Written By: Ashton Boehm and Chase Lewandowski
Few events can match the excitement and joy of New Year’s Eve in Rwanda. During our trip, we ventured into the capital city of Rwanda; Kigali. The entire evening was full of people who were just as excited for a new year as we were. The Rwandan culture is centered around Christianity with more than 90% of the population practicing Christianity according to the 2022 U.S. Department of State Report of International Religious Freedom. Rwandans celebrate Christmas until the first week of January, so the new year’s holiday is widely celebrated in conjunction with the Christmas holiday. Many New Year’s Eve family and church gatherings are common due to the strong community and Christian values that run through the blood of Rwandans. Other gatherings occur like social events similar to other countries' celebrations.
On New Year’s Eve, Chase met a man at a local firework show in downtown Kigali named Shabban. Chase asked him why everyone was so happy about the new year. Shabban explained that many Rwandans view the new year as a chance for a new beginning. The new year brings about more opportunity to progress, both personally and professionally. Shabban later explained how he is an artist. For Shabban, he would like to expand his artistic horizons with the new year by painting in different styles and creating art from a new perspective. These interpretations of the new year align with many American values. In a way, starting anew in Rwanda is like having a resolution in the U.S. Both cultures wish to change for the better, and when would be a better place to start than the first day of the new year. The streets were filled with laughter, joy, and happiness in anticipation for the new year. When the clock struck midnight, the populace roared with enthusiasm for the new year, and possibly, a new beginning. Festivities continued long into the night with music, dancing and bonding as a community.
Ashton experienced a different Rwandan Celebration on New Year’s Eve. She and some other students were sitting on their hotel balcony in the city of Kigali, before planning on heading out for the holiday festivities. Amongst the common city sounds, a beautiful crowd of singing was echoing off the buildings. Intrigued, the students focused on the music and soon realized it was coming from an energetic Christian congregation down the street. They decided to see what the commotion was all about. Ashton and the other students made their way into the church and were quickly immersed in the service and welcomed whole heartedly almost immediately upon arriving. They were provided with seats to enjoy the service. The congregation was massive and stretched all across the large industrial building with more than 3000 estimated persons in attendance. People of all ethnicities, ages and sex were intermingled and included in every aspect of the word. The community could be described as nothing less than filled with the Holy Spirit and extreme joy. The crowd was life giving. The service was filled with preaching, singing, and so much dancing. The students spent almost three hours at the church and stayed for the new year countdown. Powerful singing was crescendoing until the countdown hit midnight and the crowd went wild. Every person in the building, including the students, were fully entranced in joy and hope for the new year and their new spiritual opportunities. The members rushed the stage with many of the world’s countries’ flags, symbolizing the new year across the world and world unity and peace. Ashton and the other students were extremely moved, it was truly a life changing experience. The unity of the Christian community on New Year’s Eve in Kigali is one to be applauded, the welcoming atmosphere and the faithful devotion to their cause was inspiring. The night continued with many cultural songs of worship and dancing. The students even got in on some of the fun dance moves!
Students at the church service in Kigali after midnight on 31 December 2023.
Ashton Boehm in Kigali on the balcony of their hotel, where the congregation singing could be heard.
: The church service at Christian Life Assembly in Kigali.