There were tearful good byes today at the Kabuga center. This was the last full day here and so very sad! Some of the girls surprised me with letters to take back home for their prayer partner from last year.....sooo sweet!
SHoRT! That's what this trip was this time. But words just can't express what a joy it has been to be here with such sweet little sisters in the Lord! I long to come back soon but with a Bible study in foundational truths. I loved spending more time with the girls at the center. Today also I was able to spend hours with Anne the teacher showing her how to make a turban using a pattern we brought over. It was such a joy to be able to help and it was a very useful skill she will be able to pass on to the younger class of girls now at the site also.
Later today we went to the land that Emmanuel has in another town. There we heard of his goal for this area which is needing to be developed. We also toured a church where many people were killed, their clothes a grim reminder of the terrible slaughter.
I must go for now and this will be my last post as this computer is going to have a new home. We are giving it to Tom for his studies......
Is anyone really reading this blog? We sky'ped our girls the other day and it's just amazing how one can be on the other side of the earth from loved ones and still SEE IN REAL time each other!! Just amazing! Missionaries have is good now compared to the early days, huh!
BYE!
In His Love,
Debbie
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
October 4
This was such a wonderful day! We worshipped with our brothers and sisters in the Lord at three different services. Steve L was preaching at Tom's church near our guest house and the rest of us were going to another church nearby up the hill. We taped Mike's preaching along with the wonderful singing. There were several songs we sang along because the music was familiar! In the Sweet by and by was one I remember! They had lunch for us at the church and then we came back to the guest house to get ready to go to Pastor Clement's church. I wish I could explain the impact of the message on us all.......forgiving our enemies, others who hurt or injure us....many cry and ask for prayer. The pastors are all saying that this is such a timely message from the Lord. How amazing to see how the Holy Spirit was at work to help Mike with just the right messagae preparations.
I prayed with a woman whose family background is muslim. She had been delivered from demons but her prayer was for her children who want nothing to do with her now that she knows the Lord Jesus. She has a heavy burden believing they are also possessed. Her body would jerk now and then and it was strange to think about Satan's overt ways here. In our world at home he is more covert...............
I failed to mention a very sad incident which took place last week.....At least I think I forgot to write about it....(if I did, well I'll repeat it once again, sorry) On the way back to Kigali from the Kabuga work site there was a huge gathering of people last Thurs. We asked someone on the street through our interpreter what was happening. We heard that a man had dropped a pan lid in the latrine, gone in to get it and was unable to get out. Another went in to help him and both died. I was thinking about this event over the past two or so days. It's such a tragic thing and just opened my eyes even more to the hardships the people here face on a daily basis. We just don't grasp it fully and are HERE.
I guess I forgot to write about Sat. visit to the park at Kakugera (or something like that) A big boy, baboon managed to swoop into the driver's lap while some of us were getting out the opposite side of out van. Besides the driver, Mike and John were the closest to the action and you'll have to hear their version of the story as I know I will not be able to do it justice. No one was hurt but it made the hi-light list, along with the two giraffe. Seeing very unique animals was such a reminder of the creative God we serve.
It may be best to read the group blog as I'm a bit tired and just not sure I'm doing so well at blogging! We have only two more full days here and it just seems so short for all the things yet needed to get done.....I'll be going with Kristi, John too to the Kigali wedding shop for the first time tomorrow. The plan is to paint and hangt mirrors, etc. maybe.
Must go for now,
In His Love,
Debbie
I prayed with a woman whose family background is muslim. She had been delivered from demons but her prayer was for her children who want nothing to do with her now that she knows the Lord Jesus. She has a heavy burden believing they are also possessed. Her body would jerk now and then and it was strange to think about Satan's overt ways here. In our world at home he is more covert...............
I failed to mention a very sad incident which took place last week.....At least I think I forgot to write about it....(if I did, well I'll repeat it once again, sorry) On the way back to Kigali from the Kabuga work site there was a huge gathering of people last Thurs. We asked someone on the street through our interpreter what was happening. We heard that a man had dropped a pan lid in the latrine, gone in to get it and was unable to get out. Another went in to help him and both died. I was thinking about this event over the past two or so days. It's such a tragic thing and just opened my eyes even more to the hardships the people here face on a daily basis. We just don't grasp it fully and are HERE.
I guess I forgot to write about Sat. visit to the park at Kakugera (or something like that) A big boy, baboon managed to swoop into the driver's lap while some of us were getting out the opposite side of out van. Besides the driver, Mike and John were the closest to the action and you'll have to hear their version of the story as I know I will not be able to do it justice. No one was hurt but it made the hi-light list, along with the two giraffe. Seeing very unique animals was such a reminder of the creative God we serve.
It may be best to read the group blog as I'm a bit tired and just not sure I'm doing so well at blogging! We have only two more full days here and it just seems so short for all the things yet needed to get done.....I'll be going with Kristi, John too to the Kigali wedding shop for the first time tomorrow. The plan is to paint and hangt mirrors, etc. maybe.
Must go for now,
In His Love,
Debbie
Friday, October 2, 2009
It's Friday Already? October 2,2009
I can't believe it's Friday!
These days have been a whirl wind of wonderful activity! I'll try to summerize: Wed. Tamara, Shelly and I were invited to a school and there we made mud to make hand prints of the little children. They were a bit reluctant to get their hand dirty but we all had the opportunity to file to the water barrel for a quick wash-up so no problem. The program included visiting 3 rooms of children where we sang and taught Jesus Loves Me and made crowns complete with a crowning ceremony where we spoke of how special they are to God. I was amazed to see the English alphabet written on the board and hear some of the children practice saying "My name Is....." in English! English is taught in all classrooms now and they were so pleased to practice it with us!
From the school we were joined with Pastor Mike and rushed off to a church where he preached on forgiveness. We are so loved by the church people. They like to hear us try to speak in their language too. Our brothers and sisters of Rwanda greet you! We as guests, are treated so sweetly, given the seats of honor up front and I just can't tell you in words what a joy it is to hear their singing! I did get a recording of some of it to bring home.
I had an opportunity to "visit" with our driver and share the gospel, encourage him in his language study, and compliment his "good driving" skills. He is the one who gave me a gift last year which was very unexpected. He was a "very good driver" and that compliment went a long way I'm guessing. I asked him with the help of a dear older man named Pastor Clement if he was a believer. I'll have to write more about it later but just need to state here that the pictures in certain tracts I had were really helpful!
We have lunch at Kabuga most every day.
This day, Tamara and I headed out to a church that Joshua and Evelyn would remember from last year. We were expecting 120children to do the crowns but had to lay that aside as the church wasw packed with 400 plus kids! We had to "wing it." The gentlemen of the radio station from last year was also there to greet us too. It was a wonderful time, both remembering when I was there last year and seeing so many of the children who remembered JOSHUA! We got so many sweet hugs and many practiced their English skills "my name is ....."
Thursday, Oct. 1
I was asked to go with Pastor Mike to another church this am. This time I wanted to be prepared for what I learned the day before could happen......be asked to speak also. So I studied Steve L.'s foundation lesson 1 and made notes all the while praying that should I be called upon to speak God would help me to speak what He wanted! Tom was our interpreter once again and a very good one! The lesson I gave introduced the Bible as trut from God not just thoughts from people in the USA! It is hard to put into words how wonderful it is to be received by the pastors, and people of the churches here.
In the afternoon we went to the ERM office and meet with a large group of the widows and orphans. There were so many more than last year it was overwhelming. I was going to set up interviews with a few to record their stories. That happened but for only 4! Then John and I were whisked away to another church. We were to be the guests at Tom's church for the evening.....actually we were to be the featured speakers. Tom stated he could "supplement."!
So John ajusted to the idea that he'd be preaching and I was so grateful to still have the notes I took with me from the morning "talk"! OH, it was just a wonderful time! Pastor Augustine, Tom's pastor had had to leave for schooling in Uganda on Sunday so we were only able to see him a short time. It was this evening we also decided where most of our Bibles should go also. This church is one of the poorest in Kigali and so many of the people had no Bible. They were so grateful!
Friday
All were at Kabuga today but before I got there, Kristi and I went shopping. I had a project in mind for the ladies involving flannel but also needed Calcium tabs. For the past two nights my left foot had cramped up ......weird! Last night had been the worst yet, ever actually! I thought I might pass out, almost threw up, from the pain of it's contortions.....just weird! (Yes, this year my body has been a source of some troubling things....just more opportunity to cry out to the Lord for His healing and also, learning more sympathy for others in pain!) I think now how easy it was for me to go into the Pharmacia to purchase the necessary help. So many here are not able to do that.
Today I worked hard at learning to pronounce the names of the ladies at the center. I took pictures and wrote out their names in the way they sounded so I would say them correctly. We have 3 babies at the center and another on the way. So we made baby blankets instead of the project I had been thinking about for the ladies in prison. Jeanie, last year, had purchased lots of rotary cutters so I had two learning how to square up the fabric and cut "more, faster!" It was a wonderful day of getting to know them much better. We heard the hum of the machines rolling along today! It was good! They are making lots of shirts for team orders and also learning how to use those machines. Godbett is skilled on the serger. There were only a few minor problems with certain machines today, and it was very clear that they are feeling more comfortable using them!
Steve L. and Mike presented their discipleship materials, studies today. Please pray that these pastors who serve the largest church here would be open to them. It is so important......"rightly dividing the Word of truth......"
There is so much more to tell.....It's raining really hard right now. It's been drought conditions.....It is supposed to be the raining season.....I guess it really is......now.
In His Love,
Debbie
These days have been a whirl wind of wonderful activity! I'll try to summerize: Wed. Tamara, Shelly and I were invited to a school and there we made mud to make hand prints of the little children. They were a bit reluctant to get their hand dirty but we all had the opportunity to file to the water barrel for a quick wash-up so no problem. The program included visiting 3 rooms of children where we sang and taught Jesus Loves Me and made crowns complete with a crowning ceremony where we spoke of how special they are to God. I was amazed to see the English alphabet written on the board and hear some of the children practice saying "My name Is....." in English! English is taught in all classrooms now and they were so pleased to practice it with us!
From the school we were joined with Pastor Mike and rushed off to a church where he preached on forgiveness. We are so loved by the church people. They like to hear us try to speak in their language too. Our brothers and sisters of Rwanda greet you! We as guests, are treated so sweetly, given the seats of honor up front and I just can't tell you in words what a joy it is to hear their singing! I did get a recording of some of it to bring home.
I had an opportunity to "visit" with our driver and share the gospel, encourage him in his language study, and compliment his "good driving" skills. He is the one who gave me a gift last year which was very unexpected. He was a "very good driver" and that compliment went a long way I'm guessing. I asked him with the help of a dear older man named Pastor Clement if he was a believer. I'll have to write more about it later but just need to state here that the pictures in certain tracts I had were really helpful!
We have lunch at Kabuga most every day.
This day, Tamara and I headed out to a church that Joshua and Evelyn would remember from last year. We were expecting 120children to do the crowns but had to lay that aside as the church wasw packed with 400 plus kids! We had to "wing it." The gentlemen of the radio station from last year was also there to greet us too. It was a wonderful time, both remembering when I was there last year and seeing so many of the children who remembered JOSHUA! We got so many sweet hugs and many practiced their English skills "my name is ....."
Thursday, Oct. 1
I was asked to go with Pastor Mike to another church this am. This time I wanted to be prepared for what I learned the day before could happen......be asked to speak also. So I studied Steve L.'s foundation lesson 1 and made notes all the while praying that should I be called upon to speak God would help me to speak what He wanted! Tom was our interpreter once again and a very good one! The lesson I gave introduced the Bible as trut from God not just thoughts from people in the USA! It is hard to put into words how wonderful it is to be received by the pastors, and people of the churches here.
In the afternoon we went to the ERM office and meet with a large group of the widows and orphans. There were so many more than last year it was overwhelming. I was going to set up interviews with a few to record their stories. That happened but for only 4! Then John and I were whisked away to another church. We were to be the guests at Tom's church for the evening.....actually we were to be the featured speakers. Tom stated he could "supplement."!
So John ajusted to the idea that he'd be preaching and I was so grateful to still have the notes I took with me from the morning "talk"! OH, it was just a wonderful time! Pastor Augustine, Tom's pastor had had to leave for schooling in Uganda on Sunday so we were only able to see him a short time. It was this evening we also decided where most of our Bibles should go also. This church is one of the poorest in Kigali and so many of the people had no Bible. They were so grateful!
Friday
All were at Kabuga today but before I got there, Kristi and I went shopping. I had a project in mind for the ladies involving flannel but also needed Calcium tabs. For the past two nights my left foot had cramped up ......weird! Last night had been the worst yet, ever actually! I thought I might pass out, almost threw up, from the pain of it's contortions.....just weird! (Yes, this year my body has been a source of some troubling things....just more opportunity to cry out to the Lord for His healing and also, learning more sympathy for others in pain!) I think now how easy it was for me to go into the Pharmacia to purchase the necessary help. So many here are not able to do that.
Today I worked hard at learning to pronounce the names of the ladies at the center. I took pictures and wrote out their names in the way they sounded so I would say them correctly. We have 3 babies at the center and another on the way. So we made baby blankets instead of the project I had been thinking about for the ladies in prison. Jeanie, last year, had purchased lots of rotary cutters so I had two learning how to square up the fabric and cut "more, faster!" It was a wonderful day of getting to know them much better. We heard the hum of the machines rolling along today! It was good! They are making lots of shirts for team orders and also learning how to use those machines. Godbett is skilled on the serger. There were only a few minor problems with certain machines today, and it was very clear that they are feeling more comfortable using them!
Steve L. and Mike presented their discipleship materials, studies today. Please pray that these pastors who serve the largest church here would be open to them. It is so important......"rightly dividing the Word of truth......"
There is so much more to tell.....It's raining really hard right now. It's been drought conditions.....It is supposed to be the raining season.....I guess it really is......now.
In His Love,
Debbie
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