From Rwanda

This is a long post...it is an overview of our trip...

Well we’re on our way to Gisenyi, Rwanda. It is in the northwest part of the country. It has been hard for me to write up a blog so far. When people are around the last thing I want to do is sit on a computer and try and be inspiring or informative. Our group has been so great. Their apparent love for children in need is astounding.

We are 6 days in and our schedule thus far has been very packed. We have visited many homes. Here is a little recap of our schedule so far.

Day1: We started out in Washington DC. Our first time meeting each other was right before we were going to board. The team consists of Erin and her 9 year old son, Max. Heidi her 2 sons; David (14) and Jared (12). Tara and her 12 year old Tristan and Sonya and her 12 year old son, Sabastian. Tara and Sonya are friends and came on this trip together. It has been so great to see all the boys together. They are learning so much about this world at such a young age. Damion the “dad” of the group. He has 3 girls at home so it is great to be able to see him playing soccer with all these boys. Then there is Renee, Amy, and Nikki. And let me not forget David, our excellent photographer. Now back to the schedule…

From DC we flew to Rome for an hour fuel up. We weren’t allowed to get off the plane or even get up from our seats. Fortunetly the plane was not very full at all. A couple of us, Erica and I including, we able to get the 3 seats in the middle of the plane to ourselves, which was very helpful to feel rested before we landed to lead this team. From Rome we flew to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for another 2 hour lay over. Then we loaded a plane with Rwandans and Ugandans. Our first stop was to Entebbe Uganda to let off half the plane. The rest of us bound for Kigali stayed on the plane once again for 1.5 hours. It was longer than anticipated.
Once we landed in Kigali, Rwanda Mike, Lisa, KaLia, Nate, Christine, and our driver, Steven picked us up. It was interesting getting all our luggage into the van and truck that were there, but we ended up cramming the boys in the back and piling the luggage on all of us.
We arrived at the Africa New Life guest house around 3:30pm. After we got settled in we started sorting all the donations that we brought and then ate dinner and then finished organizing all the donations. The team did so well bringing so many donations for all the different homes that we were going to go to. I was so impressed by their generosity.

Saturday, day 2: Breakfast at the ANL home- man can these guys cook. Afterwards we heading to the Home of Innocence, this is a ministry of Ten Talents Int’l, which is Mike’s ministry. There are 9 former street boys living at this home, who we instantly fell in love with. All with unique stories these boys ended up being found by Simon (Christine’s wife) and Mike. Benjamin & David are brothers. Their other brother, Obed, lives in Portland with a great family. Theogene, Theonese, Adrian, Big Yvie (who doesn’t live there but was there), Little Yvie, Dueidonne, Celestine, and Emma. This ministry is amazing! Mike’s heart for these boys is overwhelming. There are all so loving and have been given another chance to become young men to impact this country for good and their friends who are still living on the street. Each boy is taught about our Lord and the chance for salvation. All of the boys living at this home have accepted Christ and whether I get the opportunity to meet them again I will see them again while we worship for eternity in Heaven.
While we were at Home of Innocence half the team went to Ubumwe which means United- Ubumwe is a group of adults that run a shop in order to provide an opportunity for the street kids to work and raise support for the street kids.

After lunch we headed to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. There were separate
rooms set up for different things; overview of Genocide, personal belongings, faces, children’s stories, then mass graves. Erica and I agreed that was enough hatred for one day.

The team went back to the ANL house while Erica, Christine, Mike and I headed out to Acres of Hope. 7.5 acres of property that Ten Talents wants to build 4 homes on just like Home of Innocence. It is day 6 in that I am writing this blog and so far this ministry touches my heart the most. I mean these boys are giving a second chance, a place to live, people that LOVE them, schooling, and most importantly the gospel- hope for the “future”. I am blessed to be a part of this and to partner with Ten Talents in this ministry.

Day 3, Sunday: We had breakfast at the ANL home, Church at New Life, Lunch at New Fiesta, Shopping at the market for supplies for Hope 4 the Future home, then headed out quite a ways (1/2 hour or so) to Hope for the Future home. This is another street boy home started by Pastor Jotham. Some of these boys come and then end up leaving because they don’t want to work as hard as it takes, and stealing is easier for them. We got to give them soccer jerseys and soccer balls then play a long match with them. It was pouring down rain when we got there and after we got the tour of their home we got to introduce ourselves. Damion and Nikki told their testimonies and I got the opportunity to share the gospel and Erica prayed for these boys. A couple of the boys told their stories. Then we went to play soccer. The field was a little ways from their home and once we started playing a lot of the community came out to watch. There ended up being a bunch of little children. We then gathered them up and played duck duck goose with them. They caught on quite well and loved it. That is a memory that will stay with me for a long while I’m sure.

Day 4, Monday: This morning we went to Aromas Coffee shop for breakfast. The owners name was Hussain- he was born in Somalia but has spent a lot of time in the states, most recently Michigan. After breakfast we went to Home of Hope- a Mother Teresa home. This home is run by nuns and has a lot of rules we were only able to come from 8:30-10 and 3-4. There were many children that we got to play with and hold. We went to African Bagel Company for lunch. This is a ministry for women set up by a couple from the Boston area. They have lived in Rwanda for 5 years and their ministry is focused on supplying food that is rare to Rwanda to the expats (Ex-patriots) or missionaries. They make bagels (obviously) and chocolate chip cookies, pizza bagels (which we had…so good), hummus, peanut butter, jelly, and really good salsa and chips. From there we went to 2 different computers to set up computers for specific schools the ministries we partner with have a relationship with. We set up the computer and printer and gave the headmaster and a couple teachers a run through of how to use them.

Nate, Mike’s son, had a birthday party that afternoon so the boys from our group went to the pool and had a pizza party! Oh what fun!
Day 5, Tuesday: Breakfast again at Aromas, then we headed out to Gahanga disabled orphanage. Here there are 33 children ages 5-28, all with mild to severe disabilities. After we got a tour of their facility we played with the children while Erica and a couple people went to the market to buy bed sheets for them. We got the chance to eat our sack lunch at Christine and Simon’s house. It was great to see where she lived and see her home. Then we went back to town and met up with the Home of Innocence boys again to play a soccer match, them against the Muzungos (white people). We did better than I thought we would, 1-0, them. Afterwards we took the boys who played to a local restaurant/shop and bought them soda’s. While we were sitting in the grass with them we got a chance to share the gospel with them. Not all the boys there knew Jesus. Mike did a really good presentation of worth. Christine then prayed the prayer of Salvation. Only God knows if any boy decided to rededicate or choose Him that afternoon. I pray a seed of hope was planted in all those boys’ lives. Then Tara told her story. After that we asked if anyone wanted to share with us their story. 3 different boys volunteered. We were there for about an hour. Another rich time with the boys of Rwanda. We then loaded up the Home of Innocence boys in our van and cars and headed to their home for one more time spent together. Tara bought and brought soccer emblems for the wall, we printed out their picture that David took of them and put them on the soccer balls. Then we gave each boy their soccer picture and put it on their wall. We then heard Celestine’s story and got to pray for the boys. Theo asked if he could pray for us, so he did. One of my most cherished memories for sure. We said goodbye, gave hugs, and headed back to the house for dinner.

Day 6, Wednesday: This is today! Breakfast was at 6:30 then we packed up, loaded the big van and headed out toward Gisenyi. The orphanage that we are going to visit today and spent the next 3 days at is Noel. An orphanage of over 600 children that AGCI wants to place children out of for adoption. I am looking forward to this new home and the opportunity to see the needs for the home and love on these children and encourage the staff.

As I sit here and reflect on this trip I wonder often why me? Why God did you choose me? I am not the right person for this job- I am not smart enough for on the fly thinking, I am so different than Erica- is my way of leading going to be “good enough” and what AGCI needs? I asked Erica last night if she thinks I can do it. She said yes but need more experience with leading trips, I would totally agree. I think one of the hardest things for me is knowing that I AM different than Erica. She has a distinct way of leading trips, and she has many more trips under her belt. I want to be able to use the personality, gifts, talents that the Lord has given me to do the job while having the wisdom to lead well and keep the group safe and making sure I follow through on the specific projects well. I have so much to learn and pray that the Lord will give me the wisdom when I ask. It says in James that He will. I have confidence in my Lord and that He has lead me to do this work, but I keep on asking why me. I pray that it is to give HIM the glory in all that I do, although I pray that He will show me how to do trips without disappointing the people who chose me to do this job. I would love to move to Rwanda- to be here and receive the trips that AGCI sends, to encourage Mike with his ministry, and help Christine. I had the same thought while I was in Uganda- a thought that I wanted to move here. To stay for an extended period of time, serving in a specific country, learning the language, the people, the area- I am not sure if God has put that in my heart for right now in my life, with AGCI, or if it something that I will do later in life. I am not sure and really I do not need to know. I am just thankful for the day and this opportunity to be here now. Loving the Rwandese and allowing God to open up the eyes and hearts of this team. I feel whole when I am here.
I am so thankful for this opportunity. I love being here and reaching out to those who need love and encouragement. I do not need to know why He has asked me to go. I just pray I can always be obedient to His calling in my life. Like I have been telling these boys I have met; We were all created for a purpose, we have all done things in our lives that we are ashamed of, we all want to live for meaningful life, and only with God is that possible. There is hope in Jesus. There is redemption both for today and forever in Jesus. There is purpose and meaning in Jesus. I want my life to be used for His kingdom. I want my body to be worn up when I get to heaven. I want to be marked as faithful, obedient servant when I stand before my maker. I thank God everyday for the opportunity to work for Him, both in Rwanda/Ethiopia/Uganda/Taiwan and at home with my coworkers, friends, Portlanders, and family.

I thank God for YOU, those who love me enough to read this blog and pray for this journey I am on. God has given me you. I am blessed to be a blessing. May my life so reflect the love of God you will be motivated to love others in return.