the Lausanne Movement regional director for Francophone Africa, Emmanuel chairs the board of directors of the Great Lakes Initiatives, a movement that brings together church leaders across denominations—academics and practitioners committed to pursue God’s mission of reconciliation in the African Great Lakes Region.

Emmanuel Ndikumana is married to Asele and together they are blessed with four children: a daughter and a son in their late teens and two very young daughters.