In a nutshell who is Pastor Phoebe?
Phoebe is pastor, a teacher, a chaplain and a language interpreter. She is a mother of 3 children attending school in FortBend County, State of Texasand a daughter of a prominent Presbyterian pastor and leader, Rev. Naassson Hitimana.
She holds 2 degrees in Economics (Bachelor and license) from the National University of Rwanda, (1989) a Master degree in Theology from George W. Truett theological Seminary (1997) and has completed doctoral course work at Baylor graduate school in the area of systematic theology. (2003)
Phoebe (or
Foyibe in her native tongue) was ordained at South Main Baptist
Church by Dr. Steve wells, senior pastor of the church on October 9th,
2005. Her ministry mentors have included Rev. Michael Cassidy founder of
African Enterprise, South Africa, Rev. and Mrs. Randy Trail, late professor A.
J. Conyers, late Mr. Marinus Meewseen of Netherland, Rev. Patricia Clark and
Dr. Steve Wells.
After working in the ministry of reconciliation and assisting refugees from the great lakes region of Africa for a period of 12 years God called her in year 2012 to the work of church planting and training of ministers.
Pastor Phoebe travels extensively to Uganda where she provides leadership to her mission plant, the Power of Prayer Open Gate Church located in Kitende-Kawoto B, led by resident pastor Mutabazi Emamanuel. Yearly last week-end of October, the church organizes a “Return to Me” Revival Conference that draws people from surrounding regions and brings much joy to participants and healing to the land.
Phoebe is an ordained minister, member of South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas. Phoebe was baptized at age 8 and confirmed in the parish led by her own father at 12. Since then she was involved in student ministries throughout her high school years. Phoebe grew up in a large and prominent family in Rwanda where her father is a retiree national pastor and leader in the Presbyterian Church. She is a mother of 3 young teens Lydia (12), Hope (10) and Samuel (9).
Phoebe attended Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary and afterwards did doctoral level course work in the department of Religion at Baylor and taught as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University. Prior to Baylor, Phoebe completed two degrees in the studies of Economics from the National University of Rwanda after which she worked for African Evangelistic Enterprise. More recently, Phoebe completed three units of Clinical pastoral care serving as a Chaplain Resident with Memorial Hermann Hospital Systems.
She has an extensive background experience in ministry and a unique call for God’s people to live in social harmony. She has served as children and youth minister in Arlington and Waco, Texas respectively.
Prior to coming to the United States, Phoebe was caught up in the genocide that took one of her siblings, Rose with her whole family; in the ensuing years, two more of Phoebe’s siblings died of illness. Phoebe remains close to her parents and surviving brothers and sisters living in different parts of the world.
Once in America, Phoebe struggled with how to make sense of such tragedy as had overtaken her country and her family. “The temptation was to bury herself in her studies, to concentrate upon the always invitation in theology to see things in terms of glorious distraction. In a word, she was tempted to allow her new life to distract her into a welcome forgetfulness of former days and past sorrows. But somehow her reading of the Bible revealed a history of humankind diagnosed with a violent life, while the Gospel is an invitation against it” (Conyers).
At the beginning of the millennium, helped by her mentor (the late professor A. J. Conyers), and an ecliptic group of friends, she launched Christian-Cultural Awareness and Assistance League.
Currently, C-CAAL partners with Global Women, St. Stephen Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas and Reach the Un-reached Ministry based in Kampala, Uganda, working in prisons, hospitals and top African leadership.
Phoebe has been a guest speaker at the following locations:
– Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX
– St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX
– South Main Baptist Church, Houston, TX
– Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco, TX
– First Baptist Church, Waco, TX
– Bellaire Central Baptist Church, Houston, TX
– African Enterprise, Monrovia, CA
– Global Women Summit, Knoxville, Tennessee.
– St. Philips United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas.
– St. Philips United Methodist Church, Houston, TX.
– Trinity University, San-Antonio, Texas.
– Global Women Conference, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas.
– Beloved Community Church, Birmingham, Alabama
– Watchman Christian Center, & Buwambo Prison, Kampala, Uganda.
– Chapel, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
– KPRC Radio.
– Minute for Missions, St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas.
– Session Leader on “Missions, Reconciliation and Justice,” Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, San Antonio, Texas.
– Highland Park Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.
– First United Methodist Church, Clifton, Texas.
– Pulpit Guest, the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda, Kicukiro and Kiyovu Parishes.
– Red Oak First United Methodist Church, Lancaster, Texas.
– Baptist Voices Guest, ‘Sharing the Experience of Rwanda,” Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Conference, Fort-Worth, Texas.
– St. Paul Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas.
– Guest Respondent, ‘The Ethics of Forgiveness and Reconciliation,” George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Waco, Texas.