Hey guys! Well, I guess you all know by now that we made it home! Back in the good 'ol USA! We had a decent flight home and were only delayed by 7 hours in London. We arrived in Houston in the early morning hours and I did not actually fall asleep until 5am that morning. My body has NO idea what time it should be...but I am beginning to catch up I think..slowly ;)
I am happy to be home yet missing my home in Rwanda. It is a weird feeling, my body is here and my mind is back in Africa! I wake up sometimes having dreamt of Rwanda and not knowing exactly where I was!
Many of you have prayed for our safe travel and return and I am so thankful for each of you! I cannot wait to share stories and chat and show you all my pictures! I look forward to telling you any and everything I can, I would love to meet with anyone who wants to listen. Just let me know! Thank you all again, those words are not enough to express how I feel about each of you for following God's call on you to support me financially and through your mighty prayers! This summer was truly incredible and the things God did there were amazing. May you be blessed!
Imana igue umagisha,
Melissa
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Last days
Well, I have now been in Rwanda for what has felt like a very short amount of time but has actually been 2 months. Again, I am a MESS of emotions about leaving. The things God has done in me here have been beyond my imaginantion. I always change in some way while in Rwanda and this time it has been no different and in in fact has been more powerful than before. I absolutley love this culture, I have experienced such incredible hospitality, love and fellowship among them. They value people over time, schedules and frantic bussines. I feel renewed and encouraged by my friends and the relationships that have been grown more and more. How do I begin to say goodbye? It seems like an impossible task! But, by God's grace, I will be back in the USA in 4 days, so it is one I will have to accept, I know. I also know that resisiting the urge to plunge back into the rat-race will be difficult, and eventually it will happen in some way, but my prayer has been that I will take what I have learned and spend more time with what matters. God has shown me how much I love and value my family, my friends (especially those who are so far away from me in the US now--you know who you are ;), and how I have missed their presence in my life these past months, I have taken it for granted.
Being in Rwanda this summer has been an unforgettable experience and leaving is going to be tough, BUT in honesty I am ready to be back in Texas! I am craving barbeque like none other! Rudy's will be my first stop after Bush Intercontinental!, I also want a hot shower and my own bed and not to be living out of a suitcase!
But altogether, I feel like I have done what God has brought me here to do and that now it is time to move on to what He has next. I cannot wait to show everyone my pictures and talk to anyone who will listen! Be back soon!
For you who are interested, here is the last week in a nutshell:
Tuesday-Wednesday: The rest of the youth training went great! We had a nice q and a time and enjoyed getting to know some of the younger Remera CEER members.
Wednesday: Our last meeting with my favorite group of ladies went great! We were able to share Fanta's and mindazi together and just laugh and have fun. They danced for us and asked us to join in-which we got on video tape ;)-it was hilarious!
Thursday: Kathleen and Bruno (our Canadian friends) took us to visit a hospital way out in the countryside of Rwanda. It was an amazing place, very beautiful and the people there are doing some fantastic things with healthcare. It is designed to take a wholistic community approach and reach those in the most rural and poor areas. It was filled with people, yet it was a truly peaceful environment. They don't just treat and release people, but look at the whole picture. It was very cool. We also were able to go into Akagera National Park, which was very nearby, for lunch after our tour. We visited the lodge there and it was very quiet and had an amazing view of the lake-- so pretty. We also saw a monkey and a pack of warthogs! That day was really an unexpected treat for both of us.
Friday: In the morning we went to visit the Alivera and the DORCAS women. We were able to truly work alongside them and feel like strong African women (only for about an hour though)! They dressed us up and everything and we even carried dirt in buckets on our heads! Good times. We also had our last study with our group that normally met on Thursdays, they too brought out with the traditional Rwandan dance for us. So fun! We will miss this group of women.
Saturday : Today we had our last bible study of the trip. It was again a sweet time and lots of fun. (Fanta's and mindazi helped us celebrate once again ;) We are looking forward to tomorrow and going to church one last time in Remera.
As for the few days we have left we have no definite plans other than to take advantage of any opportunity God puts in front of us. (We also plan on eating as many avacodoes, bananas and maracuja's, aka passion fruit, as possible!)
Please pray for Katy and I for continued health and safe travel.
Again MURAKOZE CHANE CHANE (thank you all very very much!) for reading and for praying. I look forward to seeing everyone!
Imana igue umagisha,
Melissa
Being in Rwanda this summer has been an unforgettable experience and leaving is going to be tough, BUT in honesty I am ready to be back in Texas! I am craving barbeque like none other! Rudy's will be my first stop after Bush Intercontinental!, I also want a hot shower and my own bed and not to be living out of a suitcase!
But altogether, I feel like I have done what God has brought me here to do and that now it is time to move on to what He has next. I cannot wait to show everyone my pictures and talk to anyone who will listen! Be back soon!
For you who are interested, here is the last week in a nutshell:
Tuesday-Wednesday: The rest of the youth training went great! We had a nice q and a time and enjoyed getting to know some of the younger Remera CEER members.
Wednesday: Our last meeting with my favorite group of ladies went great! We were able to share Fanta's and mindazi together and just laugh and have fun. They danced for us and asked us to join in-which we got on video tape ;)-it was hilarious!
Thursday: Kathleen and Bruno (our Canadian friends) took us to visit a hospital way out in the countryside of Rwanda. It was an amazing place, very beautiful and the people there are doing some fantastic things with healthcare. It is designed to take a wholistic community approach and reach those in the most rural and poor areas. It was filled with people, yet it was a truly peaceful environment. They don't just treat and release people, but look at the whole picture. It was very cool. We also were able to go into Akagera National Park, which was very nearby, for lunch after our tour. We visited the lodge there and it was very quiet and had an amazing view of the lake-- so pretty. We also saw a monkey and a pack of warthogs! That day was really an unexpected treat for both of us.
Friday: In the morning we went to visit the Alivera and the DORCAS women. We were able to truly work alongside them and feel like strong African women (only for about an hour though)! They dressed us up and everything and we even carried dirt in buckets on our heads! Good times. We also had our last study with our group that normally met on Thursdays, they too brought out with the traditional Rwandan dance for us. So fun! We will miss this group of women.
Saturday : Today we had our last bible study of the trip. It was again a sweet time and lots of fun. (Fanta's and mindazi helped us celebrate once again ;) We are looking forward to tomorrow and going to church one last time in Remera.
As for the few days we have left we have no definite plans other than to take advantage of any opportunity God puts in front of us. (We also plan on eating as many avacodoes, bananas and maracuja's, aka passion fruit, as possible!)
Please pray for Katy and I for continued health and safe travel.
Again MURAKOZE CHANE CHANE (thank you all very very much!) for reading and for praying. I look forward to seeing everyone!
Imana igue umagisha,
Melissa
Monday, July 14, 2008
One week to go...
Hey everyone! Hope all is well on your side of the world! Thanks again for reading the latest.
Katy and I have one last week in Rwanda and like I have been saying we are a mixture of emotions. Saying goodbye is going to be really hard for me and I know I can speak for Katy as well. It feels a bit surreal and hard to imagine that this will likely be one of the last blog updates! We have had a wonderful week and look forward to another one this week. I will try to give the Reader's Digest version of our adventures as Katy so well put it. :)
Tuesday-Thursday: Last week we said our final goodbyes at the school, it was sad but joyful at the same time. We were able to give each class a little party and hang out with them. I have enjoyed the experience at the school on a new level this time around. Being there for 5 weeks allowed us to deepen the relationships and get a good idea on how things work. Providence was still at home recovering so we were able to visit her at her home on Tuesday and say goodbye. She was so gracious (in typical Rwandese style) , though visibly still a little weak from her illness, she welcomed us and served us a wonderful meal. I also got to finally meet her husband, Ernest, and look at her wedding albums with her. They are still newlyweds. We are about the same age I found out and she is no different than me and my girlfriends back home-- all excited about weddings and could talk about it for hours! It as such a nice visit, I am truly going to miss her.
Wednesday Bible study: We finished our study on prayer with the ladies. Many of them expressed afterwards how much they apprecitaed and learned from our time together over the last 6 weeks. Katy and I were tearing up as they discussed the things they had learned! I also feel like God has taught me new things through them and used these new friendships to encourage me too. This Wednesday will be our final meeting, we hope to have a little celebration with Fantas and mindazi (this delicious sweet bread stuff that many people snack on) after the lesson. It will be hard to part with this group!
Thursday Bible study: This week we were finally able to meet with these ladies again. Our translator and friend Mary is doing much better (praise!) and was able to help us gather the women at the Ligue this time. We were able to present all 10 of them with a Bible. They cheered and praised God as we passed them out, it was such a blessing to witness-- I take for granted how easy it is for me to own a Bible. We told them all we wanted them to do try to come back this week because we want to be with them one last time and say our farewells. We are looking forward to the next meeting.
Friday: We were not able to meet with the DORCAS ladies but did get to run some much needed errands around Kigali. We have become a lot more familiar with the taxi buses and our favorite spots around the city, we feel pretty independant these days!
Saturday Bible study: This week we met with the group again and have one more lesson to go in our study together. We also plan on having another little Fanta & mindazi celebration with these ladies as well after we meet. I am looking forward to just visiting with them about new things they have learned. We have had some really great discussions and Q & A time with this group.
Sunday (yesterday): Kezia', James and Katy and I left at 7am yesterday morning for the ladies conference in Rukira, a village outside of Kibungo. It was one of those 3 hour drives through the bumpy dusty roads and banana frields at times. Kezia' kept saying it was "very rural" ;). We were happy to get out of the city and into the village for a day, we have not done a whole lot of that this trip. When we arrived in Rukira Kezia showed us some land CEER is hoping to build a secondary school on, we asked her when it would be built and she told us "only God knows"! But he has provided them the land, the first step in the process. When we were walking back to the car the CEER Rukira pastor Alfred led us through a yard of a sweet old lady who greeted us with a smile. Kezia' later told us that she had lost her husband and every one of her 11 children in the genocide--yet she was smiling and greeted us so warmly. It was obvious she had Jesus in her life! I was really encouraged by her. When we got to church there were ladies gathered from all over the country, I was impressed by how far some of them had to travel to get there. Katy and I greeted them and presented the gospel via the wordless book. Afterwards we were fed some more good 'ol Rwnadan rice, beans, matoke and meat (we are pretty sure it was beef!) and of course you cannot eat Rwandan food without a Fanta. They were very gracious to us! We got home to the Ligue at about 7pm and were exhausted! It was a great day though and Kezia' said that she was so happy that we took a taxi because it allowed her to be there and encourage the women and otherwise travel would probably been really difficult, that made us happy too.
Today: We began our first of 3 youth Bible studies this week in Remera. We were a little slow to start but ended up having close to 15 people of various ages there. We just want God to work and are praying about the next couple of days. Vincent was our translator and we are excited to get to spend some time with him, we have not seen him around much this trip. I cannot remember if I have mentioned it but, the CEER church in Remera will be opening a cyber cafe sometime in August with a little store where people can hang out, drink a Fanta, and buy some mindazi. They are well on their way, they have been painting and sanding desks and chairs. Vincent says they hope to have about 10 computers. I am excited for them because I think it will be a great way of interacting with the community and people in the village.
I think this is all...I know what you are thinking..geez Melissa you wrote a stinkin' book! Thanks again for taking the time out of your lives to read...it helps me to feel close to you even though I'm halfway around the world right now! I also ask that you lift some prayers up with me this week:
All of our friends in Rwanda, old and new! We will have a hard time leaving them and want to enjoy them for the remaining time we have left.
Katy and I, that we will use the time left for God's glory alone and that we will finish strong the tasks He has given us to do. We praise God for our health (He has been SO gracious) and for allowing us to spend close to 7 amazing weeks here safely.
Thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
:) Melissa
Katy and I have one last week in Rwanda and like I have been saying we are a mixture of emotions. Saying goodbye is going to be really hard for me and I know I can speak for Katy as well. It feels a bit surreal and hard to imagine that this will likely be one of the last blog updates! We have had a wonderful week and look forward to another one this week. I will try to give the Reader's Digest version of our adventures as Katy so well put it. :)
Tuesday-Thursday: Last week we said our final goodbyes at the school, it was sad but joyful at the same time. We were able to give each class a little party and hang out with them. I have enjoyed the experience at the school on a new level this time around. Being there for 5 weeks allowed us to deepen the relationships and get a good idea on how things work. Providence was still at home recovering so we were able to visit her at her home on Tuesday and say goodbye. She was so gracious (in typical Rwandese style) , though visibly still a little weak from her illness, she welcomed us and served us a wonderful meal. I also got to finally meet her husband, Ernest, and look at her wedding albums with her. They are still newlyweds. We are about the same age I found out and she is no different than me and my girlfriends back home-- all excited about weddings and could talk about it for hours! It as such a nice visit, I am truly going to miss her.
Wednesday Bible study: We finished our study on prayer with the ladies. Many of them expressed afterwards how much they apprecitaed and learned from our time together over the last 6 weeks. Katy and I were tearing up as they discussed the things they had learned! I also feel like God has taught me new things through them and used these new friendships to encourage me too. This Wednesday will be our final meeting, we hope to have a little celebration with Fantas and mindazi (this delicious sweet bread stuff that many people snack on) after the lesson. It will be hard to part with this group!
Thursday Bible study: This week we were finally able to meet with these ladies again. Our translator and friend Mary is doing much better (praise!) and was able to help us gather the women at the Ligue this time. We were able to present all 10 of them with a Bible. They cheered and praised God as we passed them out, it was such a blessing to witness-- I take for granted how easy it is for me to own a Bible. We told them all we wanted them to do try to come back this week because we want to be with them one last time and say our farewells. We are looking forward to the next meeting.
Friday: We were not able to meet with the DORCAS ladies but did get to run some much needed errands around Kigali. We have become a lot more familiar with the taxi buses and our favorite spots around the city, we feel pretty independant these days!
Saturday Bible study: This week we met with the group again and have one more lesson to go in our study together. We also plan on having another little Fanta & mindazi celebration with these ladies as well after we meet. I am looking forward to just visiting with them about new things they have learned. We have had some really great discussions and Q & A time with this group.
Sunday (yesterday): Kezia', James and Katy and I left at 7am yesterday morning for the ladies conference in Rukira, a village outside of Kibungo. It was one of those 3 hour drives through the bumpy dusty roads and banana frields at times. Kezia' kept saying it was "very rural" ;). We were happy to get out of the city and into the village for a day, we have not done a whole lot of that this trip. When we arrived in Rukira Kezia showed us some land CEER is hoping to build a secondary school on, we asked her when it would be built and she told us "only God knows"! But he has provided them the land, the first step in the process. When we were walking back to the car the CEER Rukira pastor Alfred led us through a yard of a sweet old lady who greeted us with a smile. Kezia' later told us that she had lost her husband and every one of her 11 children in the genocide--yet she was smiling and greeted us so warmly. It was obvious she had Jesus in her life! I was really encouraged by her. When we got to church there were ladies gathered from all over the country, I was impressed by how far some of them had to travel to get there. Katy and I greeted them and presented the gospel via the wordless book. Afterwards we were fed some more good 'ol Rwnadan rice, beans, matoke and meat (we are pretty sure it was beef!) and of course you cannot eat Rwandan food without a Fanta. They were very gracious to us! We got home to the Ligue at about 7pm and were exhausted! It was a great day though and Kezia' said that she was so happy that we took a taxi because it allowed her to be there and encourage the women and otherwise travel would probably been really difficult, that made us happy too.
Today: We began our first of 3 youth Bible studies this week in Remera. We were a little slow to start but ended up having close to 15 people of various ages there. We just want God to work and are praying about the next couple of days. Vincent was our translator and we are excited to get to spend some time with him, we have not seen him around much this trip. I cannot remember if I have mentioned it but, the CEER church in Remera will be opening a cyber cafe sometime in August with a little store where people can hang out, drink a Fanta, and buy some mindazi. They are well on their way, they have been painting and sanding desks and chairs. Vincent says they hope to have about 10 computers. I am excited for them because I think it will be a great way of interacting with the community and people in the village.
I think this is all...I know what you are thinking..geez Melissa you wrote a stinkin' book! Thanks again for taking the time out of your lives to read...it helps me to feel close to you even though I'm halfway around the world right now! I also ask that you lift some prayers up with me this week:
All of our friends in Rwanda, old and new! We will have a hard time leaving them and want to enjoy them for the remaining time we have left.
Katy and I, that we will use the time left for God's glory alone and that we will finish strong the tasks He has given us to do. We praise God for our health (He has been SO gracious) and for allowing us to spend close to 7 amazing weeks here safely.
Thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
:) Melissa
Monday, July 7, 2008
2 More Weeks in Rwanda :(
Muraho!
Again, it is hard for me to believe that we only have two more weeks here. Like I have said it is a mixture of emotions, we are sad to be leaving our sweet friends, yet missing family and friends back home. The process of beginning to say goodbye (for now ;) is something I am not looking forward to. It seems like just a few weeks ago Katy and I had arrived, sleeping in our clothes, desperatley needing a shower, and waiting for our bags to catch up with us! But, here we are in the final weeks. However, things are not going to slow down for us, there is still MUCH work to be done. We will be busy every single day leading up to our departure on the 23rd.
Today beagn the process of saying bye to our cute little kiddos at the school. I will miss them terribly! It's like how I felt at the beginning of the summer, having just said goodbye to my Kindergartners at TWCA. But today we were able to have a little fun. We played with the parachute my mom sent us last year. They are still loving it. We also gave them a treat of bannanas, kazoos, and stickers--it was a par-tay! We plan on doing the same in the other three classes this week. The students are taking 'exams', they even are required to recite the memory verse we taught them in English. It is so great to see how they are retaining the lessons they have learned--at such a young age. Next week the school begins it's holiday, I think the teachers are ready for it, as I am back at home at my own school when we get breaks! My friend who teaches the 5 and 6 year old class, Providence, has left the hospital, but is still recovering at home. Theophile is taking Katy and I to visit her at her house tomorrow, I am excited to see her. Thank you all for praying for her.
This coming Sunday Katy and I plan on accompanying Kezia' to a women's conference outside of Kigali, which we are both pumped about! We may be doing some teaching there also. We have two more weeks of Bible studies coming up, the one on prayer we will wrap up this week and then with our Saturday studies we will have to do some catching up. We missed a few days due to the public work day (once a month all Rwandans are required to participate in some sort of public work--even President Kagame gets out and washes windows) and the election for mediators this past Saturday. We are also scheduled to do a study with the women at the DORCAS project on our next two Friday mornings. I have grown a deeper attachment to these ladies in our studies, my friend Bernadette (Pastor Immanuel's wife, mother of my buddy Gad) and Theophile's wife, Mama Olive especially. Bernadette and I just have a connection I feel, she and I cannot communicate well through language (she knows little English and I know even less Kinyarwandan), but we use any means possible. She is always smiling and laughing, it is contagious. She is such a joy to be around. I respect and adore her family. Mama Olive is fun too, that lady is such a servant, I need lessons from her on humility! She and Theophile both have been of so much help to us on this trip, she has many jobs, yet still has found the time to cook a feast for Katy and I every Wednesday while we are in Nabycindu. Imana ishimwe (praise God) for these precious ladies!
Next week we have set up Mon-Wed as a youth training to be held at the church in Remera. I am so excited about it because we are supposed to have the youth choir joining us, I have wanted to hang out with them more. Afterwards we hope to just chill and play some volleyball with them. We also hope to visit a hospital and possibly some schools that week.
We had a great time last Friday. The 4th of July is also a Rwandan holiday, they celebrate their independance from Belgium. We were able to visit a local Rwnadan Independance Day celebration happening near the Ligue. It was something I have never done before here and I really enjoyed it. We stopped by on our way to the new American Embassy for a 4th of July picnic! They had burgers and hotdogs and my favorite, potato salad, and some excellent desserts. I was suprised to see how many Americans are actually in Kigali, there were probably close to 200 of us there. We also got to chat briefly with the man who was in charge of Bush's security while he was in Rwanda. Very cool.
I know I am leaving things out, as usual, but by now I know these updates are getting lengthy. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read them, I know they are super long!
Prayer requests:
1) Esron-he is doing some travelling for a seminar, please pray for his safety and that this man will get some rest!
2) Providence-praise for her beginning recovery and please keep praying for her continued health
3) Christy - our friend from the Ligue who is here working with World Relief, she heads out to the village in Tuesday
4) Sarah and Sylvan - they will be leaving us on Saturday :( Please pray for their preparations to leave and safe travel.
5) our students - for thier health and safety over the break
6) me and Katy - please pray for our continued strength and health during these busy last weeks
Thanks again my people! I hope all of you had a fun and relaxing 4th weekend, I am looking forward to seeing everybody again, I miss you all! Imana igue umagisha kandi daga kunda! God bless you and I love you!)
:) Mel
Again, it is hard for me to believe that we only have two more weeks here. Like I have said it is a mixture of emotions, we are sad to be leaving our sweet friends, yet missing family and friends back home. The process of beginning to say goodbye (for now ;) is something I am not looking forward to. It seems like just a few weeks ago Katy and I had arrived, sleeping in our clothes, desperatley needing a shower, and waiting for our bags to catch up with us! But, here we are in the final weeks. However, things are not going to slow down for us, there is still MUCH work to be done. We will be busy every single day leading up to our departure on the 23rd.
Today beagn the process of saying bye to our cute little kiddos at the school. I will miss them terribly! It's like how I felt at the beginning of the summer, having just said goodbye to my Kindergartners at TWCA. But today we were able to have a little fun. We played with the parachute my mom sent us last year. They are still loving it. We also gave them a treat of bannanas, kazoos, and stickers--it was a par-tay! We plan on doing the same in the other three classes this week. The students are taking 'exams', they even are required to recite the memory verse we taught them in English. It is so great to see how they are retaining the lessons they have learned--at such a young age. Next week the school begins it's holiday, I think the teachers are ready for it, as I am back at home at my own school when we get breaks! My friend who teaches the 5 and 6 year old class, Providence, has left the hospital, but is still recovering at home. Theophile is taking Katy and I to visit her at her house tomorrow, I am excited to see her. Thank you all for praying for her.
This coming Sunday Katy and I plan on accompanying Kezia' to a women's conference outside of Kigali, which we are both pumped about! We may be doing some teaching there also. We have two more weeks of Bible studies coming up, the one on prayer we will wrap up this week and then with our Saturday studies we will have to do some catching up. We missed a few days due to the public work day (once a month all Rwandans are required to participate in some sort of public work--even President Kagame gets out and washes windows) and the election for mediators this past Saturday. We are also scheduled to do a study with the women at the DORCAS project on our next two Friday mornings. I have grown a deeper attachment to these ladies in our studies, my friend Bernadette (Pastor Immanuel's wife, mother of my buddy Gad) and Theophile's wife, Mama Olive especially. Bernadette and I just have a connection I feel, she and I cannot communicate well through language (she knows little English and I know even less Kinyarwandan), but we use any means possible. She is always smiling and laughing, it is contagious. She is such a joy to be around. I respect and adore her family. Mama Olive is fun too, that lady is such a servant, I need lessons from her on humility! She and Theophile both have been of so much help to us on this trip, she has many jobs, yet still has found the time to cook a feast for Katy and I every Wednesday while we are in Nabycindu. Imana ishimwe (praise God) for these precious ladies!
Next week we have set up Mon-Wed as a youth training to be held at the church in Remera. I am so excited about it because we are supposed to have the youth choir joining us, I have wanted to hang out with them more. Afterwards we hope to just chill and play some volleyball with them. We also hope to visit a hospital and possibly some schools that week.
We had a great time last Friday. The 4th of July is also a Rwandan holiday, they celebrate their independance from Belgium. We were able to visit a local Rwnadan Independance Day celebration happening near the Ligue. It was something I have never done before here and I really enjoyed it. We stopped by on our way to the new American Embassy for a 4th of July picnic! They had burgers and hotdogs and my favorite, potato salad, and some excellent desserts. I was suprised to see how many Americans are actually in Kigali, there were probably close to 200 of us there. We also got to chat briefly with the man who was in charge of Bush's security while he was in Rwanda. Very cool.
I know I am leaving things out, as usual, but by now I know these updates are getting lengthy. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read them, I know they are super long!
Prayer requests:
1) Esron-he is doing some travelling for a seminar, please pray for his safety and that this man will get some rest!
2) Providence-praise for her beginning recovery and please keep praying for her continued health
3) Christy - our friend from the Ligue who is here working with World Relief, she heads out to the village in Tuesday
4) Sarah and Sylvan - they will be leaving us on Saturday :( Please pray for their preparations to leave and safe travel.
5) our students - for thier health and safety over the break
6) me and Katy - please pray for our continued strength and health during these busy last weeks
Thanks again my people! I hope all of you had a fun and relaxing 4th weekend, I am looking forward to seeing everybody again, I miss you all! Imana igue umagisha kandi daga kunda! God bless you and I love you!)
:) Mel
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Final Weeks
It is hard for me to believe that I only have 3 weeks left here in Rwanda. The time has FLOWN by! It has been an incredible experience for me. I am a mixture of emotions, sad to be leaving yet also looking forward to the end of an amazing summer.
I have not updated in a while so I hope I do not leave anything out! Today was our last official teaching day in the school, next week we will be doing some observation and saying goodbye to each class. We are going to have a celebration of bananas and cookies and just play and hang out with our sweet little students for the last time. This week we taught about Jesus' death and resurrection in Bible and shapes and colors in English. I am in awe of these little ones, they learn so fast and are very advanced in their studies learning English and French. I was able to present the wordless book and Katy played a fun "color and shape" relay game with the kids. We also both listened as they recited their memory verse and handed out stickers (they are a really big deal to kids here too--very universal). It was a good week for us. The week after next marks the beginning of "summer break" for school kids here so we will not be in Nabycindu but rather focusing on more ministry in different areas that week.
We were able to visit with some friends Kristen and I made last year, a missionary couple living here from Canada. Kathleen and Bruno invited us over to lunch Sunday afternoon and have invited us back over tonight for dinner. Kathleen is a great cook and it always feels like a little piece of home when I visit them. Sunday morning Katy and I went to see Andre' and Alivera at their church just a short walk up the road from the Ligue. Andre' is a pastor here we have worked with through an organization called ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries) on some of my past team trips. It was so cool because they were some of the first people we saw here in Rwanda and we just happened to run into them at our favorite pizza joint Sole' Luna (yes pizza in Rwanda, it is actually delicious, we love it!) our first night in Kigali. We hope to possibly work with them during our last full week in Rwanda.
Our bible studies are still going strong on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mary is still recovering from her infection and we hope to start our Thursday study back up when she is able to be with us again. The topical study on prayer has been great with the Wednesday small group, we are now in week 3 of that. Katy and I always walk away saying that we both feel things were translated and understood well. Kezia', Esron's wife who translates, is doing such a great job--we could not ask for someone better. It has been a blessing to reflect back on our time with the ladies in these studies, we have made some lasting friendships and have learned so much from them too. I have a deep respect for the women of this country. We are excited to have a good amount of time left to spend with them.
This past Tuesday was Rwanda's Independence Day holiday and therefore school was cancelled. Sarah and Sylvan asked us to go to a Rwandan soccer game since we were free that day and it was SO much fun. I am a fan for sure now! We had great seats, really close to the players and in the shade. We were thrilled to be there, though Sylvan's team lost. It was a nice break that helped us continue on this week, it also made me feel a little closer to the culture because everybody is crazy over footbal (pretty much everywhere but the U.S.). We felt as if we were the only Mzungu's there!
This morning we said goodbye to the team from Michigan, they returned safely from Kigufi and we were pretty sad to see them leave us! Sarah and Sylvan have just a week left after 3 months here, they leave next Saturday. We will miss them so much!
Specific Prayer Requests:
Michigan team--for safe travel home to the States
Mary-- for continued recovery from her severe infection
Esron and Kezia'--they are both so tired and in need of good rest and time together as a family
Providence-- one of my favorite teachers at the school, she is ill and in the hospital (she is so dedicated and obviously enjoys her profession as a teacher which I admire gretaly)
Sarah and Sylvan--as they prepare to complete the difficult task of saying goodbye
Katy and I --continued health and saftey (like I have been saying, we have been extremely blessed) and for the physical and spititual strength we will need to complete these last 3 weeks.
That said, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY everyone! Be safe, have fun and thank God for the country we live in. Wishing I was celebrating with you all!
*(Mom, Dad, Dean, Jack, Aunt Connie and Uncle John,
Pop some fire crackers for me and don't have TOO much fun at the lake without me! Love ya'all!!)
I have not updated in a while so I hope I do not leave anything out! Today was our last official teaching day in the school, next week we will be doing some observation and saying goodbye to each class. We are going to have a celebration of bananas and cookies and just play and hang out with our sweet little students for the last time. This week we taught about Jesus' death and resurrection in Bible and shapes and colors in English. I am in awe of these little ones, they learn so fast and are very advanced in their studies learning English and French. I was able to present the wordless book and Katy played a fun "color and shape" relay game with the kids. We also both listened as they recited their memory verse and handed out stickers (they are a really big deal to kids here too--very universal). It was a good week for us. The week after next marks the beginning of "summer break" for school kids here so we will not be in Nabycindu but rather focusing on more ministry in different areas that week.
We were able to visit with some friends Kristen and I made last year, a missionary couple living here from Canada. Kathleen and Bruno invited us over to lunch Sunday afternoon and have invited us back over tonight for dinner. Kathleen is a great cook and it always feels like a little piece of home when I visit them. Sunday morning Katy and I went to see Andre' and Alivera at their church just a short walk up the road from the Ligue. Andre' is a pastor here we have worked with through an organization called ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries) on some of my past team trips. It was so cool because they were some of the first people we saw here in Rwanda and we just happened to run into them at our favorite pizza joint Sole' Luna (yes pizza in Rwanda, it is actually delicious, we love it!) our first night in Kigali. We hope to possibly work with them during our last full week in Rwanda.
Our bible studies are still going strong on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mary is still recovering from her infection and we hope to start our Thursday study back up when she is able to be with us again. The topical study on prayer has been great with the Wednesday small group, we are now in week 3 of that. Katy and I always walk away saying that we both feel things were translated and understood well. Kezia', Esron's wife who translates, is doing such a great job--we could not ask for someone better. It has been a blessing to reflect back on our time with the ladies in these studies, we have made some lasting friendships and have learned so much from them too. I have a deep respect for the women of this country. We are excited to have a good amount of time left to spend with them.
This past Tuesday was Rwanda's Independence Day holiday and therefore school was cancelled. Sarah and Sylvan asked us to go to a Rwandan soccer game since we were free that day and it was SO much fun. I am a fan for sure now! We had great seats, really close to the players and in the shade. We were thrilled to be there, though Sylvan's team lost. It was a nice break that helped us continue on this week, it also made me feel a little closer to the culture because everybody is crazy over footbal (pretty much everywhere but the U.S.). We felt as if we were the only Mzungu's there!
This morning we said goodbye to the team from Michigan, they returned safely from Kigufi and we were pretty sad to see them leave us! Sarah and Sylvan have just a week left after 3 months here, they leave next Saturday. We will miss them so much!
Specific Prayer Requests:
Michigan team--for safe travel home to the States
Mary-- for continued recovery from her severe infection
Esron and Kezia'--they are both so tired and in need of good rest and time together as a family
Providence-- one of my favorite teachers at the school, she is ill and in the hospital (she is so dedicated and obviously enjoys her profession as a teacher which I admire gretaly)
Sarah and Sylvan--as they prepare to complete the difficult task of saying goodbye
Katy and I --continued health and saftey (like I have been saying, we have been extremely blessed) and for the physical and spititual strength we will need to complete these last 3 weeks.
That said, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY everyone! Be safe, have fun and thank God for the country we live in. Wishing I was celebrating with you all!
*(Mom, Dad, Dean, Jack, Aunt Connie and Uncle John,
Pop some fire crackers for me and don't have TOO much fun at the lake without me! Love ya'all!!)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Update!
Muraho! Amakuru?
Hey everybody! I hope everyone is having a great summer so far. Make time to relax and enjoy it! I am missing all of you and thinking about you. :)
The past week as been filled with ministry and fun for us. Some highlights: last Tuesday we got to finally see the Anchor of Hope office (AOH is a ministry for street kids my friend Sarah started) and hang out with three kids, Gustav, Ivonne (whose only parent, their mother, is very ill) and Rita...it was nice because we could actually hang out with them and befriend them without being mobbed, which can happen at the school! It makes me smile to see the work God has done with Sarah and AOH and Sylvan and the whole ministry. I remember when Sarah and I took our first trip to Africa together in 2003, it seems not that long ago! I was also given a suprise when Pastor Martin, whom Sarah and I met on that first trip to Congo in '03, showed up at the office while I was there! It was a sweet time to visit and catch up. He was here in Kigali doing a pastor's training. Also, last Tuesday night, we got to visit one of the Nabycindu CEER church's small groups. It's cool because they are doing Rick Warren's 40 Days of Purpose and have at least 5 small groups that meet each week. The one we visited was made up of about 10 people and was at the home of one of our friends who is involved in one of our ladies bible studies. Katy and I were able to sit in, give a short "exhortation", as Esron says, of encouragement and just visit and worship with them. It was a great experience for both of us...I know how important my church back home feels that the small groups are, they are where community and fellowship really happen and it was cool to see that concept lived out here in Rwanda too. We sat together in a house and sang and read scripture by candle and lamplight and it all reminded me of what the early church must have been like. I really enjoyed our time there.
Wednesday we started our study on prayer with the women's small group which we both feel went very well... we praise God for that!
Friday was an exciting day because we got to visit Kabuga with Esron and Immanuel. We toured the ladies sewing and basket making project there that Kristen and I vistited last year. This year they actually are renting a store in town and have begun a school for teaching about 18 ladies and young girls sewing skills, and have 5 sewing machines. They have an instructor and will finish classes at the end of July. The hope is that these women who maybe could not afford to finish their education will now be able to have a skill to support themselves and their families. They are in need right now of money to pay for material, rent and a security guard (necessary to protect the machines). After our visit there we went to the CEER church in Kabuga. It was just like I remembered it, complete with Pastor Thomas' huge smile to greet us. They as usual lavished us with gifts (beautiful baskets made by the women there) and gave us a wonderful reception. There were many familiar faces, several from two years ago when I visited and there was no roof and it was raining on the mud floor!
Saturday we completed lesson two of our study with the ladies. Kezia' translated as Esron is gone and I am convinced by the time we leave her English will be better than mine! She is a blessing to us. That afternoon we hung out with my friend Linda and had dinner. It was nice!
We also met a team of Mzungus that day from Michigan who are here to work with the CEER school in Kigufi. They stayed at the Ligue for a couple days and we all had dinner together at the Emerald (by far our favorite restraunt this trip!) and were able to chat and hang out. It was nice to have conversations in English and not have to work so hard to understand or speak through a translator, we are missing that. It was really nice. They left this morning for a week in Kigufi and will return Monday of next week, I am looking forward to hearing how things will go this for them.
Today we started our third week in the school and have a very well behaved bunch of students. We are teaching about Jesus' birth in Bible this week and are learning shapes in English. It was a good morning followed by a snack at the Emerald. Chipati and tea is becoming my favorite snack. (Chipati is like a hot flat tortillia--only better--with raw sugar on it.) The manger knows us by name and is such a cool guy, he told us today drinks were on him because he was so humbled that we brought such a large group of people to his restraunt last night. Overall we have been busy and tired, but a good tired nonetheless. Thank you all for praying and reading the blog!
Specific prayer requests this week:
1) Mary--our friend who works at the Ligue, has been in the hospital with a severe infection and is scheduled to be released today, we are praying she recovers quickly
2) Esron--he is very busy still, we are praying for rest and health for him and his family.
3) Michigan group--we are praying they have a fruitful ministry in Kigufi and stay rested and healthy as well!
4) Bible studies--we are getting into the "meat" of the studies and ask for continued prayer for God to open the hearts of the women and that He will give Katy and I the words and truths He desires for them to hear.
5) Katy and I -- continued health--we are doing really well, back into a regular pattern of sleep and are feeling tired and poured out, but God is giving us the strength to keep going! Please pray for our spiritual "health" as well, as the work can be draining at times.
Thanks again and I miss you all!!!
Hey everybody! I hope everyone is having a great summer so far. Make time to relax and enjoy it! I am missing all of you and thinking about you. :)
The past week as been filled with ministry and fun for us. Some highlights: last Tuesday we got to finally see the Anchor of Hope office (AOH is a ministry for street kids my friend Sarah started) and hang out with three kids, Gustav, Ivonne (whose only parent, their mother, is very ill) and Rita...it was nice because we could actually hang out with them and befriend them without being mobbed, which can happen at the school! It makes me smile to see the work God has done with Sarah and AOH and Sylvan and the whole ministry. I remember when Sarah and I took our first trip to Africa together in 2003, it seems not that long ago! I was also given a suprise when Pastor Martin, whom Sarah and I met on that first trip to Congo in '03, showed up at the office while I was there! It was a sweet time to visit and catch up. He was here in Kigali doing a pastor's training. Also, last Tuesday night, we got to visit one of the Nabycindu CEER church's small groups. It's cool because they are doing Rick Warren's 40 Days of Purpose and have at least 5 small groups that meet each week. The one we visited was made up of about 10 people and was at the home of one of our friends who is involved in one of our ladies bible studies. Katy and I were able to sit in, give a short "exhortation", as Esron says, of encouragement and just visit and worship with them. It was a great experience for both of us...I know how important my church back home feels that the small groups are, they are where community and fellowship really happen and it was cool to see that concept lived out here in Rwanda too. We sat together in a house and sang and read scripture by candle and lamplight and it all reminded me of what the early church must have been like. I really enjoyed our time there.
Wednesday we started our study on prayer with the women's small group which we both feel went very well... we praise God for that!
Friday was an exciting day because we got to visit Kabuga with Esron and Immanuel. We toured the ladies sewing and basket making project there that Kristen and I vistited last year. This year they actually are renting a store in town and have begun a school for teaching about 18 ladies and young girls sewing skills, and have 5 sewing machines. They have an instructor and will finish classes at the end of July. The hope is that these women who maybe could not afford to finish their education will now be able to have a skill to support themselves and their families. They are in need right now of money to pay for material, rent and a security guard (necessary to protect the machines). After our visit there we went to the CEER church in Kabuga. It was just like I remembered it, complete with Pastor Thomas' huge smile to greet us. They as usual lavished us with gifts (beautiful baskets made by the women there) and gave us a wonderful reception. There were many familiar faces, several from two years ago when I visited and there was no roof and it was raining on the mud floor!
Saturday we completed lesson two of our study with the ladies. Kezia' translated as Esron is gone and I am convinced by the time we leave her English will be better than mine! She is a blessing to us. That afternoon we hung out with my friend Linda and had dinner. It was nice!
We also met a team of Mzungus that day from Michigan who are here to work with the CEER school in Kigufi. They stayed at the Ligue for a couple days and we all had dinner together at the Emerald (by far our favorite restraunt this trip!) and were able to chat and hang out. It was nice to have conversations in English and not have to work so hard to understand or speak through a translator, we are missing that. It was really nice. They left this morning for a week in Kigufi and will return Monday of next week, I am looking forward to hearing how things will go this for them.
Today we started our third week in the school and have a very well behaved bunch of students. We are teaching about Jesus' birth in Bible this week and are learning shapes in English. It was a good morning followed by a snack at the Emerald. Chipati and tea is becoming my favorite snack. (Chipati is like a hot flat tortillia--only better--with raw sugar on it.) The manger knows us by name and is such a cool guy, he told us today drinks were on him because he was so humbled that we brought such a large group of people to his restraunt last night. Overall we have been busy and tired, but a good tired nonetheless. Thank you all for praying and reading the blog!
Specific prayer requests this week:
1) Mary--our friend who works at the Ligue, has been in the hospital with a severe infection and is scheduled to be released today, we are praying she recovers quickly
2) Esron--he is very busy still, we are praying for rest and health for him and his family.
3) Michigan group--we are praying they have a fruitful ministry in Kigufi and stay rested and healthy as well!
4) Bible studies--we are getting into the "meat" of the studies and ask for continued prayer for God to open the hearts of the women and that He will give Katy and I the words and truths He desires for them to hear.
5) Katy and I -- continued health--we are doing really well, back into a regular pattern of sleep and are feeling tired and poured out, but God is giving us the strength to keep going! Please pray for our spiritual "health" as well, as the work can be draining at times.
Thanks again and I miss you all!!!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Beginning our 3rd week in Kigali...
Week three here in Kigali has started off well. Katy and I were able to lead our first Saturday bible study at Esron's church this weekend. It was so cool to get to see the ladies taking notes and studying papers translated into their own language! Such a blessing to get to experience. We even assigned them homework for next week and look forward to being with the group again. The next day, Sunday, we attented church service. There was a visiting choir performing (choirs and singing in church are a HUGE deal here in Rwanda--much of the service consists of this, and all the songs tell stories using scripture and actions, I absolutely love it) and at one point Katy and I and another Mzungu (white person) named Christine working with World Relief whom we met, were invited to join in the dancing (Yes, dancing and lots of it! I was just imagining people at Woodsedge busting out with some of that one Sunday;) at the end of the service. My little buddy Gad (one of the pastor's son--who he and his wife name their boys after the 12 tribes of Israel--they have 3 tribes so far;) came and danced with me! It made my day, he is a precious yet mischevious little boy who has become my pal. He is such a funny kid, always smiling and laughing and going off at me in Kinyarwanda--he is so full of life and joy. Love him! It was a really good Sunday.
This morning we began our second official week of teaching in the school. As we pulled up we could hear the kids shouting with excitement. We are now in the second class of 4 and 5 year olds, and they are SO well behaved. All 36 of them were quiet as mice when we entered the classroom sitting still in their desks, it was pretty amazing. There is a wonderful teacher named Providence who leads this class and I am in awe of here unbelieveable control of the class of such young kiddos. The students began by suprising us with singing "God Is Good To Me", a song Kristen and I taught them last year, in French! This week we were thinking some of the novelty of being a Mzungu might have worn off a bit--but no, we are still mobbed when we go outside of the classroom! They call out our names and run away laughing, or some just stand and stare at us. It is so funny to see their reactions. Theophile (our translator at the school) has a two year old daughter who covers her face and runs away everytime I look at her! Some kids (usually just the little bitty ones) think Mzungus will eat them! It is just such a joy to be with them. I am hoping our relationship with students and teachers will deepen even more with us being here for such a long time.
Katy and I are feeling really well and are getting pretty good sleep at night. We hope tomorrow to visit our friends Sarah and Sylvan at the Anchor of Hope office and I am excited to get to see the kids there again. Kristen and I hung out with them a lot last year.
Prayer requests:
1) Esron, our close friend, acting as our dad while we are here. He is such a busy man and wears so many hats, yet is helping us so much and is joyful and full of laughter as usual. Tomorrow he asks for prayers as he deals with more church issues. He also had to take care of another issue today at the government offices and is just SO incredibly busy with meetings and other business as CEER, Community Evangelical Church (Eglise) of Rwanda, president. Please pray for our friend to remain strong and healthy and for his family. Kezia' his wife has been sharpening her English by translating for Katy and I at church and during the Bible studies--it can be a very intense and tiresome thing to be a translator. We are also very close with his children James, Mami' and Gladys and ask for prayer for them.
2) Continued health for Katy and I --we have been so blessed!
3) our friend Mary who may need to travel to the Congo this week to be with her family
4) this week's Bible studies, Wednesday we hope to start a study on prayer with our small group of ladies and go into our second lesson with the other 2 studies.
Thanks to the faithful blog readers! Missing all of you!
:) Melissa
This morning we began our second official week of teaching in the school. As we pulled up we could hear the kids shouting with excitement. We are now in the second class of 4 and 5 year olds, and they are SO well behaved. All 36 of them were quiet as mice when we entered the classroom sitting still in their desks, it was pretty amazing. There is a wonderful teacher named Providence who leads this class and I am in awe of here unbelieveable control of the class of such young kiddos. The students began by suprising us with singing "God Is Good To Me", a song Kristen and I taught them last year, in French! This week we were thinking some of the novelty of being a Mzungu might have worn off a bit--but no, we are still mobbed when we go outside of the classroom! They call out our names and run away laughing, or some just stand and stare at us. It is so funny to see their reactions. Theophile (our translator at the school) has a two year old daughter who covers her face and runs away everytime I look at her! Some kids (usually just the little bitty ones) think Mzungus will eat them! It is just such a joy to be with them. I am hoping our relationship with students and teachers will deepen even more with us being here for such a long time.
Katy and I are feeling really well and are getting pretty good sleep at night. We hope tomorrow to visit our friends Sarah and Sylvan at the Anchor of Hope office and I am excited to get to see the kids there again. Kristen and I hung out with them a lot last year.
Prayer requests:
1) Esron, our close friend, acting as our dad while we are here. He is such a busy man and wears so many hats, yet is helping us so much and is joyful and full of laughter as usual. Tomorrow he asks for prayers as he deals with more church issues. He also had to take care of another issue today at the government offices and is just SO incredibly busy with meetings and other business as CEER, Community Evangelical Church (Eglise) of Rwanda, president. Please pray for our friend to remain strong and healthy and for his family. Kezia' his wife has been sharpening her English by translating for Katy and I at church and during the Bible studies--it can be a very intense and tiresome thing to be a translator. We are also very close with his children James, Mami' and Gladys and ask for prayer for them.
2) Continued health for Katy and I --we have been so blessed!
3) our friend Mary who may need to travel to the Congo this week to be with her family
4) this week's Bible studies, Wednesday we hope to start a study on prayer with our small group of ladies and go into our second lesson with the other 2 studies.
Thanks to the faithful blog readers! Missing all of you!
:) Melissa
Friday, June 13, 2008
Two Weeks In...
It has now been close to two full weeks being here in Kigali and things are going really well!
To clarify, I am teaching in what is called a "nursery school" here but actually means Pre-K to Kindergarten age children. Our school in Nabycindu has 4 classrooms. There are currently close to 200 children in those rooms ranging in age from 3 to 7 years old. There are 5 teachers right now and one Primary 1 class (basically like our 1st grade equivalent). Esron told me the other day that the parents in the village are practically begging him to add a Primary 2 class. This week we finished up in the first classroom of about 43 three and four year olds. It was so precious to see them recite their Bible verse (Genesis 1:1) in English and in thier mother tongue, Kinyarwanda. Each student was able to say it individually...SO cute! We feel that God has allowed us to teach very effectively this week. We also presented the gospel through the wordlessbook on Thursday and are praying those sweet little hearts can understand everything.
Other highlights this week were meeting with our small group of women on Wednesday afternoons. Katy and I felt very humbled to be a part of this amazing group of women, mostly consisting of pastor's wives and leaders in the church who get toegther to pray for their families and church. They are wanting us to teach for two full hours on those days, we are in prayer about excatly what topics to choose and which would be most appropriate for the group. Esron's wife Kezia' will be translating and she did an outstanding job, her English has improved so much. I wish I could say that about my Kinyarwanda! Sometimes I just want to talk to them so badly and I can't!
Another blessing has been with the ladies Bible study we were supposed to be hosting at the Ligue but will now be held in the home of a lady who works there. Her name (I think ;) is Ivette. Mary (our friend on staff at the Ligue) helped get the group together and led us to the house last night. Katy and I have seen a lot of the big city and the countryside, but really have not been able to see how the true working class live in Kigali. It was such a blessing and very humbling. We were led down a steep path into a maze of narrow walkways compacted together on the hillside to Ivette's house. We held our first bible study in a room about 4ft by 10ft with close to 12 ladies and a group of babies and toddlers. There were many older women (one who was the mother of 8 and had adopted 4 more children) and a few were close to my age with 2 or 3 children. We are doing the study at 5:30 in the evenings and we think things will work out great and we will have enough light to do it. There was no electricity in the house and only one small window for light. Katy and I both were fighting back tears yesterday afterwards talking about it. I am really so excited about these next 5 weeks.
I have also been able to hang out with friends Sarah and Sylvan which has been a blast. They are such a fun couple! Tommorow we are leading another bible study at Esron's church and look forward to that. There is so much more but I can't put it allinto words!
Thanks for the prayers, Katy and I are getting better sleep and the two studies we have done so far started off well. Keep praying! Missing everybody more than you know!
:) Melissa
To clarify, I am teaching in what is called a "nursery school" here but actually means Pre-K to Kindergarten age children. Our school in Nabycindu has 4 classrooms. There are currently close to 200 children in those rooms ranging in age from 3 to 7 years old. There are 5 teachers right now and one Primary 1 class (basically like our 1st grade equivalent). Esron told me the other day that the parents in the village are practically begging him to add a Primary 2 class. This week we finished up in the first classroom of about 43 three and four year olds. It was so precious to see them recite their Bible verse (Genesis 1:1) in English and in thier mother tongue, Kinyarwanda. Each student was able to say it individually...SO cute! We feel that God has allowed us to teach very effectively this week. We also presented the gospel through the wordlessbook on Thursday and are praying those sweet little hearts can understand everything.
Other highlights this week were meeting with our small group of women on Wednesday afternoons. Katy and I felt very humbled to be a part of this amazing group of women, mostly consisting of pastor's wives and leaders in the church who get toegther to pray for their families and church. They are wanting us to teach for two full hours on those days, we are in prayer about excatly what topics to choose and which would be most appropriate for the group. Esron's wife Kezia' will be translating and she did an outstanding job, her English has improved so much. I wish I could say that about my Kinyarwanda! Sometimes I just want to talk to them so badly and I can't!
Another blessing has been with the ladies Bible study we were supposed to be hosting at the Ligue but will now be held in the home of a lady who works there. Her name (I think ;) is Ivette. Mary (our friend on staff at the Ligue) helped get the group together and led us to the house last night. Katy and I have seen a lot of the big city and the countryside, but really have not been able to see how the true working class live in Kigali. It was such a blessing and very humbling. We were led down a steep path into a maze of narrow walkways compacted together on the hillside to Ivette's house. We held our first bible study in a room about 4ft by 10ft with close to 12 ladies and a group of babies and toddlers. There were many older women (one who was the mother of 8 and had adopted 4 more children) and a few were close to my age with 2 or 3 children. We are doing the study at 5:30 in the evenings and we think things will work out great and we will have enough light to do it. There was no electricity in the house and only one small window for light. Katy and I both were fighting back tears yesterday afterwards talking about it. I am really so excited about these next 5 weeks.
I have also been able to hang out with friends Sarah and Sylvan which has been a blast. They are such a fun couple! Tommorow we are leading another bible study at Esron's church and look forward to that. There is so much more but I can't put it allinto words!
Thanks for the prayers, Katy and I are getting better sleep and the two studies we have done so far started off well. Keep praying! Missing everybody more than you know!
:) Melissa
Monday, June 9, 2008
Week #1
What a week it has been! Today we beagn our first day in the nursery school at Nabycindu. It was so much fun and Katy and I were treated like celebrities. We both are excited to get started on the work we have to do here, in what is now seeming like a shorter and shorter time. Today we talked with Mary and have set up a weekly bible study at the Ligue for ladies who work there, and friends of Mary--she has agreed to help us get the word out; her daughter will help us translate. We are both excited about getting the studies off the ground, Wednesdays we will meet with a small group of ladies from Esron's church--not doing the same Bible studies as the others, more a time for prayer and discussion, Friday's we will be at DORCAS for the bible study there, and on Saturday we will do the same study with a larger group of women from Esrons' church. We know God is orhcestrating it all and just stand in awe of how qucikly He has begun to move here and how bold he is enabeling Katy and I to be. We have been enjoyoing our time with friends Sarah and Sylvan and hope to investigate what they have been doing thorugh Anchor of Hope soon and to see some of our "street kids". (Lisa, I plan on giving John Paul a big hug for you!)
I miss all of you back home! I thank you all so much for your prayers, we have needed them. Just a few specifics you can keep praying for:
- Sleep! Katy and I both laid awake all night the other night because our bodies are so jacked up by jet lag! It's pretty frustrating, but we did both get a better sleep last night. Amazing what a concoction of Tylenol PM and Malaria pills can do to help! But we of course would love to get restfull sleep without pharmecutical assistance. ;)
- The bible studies; we start then this week and just ask for prayers for guidence as to how excatly to begin, what the dynamic of the group will be, working with the translator, etc.
-Please also pray for Esron and Wayne as they assist us while we are here. They are both such a tremendous blessing to both of us and I don't know if we would make it without them!
The other night (as I lay awake ALL night with my thoughts) I listened to an old DTS chaple podcast I had on my I pod, and not coincidentially I am sure, it was my professor Dr. Allman who was guest speaker. He said that we do not serve God because He needs us, but we serve him because He enables us. My prayer for the trip has been to keep that attitude, to do all that I do for no other reason than to glorify our Savior.
Enabled in Christ,
Melissa
P.S. If anyone wants to email updates on current events in the U.S. that would be FABULOUS! Any news would be fun to get really! :) Sadly, I think some Rwandans know more about what's going on in America than I do. (They are fascinated with Obama!)
I miss all of you back home! I thank you all so much for your prayers, we have needed them. Just a few specifics you can keep praying for:
- Sleep! Katy and I both laid awake all night the other night because our bodies are so jacked up by jet lag! It's pretty frustrating, but we did both get a better sleep last night. Amazing what a concoction of Tylenol PM and Malaria pills can do to help! But we of course would love to get restfull sleep without pharmecutical assistance. ;)
- The bible studies; we start then this week and just ask for prayers for guidence as to how excatly to begin, what the dynamic of the group will be, working with the translator, etc.
-Please also pray for Esron and Wayne as they assist us while we are here. They are both such a tremendous blessing to both of us and I don't know if we would make it without them!
The other night (as I lay awake ALL night with my thoughts) I listened to an old DTS chaple podcast I had on my I pod, and not coincidentially I am sure, it was my professor Dr. Allman who was guest speaker. He said that we do not serve God because He needs us, but we serve him because He enables us. My prayer for the trip has been to keep that attitude, to do all that I do for no other reason than to glorify our Savior.
Enabled in Christ,
Melissa
P.S. If anyone wants to email updates on current events in the U.S. that would be FABULOUS! Any news would be fun to get really! :) Sadly, I think some Rwandans know more about what's going on in America than I do. (They are fascinated with Obama!)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Rwanda, Rwanda!
We are here!! Finally! It has been a whirlwind of travel since we left, but praise God he has guided us here safely AND our bags have arrived! Katy and I are doing well, both a bit tired though adjusting much better to things today. We just walked about 4 miles from our home in Kigali to this internet cafe', mostly uphill---OH MY GOSH!! I thought I might pass out. I am wringing wet from sweating! Oh Africa! I am well on my way to becoming Rwandese!
Since we arrived we have seen many of our friends, in fact the first face I saw besides our sweet Esron, was Sarah at the Ligue! She and her husband Sylvan treated us to pizza the night before last at Sole Luna, our favorite in Kigali. We were able to visit with them both about their mission with Anchor of Hope, they have been here since mid April and have made great progress. And, as we were sitting there talking about our friend Pastor Andre, he and Alivera walked up! It was really exciting. We also met a new friend Joe, who is from Germany and is working with the street kids through the Ligue. We als0 able to see Mary and met her beutiful daughter. I have missed everyone so much! I also got to see Michel yesterday too, it was so good to see his face again.
Katy and I are joyful to report also that we after we visited the DORCUS project (a sort of business for widows where they sew, grow plants for landscaping, cook, etc. for income that our friend Andre's church sponsors) we are pretty sure we have scheduled a bible study with these ladies on Fridays at 12. I felt great to make progress there! We are really excited...Kathleen will possibly help us translate the lessons, so that is really good for us and the ladies.
I want to write more, there is SO much more to say but I have 2 minutes left on the internet, agg! Love and miss you all!
:) Mel
Since we arrived we have seen many of our friends, in fact the first face I saw besides our sweet Esron, was Sarah at the Ligue! She and her husband Sylvan treated us to pizza the night before last at Sole Luna, our favorite in Kigali. We were able to visit with them both about their mission with Anchor of Hope, they have been here since mid April and have made great progress. And, as we were sitting there talking about our friend Pastor Andre, he and Alivera walked up! It was really exciting. We also met a new friend Joe, who is from Germany and is working with the street kids through the Ligue. We als0 able to see Mary and met her beutiful daughter. I have missed everyone so much! I also got to see Michel yesterday too, it was so good to see his face again.
Katy and I are joyful to report also that we after we visited the DORCUS project (a sort of business for widows where they sew, grow plants for landscaping, cook, etc. for income that our friend Andre's church sponsors) we are pretty sure we have scheduled a bible study with these ladies on Fridays at 12. I felt great to make progress there! We are really excited...Kathleen will possibly help us translate the lessons, so that is really good for us and the ladies.
I want to write more, there is SO much more to say but I have 2 minutes left on the internet, agg! Love and miss you all!
:) Mel
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Nairobi!
We have arrived safe and sound in Nairobi, thanks for the prayers...they have been realized that's for sure. Also if you have a sec please pray that our bags make it, we have not actually seen them since Houston and will not until we get to Kigali--hopefully ;) We had the tightest connection of our lives in D.C. after the delays in Houston. I was literally the last one on the plane and Katy and I had to "Home Alone" it from one end of the Dulles Airport to the complete opposoite end. My lungs were burning and I realized how out of shape I am--you would think with the swimming and all..but no! (Seriously though I think my backpack weighs close to 30 pounds, so I guess I don't feel too bad.) Anyway, again thanks so much for the support! More to come form Kigali ASAP!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Leavin' on a jet plane!
I could not sleep last night and woke up early this morning because I am so excited! We are leaving in less than 5 hours and I finally think I am ready as ready can be...packing was a chore and dealing with the ridiculous baggage restrictions as far as weight and number has been a bit of an issue too but I think we will be fine.
Let me just say that I have the most amazing friends a girl could have! Last night Tara and Catchy threw the best Bonn Voyage party ever. (Katy thanks for helping too!) Girls...you are the GREATEST! Thank you to everyone that stopped by, it was exactly what I needed to remind me of what I have to come home to. I cannot wait to read your notes, I am going to do my best to wait until I get to Rwanda to read them but no promises. ;) Thank you for the prayers, they have truly been felt. Please keep praying as we travel today and tomorrow--this is not my favorite part by any means, I just want to be there! I know I will miss all of you, so I'm going to need you all to comment on this thing ok?
In these last few hours in the States I have taken my last hot shower for 7 weeks, made my hair look good for the last time in 7 weeks, made myself smell good for the last time in 7 weeks, oh man I'm going to look so HOT in two months! Let's see--I plan on eating my last hamburger in 7 weeks (that's not a goat burger ;), oh yes and drink my last cold Diet DP for 7 weeks. But honestly I am looking forward to being immersed in the Rwandan culture again. I know it will be really hard to leave...
A friend left me with this verse last night that has helped to bring me a peace and encouragement and is a wonderful prayer for this trip, I just wanted to share it,
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Christ Jesus to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21
This is also my prayer for all of you, my wonderful friends and family, this summer as you go about your work, play and ministry. May he work in you what is pleasing to him for his glory! I love you all!
Melissa :)
Let me just say that I have the most amazing friends a girl could have! Last night Tara and Catchy threw the best Bonn Voyage party ever. (Katy thanks for helping too!) Girls...you are the GREATEST! Thank you to everyone that stopped by, it was exactly what I needed to remind me of what I have to come home to. I cannot wait to read your notes, I am going to do my best to wait until I get to Rwanda to read them but no promises. ;) Thank you for the prayers, they have truly been felt. Please keep praying as we travel today and tomorrow--this is not my favorite part by any means, I just want to be there! I know I will miss all of you, so I'm going to need you all to comment on this thing ok?
In these last few hours in the States I have taken my last hot shower for 7 weeks, made my hair look good for the last time in 7 weeks, made myself smell good for the last time in 7 weeks, oh man I'm going to look so HOT in two months! Let's see--I plan on eating my last hamburger in 7 weeks (that's not a goat burger ;), oh yes and drink my last cold Diet DP for 7 weeks. But honestly I am looking forward to being immersed in the Rwandan culture again. I know it will be really hard to leave...
A friend left me with this verse last night that has helped to bring me a peace and encouragement and is a wonderful prayer for this trip, I just wanted to share it,
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Christ Jesus to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21
This is also my prayer for all of you, my wonderful friends and family, this summer as you go about your work, play and ministry. May he work in you what is pleasing to him for his glory! I love you all!
Melissa :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Getting ready!
As I write Katy and I are sitting in Kaldis in Huntsville discussing our trip. We are both VERY excited about leaving but have a lot to do between now and Monday! Ag! I cannot wait to see my friends and just to be in Rwanda, to smell the smells, see the mountains and feel the nice breeze (and to leave the Texas heat behind!). Please pray for safe travel and for my awesome parents who in their typical manner, worry about their baby girl! To quote my mom, "I won't sleep for 7 weeks." Please also pray for our budgeting skills and finances while we are there. Our hope is to be able to meet the needs of others that will arise while we are there. Whether it be bibles, sewing machines, sponsorship for new children, or the school our desire is to help as much as we can. Please also pray for Wayne, our One27 director as he balances running a non-profit organization, having to help us from home while we are overseas and care for his family. Another prayer for me would be that I will be able to be bold and fervent in pursuing the creation of the ladies' bible studies. Katy and I both have a tremendous heart for this aspect of our mission, we feel that this is something that is desperately desired and needed among the women. Katy has done an amazing job with the lessons and we both cannot wait to start.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Africa is...
"AFRICA is amazing. Africa is a million and one things. It is a land of contradictions, and a land of great controversy. Africa is more diverse than any other place on the planet. It has experienced the greatest combination of foreign thievery and foreign goodwill. It is plagued with individuals who are hurting, dirty and dying. It is plagued with rich leaders. It is strong, joyful and resilient. Africa is filled to the brim with song, dance and soccer. It fills your lungs with life with every burnt breath. It fills your eyes with tears with every sight. The sun blazes, the rain pours. It has more sky than your eyes could possibly take in. Africa is humbling. Africa rips the heart out of your chest and buries it in the rich red soil, knowing that you will someday return, to see the growth. And there is no doubt it will grow. Africa is dangerous, welcoming and addictive. It is prosperous. It is poor. It is all too overwhelming. Africa knows the value of friendship. Time is not money in Africa. And money goes a long way. Africa holds a mirror up to your soul - letting you see all your selfish desires, and not letting go, until you're completely broken."
(stolen from Katy's blog...but is my experince exactly..this is why I cannot stay away.)
Today God has broken me and humbled me once again. I am AMAZED at His people, His ways of connecting us are unthinkable, He never does things the same way twice. I stand in awe of Him.
My friend Monica came to give me a donation for my trip. She told me that a very close friend of hers passed away just days ago in a car accident. Josh was a servant of Christ who had been on multiple mission trips, the most recent I believe, to Kenya. At his funeral Monica said that they showed video clips and pictures of his life and one just completely struck her. It was Josh surrounded by a crowd of Kenyan children. She said she immediately thought of me. (Yes, I was holding back a well of tears at this point as she was talking;) She made a generous donation to the trip in honor of Josh's life. He was 26 years old. (Not coincidence that we were the same age I think!) I hope that like Josh, I will have a legacy to leave on this earth some day. We have no idea how the simple actions of our lives can effect eternity.
Humbled by His grace and mercy today,
Mel :)
(stolen from Katy's blog...but is my experince exactly..this is why I cannot stay away.)
Today God has broken me and humbled me once again. I am AMAZED at His people, His ways of connecting us are unthinkable, He never does things the same way twice. I stand in awe of Him.
My friend Monica came to give me a donation for my trip. She told me that a very close friend of hers passed away just days ago in a car accident. Josh was a servant of Christ who had been on multiple mission trips, the most recent I believe, to Kenya. At his funeral Monica said that they showed video clips and pictures of his life and one just completely struck her. It was Josh surrounded by a crowd of Kenyan children. She said she immediately thought of me. (Yes, I was holding back a well of tears at this point as she was talking;) She made a generous donation to the trip in honor of Josh's life. He was 26 years old. (Not coincidence that we were the same age I think!) I hope that like Josh, I will have a legacy to leave on this earth some day. We have no idea how the simple actions of our lives can effect eternity.
Humbled by His grace and mercy today,
Mel :)
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
More and more...
I am overwhelmed and deeply humbled...again! My ticket has been paid for in full, and the money for expenses while I am there is continuing to come in. I am so excited about the prospect of taking some extra cash to buy Bibles and give away to those in need while I am there. Those who have given so generously are making the way for that to happen. God is definitely working through His people, I just feel lucky to get to see it again and again. This past Sunday my close friends Chase and Maria' had thier baby girl Ellie. As I was visiting with them and looking at that precious little life, it made me think about all the good things our Father in Heaven has to give us. Amongst so much pain and hurt, there is also so much good. We serve a gracious and compassionate God and I needed to be reminded of that. I had my last class of the semester last night at DTS and my professor told us (as we were studying the book of Judges--yeek! ;) that yes, God demands our holiness and it grieves him when we are not living as He desires BUT that we need to communicate to the world that as much as He is just and full of wrath against sin, He is also merciful and kind and loves in a way we cannot even fathom. In these few weeks leading up to the trip, He is teaching me so much in such a very short time. I am thankful that He is continually revealing who He truly is to me. There are so many false understandings and untrue versions of who He is out there--basically lies (that I used to believe too) about His identity. I believe there is a need for truth. It is sweet freedom to really know and understand in our hearts His grace. I can only hope to bring that to my Rwandan friends, I want them to know the freedom of God's grace and to help show them His face as I have been shown it too.
In His grace,
Melissa
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people of his very own, eager to do what is good." ~Titus 2:11-14
In His grace,
Melissa
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people of his very own, eager to do what is good." ~Titus 2:11-14
Saturday, May 3, 2008
He Will Provide!
Soooo...GREAT news! I was suprised by my fellow co-workers and friends at TWCA on Friday with a HUGE donation for the trip. Apparently, unbenkonst to me, Chandel was the mastermind behind the entire thing. I had absolutley no clue as to what was going on until we all met in the hallway (kids too) and she gave me the check. I was SO humbeled needless to say, and I kind of babbled a few words of thanks and stood there with a look of huh? on my face. Chandel had a bake sale and got other teachers and parents to make stuff. I even asked if she needed my help! I was completely suprised. Back in January when Katy and Wayne and I started planning, I was unsure about going again, not that I did not want to go, just that financially I could not see the plan. But, I just decided that I was truly going to trust God. Not say, yeah I trust you, but turn right around and stress and worry over it. My friends taught me that He provides, all we have to do is trust. I feel like I should, after 5 trips, have learned this in my heart, I knew it in my mind but until I acted like it, I really did not trust. It's silly how long it took me to learn this, like most things with faith, it takes me a while to "get it".
Amahoro ibane namwe (Peace be with you)
& Imana ibahe umugisha. (God bless you)!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
What are we doing and how can you help?
A few quick details... We'll be there approx. 7 weeks. We'll teach at an elementary school in the mornings and lead women's Bible studies in the afternoons. The weekends will be committed to follow-up visits to children and villages we've met before and to planning and preparation.
(Katy's words...much more eloquent than mine! )
We have come up with some more creative ways ya'll can be a part of our trip!
Anything that is light that we could take would be fabulous.
For example:
- a CD player with batteries for teaching that we could leave there
-a Kinyarwandan Bible costs $5 and we give them to churches over there
-things for recess: they love soccer balls, maybe some of those deflated with a pump and extra needles, jump ropes...
-they don't use a lot of school supplies other than basic pencils and notebooks, but we could take a few of those things
-maybe whistles to get kids attention.
-clothes (things I could wear on the trip and leave with women we meet)
-a small (or 2) paper Bible for me to use while I'm there and leave with someone
-necessities- ex)hand sanitizer... (things that we'll have to buy before we leave)
These are just a few ways and most of all PRAYER is needed!
(Katy's words...much more eloquent than mine! )
We have come up with some more creative ways ya'll can be a part of our trip!
Anything that is light that we could take would be fabulous.
For example:
- a CD player with batteries for teaching that we could leave there
-a Kinyarwandan Bible costs $5 and we give them to churches over there
-things for recess: they love soccer balls, maybe some of those deflated with a pump and extra needles, jump ropes...
-they don't use a lot of school supplies other than basic pencils and notebooks, but we could take a few of those things
-maybe whistles to get kids attention.
-clothes (things I could wear on the trip and leave with women we meet)
-a small (or 2) paper Bible for me to use while I'm there and leave with someone
-necessities- ex)hand sanitizer... (things that we'll have to buy before we leave)
These are just a few ways and most of all PRAYER is needed!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Got the tickets!
Just a few days ago it became official! Katy and I are going...no doubts about it. We have round trip tickets to Rwanda in our possesion...no backin' out now! I am overjoyed to be going, I have been saying to everyone that in my mind I have already left. I think about waking up to those crazy loud birds, sleeping on that paper thin mattress and taking nice cold showers at the Ligue, then the GREAT stuff...seeing Esron, Michel, Immanuel, the kids, Sarah and Sylvain, Linda...so many more. Ahhh...nothing like it really. ;) We are both so ready...speaking for myself though, that is only in my mind! I feel like there is SO much to do between now and June 2nd (that's when we leave, then we return July 23rd). We have 3 1/2 more weeks at TWCA, I have 2 more weeks of class at DTS (a huge paper due and a final), and I have so much to start thinking about as far as what to take, who needs what, how we are going to work things out financially, AGGG!! My brain is on overload...BUT God has made the way and I cannot wait to be there.
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