Warren of Rwanda

Yet there are some skeptics. Many missions professionals regard short-term site visits by faith-driven amateurs as inefficient. Then there is the program's improvisational aura. "I'm cheering 'em on," says Wheaton's Moreau. "In Africa, programs appearing well connected can instantly attract a mass of people. But I wonder how many at Saddleback have the cross-cultural experience to convert that [enthusiasm] to feet on the ground." Says Furaha Mugisha, editor of the Rwandan newspaper Umuseso: "I think [Warren] has good intentions. Some people may benefit. But he is not different from other pastors we have seen. You won't hear much about his plan after the rally."

University student Antoinette Mukashema is hopeful. "There are lots of people promising to move mountains and change lives," she allows. "Often I don't trust them. But this guy has a workable plan. Let us give him time and see." --With reporting by Gabriel Gabiro/Kigali