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!!!