From Truett to the World: Ministry Connections Meets Soul Care For Pastors in Rwanda

In Baylor University’s motto, the phrase, Pro Mundo — “For the World” — takes on a particular significance at Truett Seminary when we are able to link arms with our alumni for ministry connection in unique spaces around the globe. As part of this effort for Truett Seminary, Kenneth McNeil, DMin, director of Ministry Connections, took a trip to Rwanda to partner with Truett alumna, Solange Balikunde (MDiv, 2022) to serve local pastors and ministry leaders.

This trip offered an opportunity to link Truett Seminary and the Rwandan church community through a four-day retreat focused on soul care. 30 pastors and lay leaders gathered together around a shared commitment to gospel ministry and spiritual formation. In partnership with the work of Balikunde, McNeil led the group of pastors and leaders as they worshiped, prayed, practiced silence, reflected, and sought God’s guidance.

“Serving the pastors and ministry leaders of Rwanda was a tremendous gift and privilege,” McNeil said. “As we prayed, worshiped, reflected, and sought God’s guidance together, I was reminded of Revelation 7 and the vision of ‘every tribe, tongue, people, and nation,’ gathered before the throne of God.”

The response from participants underscored the need for intentional spaces of spiritual renewal. One participant described leaving the retreat “spiritually refreshed, encouraged, and renewed,” noting that worship, prayer, silence, and personal reflection helped deepen their relationship with God. Another expressed gratitude for the team’s hospitality and servant-hearted leadership, saying the retreat created an environment where participants could “rest, reflect, and grow.”

McNeil also connected the retreat experience with time spent at the African College of Theology, where he lectured on the importance of soul care for seminary students. Students were encouraged to see soul care as essential to lifelong ministry.

“This work matters because healthy ministry begins with a healthy soul,” McNeil said. “The retreat reminded ministry leaders that before we can continually give to others, we must first learn to receive from God. The conversations at the African College of Theology also helped students see that soul care is essential for lifelong ministry and a conversation the global Church needs to keep having.”

The experience strengthened McNeil’s hope that this partnership, and others like it, will continue to grow and bear fruit for years to come, creating space for ministry leaders to be renewed, theological education to be shared and pastors to be encouraged as they faithfully serve their churches and communities around the world.