Today I'm excited to welcome author Debbie Maxwell Allen as she shares about the life of an exciting missionary. Read on through, because they're giving away a print copy (US only), and an ebook copy (for international readers)

Thank you so much, Donna, for the introduction.

The voice inside his head said: “You are nothing. Helpless. Useless. No one cares.”

Many times God demonstrates His power by choosing the most unlikely people to carry out His work—even someone born in a mud hut in the jungles of central Africa.

In war-torn Uganda, a deadly snake bit 7-year-old Canisius Gacura. Eighty miles from the nearest hospital by bicycle, Gacura suffered for three agonizing weeks before receiving medical care. Within the year, he also contracted a near-fatal bout of measles and finally, a severe case of polio—leaving him a pain-riddled cripple in a country unfamiliar with care for the disabled.

Born to a cattle-herding family that only knew the indigenous religion, his father took him to several witch-doctors for healing. They beat him, leaving him feeling as if life had no purpose. He attempted suicide three times, thinking he had no future until he heard a voice telling him: “You need Jesus!”

He survived the witch doctors, though he could only crawl with the help of a pair of rubber boots to protect his knees. He crawled to the nearest church two miles away. Meeting Jesus changed everything.

Despite his limitations, he finished his education and became a pastor. God used Canisius' years of suffering to allow him to minister Jesus' love to the victims—and perpetrators—of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, when one million people were slaughtered in 100 days.

His church in Kigali, Rwanda emphasizes prayer, perseverance, and radical forgiveness, as those who once threatened their neighbors now worship side by side.

Today, Pastor Gacura is married with four beautiful children. His church ministers effectively to their Muslim neighbors, feeding local children, and bringing Muslims to Christ. The ministry has produced three daughter churches in other areas of Rwanda.

Pastor Gacura’s weekly radio broadcast reaches the entire nation and has seen hundreds of Rwandese pray to receive Jesus as Savior. The new Ministry Center under construction will accommodate 1500 for services and is the first completely wheelchair accessible church in the country.

Can a pastor who crawls make a difference for people suffering from a horrendous genocide? Can God use him to reach Muslims in Kigali? Can God change a war-ravaged nation?

YES, HE CAN!

Pastor Gacura’s book is called Unlimited: Conquering On My Knees. The title references both his crawling towards his destiny, but more importantly, the time spent in prayer on his knees.

Here's an Excerpt of the story:

Five miles. Not so far. To a boy known as the fastest in the village, five miles was a challenge, not a chore.

I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead and leaped over elephant grass clumped in the small clearings between the jungle trees, the rhythm of birdsong keeping time. The air felt damp and thick as honey with the threat of an impending rainstorm. The thought made my legs churn faster.

I hurdled the wide roots of mango trees. The soldier formation of bamboo trunks flashed past and my bare legs felt the sting and snap of the razor-sharp grass. Shafts of sunlight filtered between the green canopy leaves, painting the jungle with shifting stripes of light and dark.

Uncle Kayitare had warned me to move quickly. The storm clouds increased the need for speed.

More clumps of jungle grass cropped up in the next small clearing. I leaped from tuft to tuft. Thunder rumbled. The birds and monkeys went quiet for a moment.

Something cold brushed my ankle and I stopped still.

The sight at my feet turned my blood to ice. I stared into the gaping mouth of a snake, fangs dripping. That one glance told me—move! The zigzag brown stripes of the snake sent a ball of cold dread to the depths of my stomach.

Puff adder.

The sight of the deadliest snake in the jungle eclipsed my fear of the storm, of being alone, of the soldiers. Every other thought distilled into just one.

Run!

Giveaway

We are giving away one copy of the print book ( for US readers) and one copy of the ebook ( for international readers). Pleaseanswer the following question if you would like to be entered: Have you seen God do the impossible in your life? What challenges has He helped you overcome? We’d love to hear your story in the comments.

About Pastor Gacura:

Pastor Gacura serves as senior pastor of Nyabugingo Worship Center and president of Rwanda Christian Outreach Ministries. He has a Bachelor of Theology degree and a Masters in Biblical Studies from Midwest Bible College. He is married to his beautiful wife, Allen. They are the parents of five children.

Pastor Gacura conducts conferences, church planting, evangelistic crusades, and leadership training and is an international motivational speaker. Contact him for speaking engagements through his website, bit.ly/unlimitedrwanda.

About Debbie:

Debbie Maxwell Allen lives high in the Rockies, accompanied by her force-of-nature husband, her yin and yang cats, and plenty of visits from her children and the two most adorable grandsons. She travels as often as she can—preferably by train—and always with a hot cup of tea. Catch her blog of free resources for writers at http://writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com/ or her website at https://bit.ly/blogdma.

Buy linkns: 

Purchase the book: Unlimited: Conquering On My Knees, a life-changing book of prayer and faith in Africa. http://amzn.to/1UEIRqG 

Pastor Gacura’s website: bit.ly/unlimitedrwanda (with plenty of pictures and videos)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnlimitedConqueringOnMyKnees

Pastor Gacura’s church YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/rwandayoutube (experience an African church service)