[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF ALARM (THE AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND 
          RECONCILIATION MINISTRIES) ON THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT B. ADERHOLT

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 10, 2014

  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the work of ALARM (the 
African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries) on their 20th 
anniversary, and especially, the President and Founder of the 
organization, Dr. Celestin Musekura, an ordained Baptist minister who 
was born and raised in Rwanda.
  It is important to note that ALARM works to strengthen the church in 
Africa to be an instrument of change in the community by focusing on 
three areas: developing servant leaders, reconciling relationships, and 
transforming communities. ALARM is made up of three charitable 
organizations: 1) ALARM-Africa, which has offices in eight countries; 
2) ALARM-UK; and 3) ALARM-USA.
  ALARM-Africa was founded after civil wars and political violence in 
Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, northern Uganda, and southern Sudan left a 
vacuum of leadership in Christian churches. These churches, once led 
primarily by western missionaries who were forced to flee due to the 
violence, needed leadership from within their own countries. These 
leaders needed to be trained in guiding, teaching, forgiving and 
reconciling, to bring healing and transformation to their communities.
  In the aftermath of these crises, Dr. Musekura and his wife, 
Bernadette, felt called to help fill this void and to help train others 
in the ministry. They founded ALARM and continue to dedicate their 
lives to it.
  Dr. Musekura received a Bachelor of Theology at Kenya Highlands 
Evangelical University in Kenya, a Master of Divinity at the Africa 
International University (AIU) in Kenya, a Master of Sacred Theology at 
Dallas Theological Seminary, a Master of Science in Justice 
Administration and Leadership at the University of Texas at Dallas, and 
a Ph.D. in theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in 
Dallas, Texas.
  ALARM-Africa uses curriculum, most of which is internally developed, 
to equip untrained church and community leaders and reconcile hurting 
communities.
  Since its founding in 1994, ALARM-Africa has expanded into eight 
countries across east and central Africa (Burundi, Democratic Republic 
of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) with 
its head office in Nairobi, Kenya. All offices are staffed by well-
trained, professional African men and women who act as local 
missionaries to their people.
  I would like to congratulate ALARM and Dr. Celestin Musekura on the 
occasion of this anniversary and for their dedication to this important 
work.

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