We have finally made it home!
After making it into the US without a hitch, we just missed our flight to come home to Raleigh. Andy and I ran as fast as we could to try and hold the plane for everyone. We got in enough time for both of us to make the flight, but they wouldn't hold the plane for the rest of our team.
Andy and I thought it best to wait for everyone. We weren't going home without everyone! So we ended up missing our flight and we were all re-booked on different flights. Susan and Patrick had to go to another airport (LaGuardia) to make their flight home. Then Andy was booked to come home making a stop in Washington, DC. Andy's flight was cancelled from JFK and was reouted to Boston. Now you may think this was a nightmare, but it turns out the Carrie, his wife, and the kids were in Boston. So Andy actually got ot see his family tonight (at least that is what an airline representative told me he went there).
Marilee, Corey, Lindsay, and I were all booked on a flight that left from LaGuardia too. After getting taxis and going through Queens, we made to LGA and were bound home.
When we landed, we were blessed to see our luggage awaiting us as we landed in RDU. The only thing missing was the guitar, so please pray for it to turn up.
Anyway, I am including a website where you can see some of the pictures that were taken on the trip. It's not all of them, but just a taste of what we experienced.
The website is gallery.me.com/joey.menendez
Enjoy the pictures.
Thankful to be home and looking forward to rest,
Joey
Friday, July 31, 2009
Days 7-10
Day 7 July 28, 2009
Muraho to Apostles’ Church family, my family and friends! I am learning so much from Rev. Gasana. He is a wise, patient and loving teacher. I hope he will be able to come to Raleigh to spend time with you all. I know you will absolutely love him.
This morning I woke up at 5:45 to the sound of Christine (our hostess) and Jean Baptiste talking as they filled buckets of water from the outdoor faucets. This is quite a process here at the guesthouse. The water has to be heated over a wood burning fire until it is piping hot. Then, the bucket is placed beside the tub. Another bin of cold water is placed inside the tub. I quickly figured out that by mixing half a cup of cold with a half a cup of hot equaled one cup of water for bathing. I got so fast at this process that I amazed even myself.
But back to waking up this morning. I lay in bed under our mosquito net for about fifteen minutes before rising to look out of my window. I saw Christine in the little courtyard and had to smile. She was walking, really dancing, with her hands lifted up singing His praises. By the way, she walks two miles to and from the guesthouse each day in order to prepare and serve our meals.
Our first stop of the day was at a church in the Ntenyo Parish. The church is a very large and beautiful building sitting on top of a hill. There was a wonderful breeze and banana trees growing everywhere. Rev. Calliste told our group that “God does miracles here,” and “prophets say things and then they see things happening.” He continued on to say that “prayer warriors pray for the sick and they become healed. In this parish God has a good plan for us.” His congregation obviously is thriving and growing. His comments about prayer warriors reminded me of the Apostles Prayer ministry.
We climbed into the van and continued our journey to the city of Butare to visit the Museum of Rwanda. I was happy that we were riding on mostly an “American road” as pastor Gasana would say. I hit my head on the roof many times as we sped along some “Rwandan roads,” as pastor Gasana would also say. But, I am not complaining. I trusted our driver Celeste completely, but my husband did not share this trust. As Celeste navigated the hilly winding mountainous roads without guardrails, racing past slow drivers into oncoming traffic, Patrick’s face told the depth of his feelings. I almost felt sorry for him.
I enjoyed the museum and learning of the history of Rwanda. It seems that the country has been pretty isolated from modernization until nearly 1900. It would also appear that Rwanda has suffered much over the last seventy years. I think the first missionaries brought the gospel to Rwanda in the 1940’s. At the time of the genocide in 1996, Rwanda claimed to be 90% Christian. Later at a genocide memorial, our guide stated that some were not really Christian. Many pastors of all denominations turned against their countrymen. After listening to Rev. Gasana, I have learned that many denominations are now joining together preaching that the Word of God is the only way that the people of Rwanda can forgive, heal, and have hope for their future. They are earnestly asking God to start a revival. They are working extremely hard to rebuild Rwanda. Bishop Rucyhana said later, “they get a joy when they toil so when they work for ten hours they are engaging hope instead of working one hour and crying.”
Joey took some great pictures of African dancers at the museum. We were treated to quite a performance. I hope you come to our follow up event to see this part of our trip on a slide show. A very pretty young dancer asked Joey to dance during the audience participation. Afterwards, Reverend Gasana said, “they dance together because they both are still looking.” This made everyone laugh.
On our way home we stopped at the Hanika Parish, which was established in 1945 by missionaries. It is a very large and well-established complex consisting of a church building, a health center, a primary school, two secondary schools, and a soccer field. Over 1,000 students attend the schools. While we enjoyed refreshments in the headmaster’s office, we were told that the men’s football team won the national championship title. It was getting late so we prepared to head back to Shyogwe. The school area outside was flooded with children. It was youth night, a time when values and morals are taught according to ancient tradition. They sure were having a good time. As we exited the gated entrance, Joey commented on the guard holding the AK-47. I don’t know what type of gun this is, but Joey was impressed. At one point I asked Rev. Gasana about the police and guards with guns. He said simply, ”To keep the peace.”
Our team had decided to give Christine a gift. Rev. Gasana suggested fabric so she could make a dress or a traditional wrap around. We stopped at a fabric store (booth really), and purchased a three-piece set of beautiful fabric. Rev. Gasana said that the best gift is one you get when you don’t deserve it. He also said, “She will be surprised, I don’t know if she will dance or what.”
After dinner that evening, we went outside to star gaze. WOW! We saw the Milky Way, Scorpio, and Castor and Pollux. The most amazing of all was the Southern Cross. It is absolutely huge.
I am going to end here. I have written too much, yet there is so much more to tell. Thank you for sending this team to Rwanda. Thank you for praying for us. Your prayers have been very evident. I am growing to care for and respect these people. The church here is truly making a difference in their communities. We are learning a lot from our Rwandan friends. Mwara muke (Goodnight).
Susan
Day 8 and 9 (and 10) July 29, 30, and 31, 2009
As I write this I am sitting on an American Airlines jet en route from Brussells to JFK in New York. It is 7:55 am Raleigh time and 2:55 Rwanda time. Jumping time zones can really do a number on you!
Yesterday began with a visit to the Shyogwe health clinic. They are doing a tremendous work there, educating people on basic health, testing and treating for HIV, TB, and Malaria, and providing birthing rooms and post-natal care for new mothers (who are released three days later and walk between one to four miles home!). From there we said goodbye to Shyogwe and headed for the Shyira Diocese in the northern parts of Rwanda. We were looking forward to visiting the Sonrise School that we have supported for years. Several of the Apostles’ members faithfully sponsor orphaned children in this school.
On the way, we stopped at the Genocide memorial that Susan told you about. It was incredibly powerful, moving and gut-wrenching. Over 250,000 of the country’s genocide victims have been laid to rest there. The Sonrise School was started as a response to the needs of the many orphans of the genocide of 1994. Besides the estimated 800,000 who were killed in 1994, some 500,000 women died within years of the genocide. HIV positive soldiers in a planned campaign to infect the Tutsi women of Rwanda with this fatal condition had raped them. Add to that some massacres by Hutu soldiers who crossed back into the country in ’97 and you can see that Rwanda has had to answer the problem of a generation of orphans.
We arrived at the Sonrise School at 6:00 pm after a long journey in our Toyota van faithfully (and often frighteningly) driven by Celeste up high and twisting mountain roads. The sights were breathtaking as we approached the home of the mountain gorillas at the foot of the highest volcanic peaks in the country. Exhausted and cramped we fell out of the van thankfully at the doorstep of the Ishema Hotel, in which our Shyira hosts had arranged for us to stay. It was gorgeous! The hotel is four years old and is a result of the entrepreneurial spirit of Bishop John Rucyhana. It employs over 100 workers, serves the tourist industry, and raises money for the ministry of the church. The bishops we have met are all very concerned to see the kingdom of God impact the economic development of Rwanda. It reminds me of our own desire to serve our city in bringing about real transformation.
So, we were exhausted, but we had reminded ourselves that our trip was not yet over, nor our mission to serve by listening, praying and encouraging. Sure enough, we were greeted by Bishop John and called into a meeting (after 20 minutes to unpack) where he graciously fed us with a snack, coffee, hot milk, and unbelievably delicious African Tea. However, we were fed even more by our time with him, when, after listening to a recounting of our adventures, he poured out words filled with vision, wisdom and passion. We concluded with a time of prayer that was so full of the Holy Spirit of God.
We visited the Sonrise School the next morning and the level of excellence blew us away. It was clear to all of us that God was giving us a picture of the types of things he wants to accomplish in the less developed diocese that we are now partnering with. It also became very clear throughout the course of the week how God is preparing us to enter into this significant partnership. Although we have supported Sonrise School in the past, the economic needs of Gikomero and their daughter parish of Mutara are where Apostles will have the most impact. In addition, Bishop Kalimba of Shyogwe would like us to serve as resource to the diocese by sending members with medical, teaching, administrative, business, pastoral, and English as second language skills. He wants to gather key lay leaders and pastors from around the diocese to receive training in practical skills from our people. In turn, we have told him that we are in need of their prayers, teaching and missions as we hope to bring some of them over to visit Apostles.
I know I have written so much, and there is so much yet to say. Let me close with two words of encouragement to you.
1. The mandate from our Lord is clear, we are now in relationship with our sister church in Rwanda, and we are called to pray fervently and expectantly. God is on the move and He is granting us the privilege of being part of a great work of His kingdom.
2. God desires to do an equally great work in His church in America and in our local setting of Rwanda.
From the moment this trip started, we had a strong conviction that the Lord had great plans for Apostles and us. His promise to us was that He would provide for us every step of this trip…and He truly has. As I write this we have not run out of anything we needed. (There is even 16% battery power left on this computer!) We were led by Him to make Philippians 2:1-11 our passage for the week in which we committed to serve with the “same attitude as Jesus”. As team leader, I can with pride in God’s amazing grace; humbly say He truly fulfilled this scripture in us. The passage goes on to read, “do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life.”
As we flew through the night, I was looking out our airplane window, marveling at the stars and the constellations. I thought, “That’s it! We only become blameless and pure when we grasp how Christ served us to the point of death. When we see that all of life is serving Him, each other and this world around us, we cease to have anything to complain about.
May you shine like stars,
In Jesus,
Patrick Dominguez and the Apostles’ Rwandan Mission Team
Muraho to Apostles’ Church family, my family and friends! I am learning so much from Rev. Gasana. He is a wise, patient and loving teacher. I hope he will be able to come to Raleigh to spend time with you all. I know you will absolutely love him.
This morning I woke up at 5:45 to the sound of Christine (our hostess) and Jean Baptiste talking as they filled buckets of water from the outdoor faucets. This is quite a process here at the guesthouse. The water has to be heated over a wood burning fire until it is piping hot. Then, the bucket is placed beside the tub. Another bin of cold water is placed inside the tub. I quickly figured out that by mixing half a cup of cold with a half a cup of hot equaled one cup of water for bathing. I got so fast at this process that I amazed even myself.
But back to waking up this morning. I lay in bed under our mosquito net for about fifteen minutes before rising to look out of my window. I saw Christine in the little courtyard and had to smile. She was walking, really dancing, with her hands lifted up singing His praises. By the way, she walks two miles to and from the guesthouse each day in order to prepare and serve our meals.
Our first stop of the day was at a church in the Ntenyo Parish. The church is a very large and beautiful building sitting on top of a hill. There was a wonderful breeze and banana trees growing everywhere. Rev. Calliste told our group that “God does miracles here,” and “prophets say things and then they see things happening.” He continued on to say that “prayer warriors pray for the sick and they become healed. In this parish God has a good plan for us.” His congregation obviously is thriving and growing. His comments about prayer warriors reminded me of the Apostles Prayer ministry.
We climbed into the van and continued our journey to the city of Butare to visit the Museum of Rwanda. I was happy that we were riding on mostly an “American road” as pastor Gasana would say. I hit my head on the roof many times as we sped along some “Rwandan roads,” as pastor Gasana would also say. But, I am not complaining. I trusted our driver Celeste completely, but my husband did not share this trust. As Celeste navigated the hilly winding mountainous roads without guardrails, racing past slow drivers into oncoming traffic, Patrick’s face told the depth of his feelings. I almost felt sorry for him.
I enjoyed the museum and learning of the history of Rwanda. It seems that the country has been pretty isolated from modernization until nearly 1900. It would also appear that Rwanda has suffered much over the last seventy years. I think the first missionaries brought the gospel to Rwanda in the 1940’s. At the time of the genocide in 1996, Rwanda claimed to be 90% Christian. Later at a genocide memorial, our guide stated that some were not really Christian. Many pastors of all denominations turned against their countrymen. After listening to Rev. Gasana, I have learned that many denominations are now joining together preaching that the Word of God is the only way that the people of Rwanda can forgive, heal, and have hope for their future. They are earnestly asking God to start a revival. They are working extremely hard to rebuild Rwanda. Bishop Rucyhana said later, “they get a joy when they toil so when they work for ten hours they are engaging hope instead of working one hour and crying.”
Joey took some great pictures of African dancers at the museum. We were treated to quite a performance. I hope you come to our follow up event to see this part of our trip on a slide show. A very pretty young dancer asked Joey to dance during the audience participation. Afterwards, Reverend Gasana said, “they dance together because they both are still looking.” This made everyone laugh.
On our way home we stopped at the Hanika Parish, which was established in 1945 by missionaries. It is a very large and well-established complex consisting of a church building, a health center, a primary school, two secondary schools, and a soccer field. Over 1,000 students attend the schools. While we enjoyed refreshments in the headmaster’s office, we were told that the men’s football team won the national championship title. It was getting late so we prepared to head back to Shyogwe. The school area outside was flooded with children. It was youth night, a time when values and morals are taught according to ancient tradition. They sure were having a good time. As we exited the gated entrance, Joey commented on the guard holding the AK-47. I don’t know what type of gun this is, but Joey was impressed. At one point I asked Rev. Gasana about the police and guards with guns. He said simply, ”To keep the peace.”
Our team had decided to give Christine a gift. Rev. Gasana suggested fabric so she could make a dress or a traditional wrap around. We stopped at a fabric store (booth really), and purchased a three-piece set of beautiful fabric. Rev. Gasana said that the best gift is one you get when you don’t deserve it. He also said, “She will be surprised, I don’t know if she will dance or what.”
After dinner that evening, we went outside to star gaze. WOW! We saw the Milky Way, Scorpio, and Castor and Pollux. The most amazing of all was the Southern Cross. It is absolutely huge.
I am going to end here. I have written too much, yet there is so much more to tell. Thank you for sending this team to Rwanda. Thank you for praying for us. Your prayers have been very evident. I am growing to care for and respect these people. The church here is truly making a difference in their communities. We are learning a lot from our Rwandan friends. Mwara muke (Goodnight).
Susan
Day 8 and 9 (and 10) July 29, 30, and 31, 2009
As I write this I am sitting on an American Airlines jet en route from Brussells to JFK in New York. It is 7:55 am Raleigh time and 2:55 Rwanda time. Jumping time zones can really do a number on you!
Yesterday began with a visit to the Shyogwe health clinic. They are doing a tremendous work there, educating people on basic health, testing and treating for HIV, TB, and Malaria, and providing birthing rooms and post-natal care for new mothers (who are released three days later and walk between one to four miles home!). From there we said goodbye to Shyogwe and headed for the Shyira Diocese in the northern parts of Rwanda. We were looking forward to visiting the Sonrise School that we have supported for years. Several of the Apostles’ members faithfully sponsor orphaned children in this school.
On the way, we stopped at the Genocide memorial that Susan told you about. It was incredibly powerful, moving and gut-wrenching. Over 250,000 of the country’s genocide victims have been laid to rest there. The Sonrise School was started as a response to the needs of the many orphans of the genocide of 1994. Besides the estimated 800,000 who were killed in 1994, some 500,000 women died within years of the genocide. HIV positive soldiers in a planned campaign to infect the Tutsi women of Rwanda with this fatal condition had raped them. Add to that some massacres by Hutu soldiers who crossed back into the country in ’97 and you can see that Rwanda has had to answer the problem of a generation of orphans.
We arrived at the Sonrise School at 6:00 pm after a long journey in our Toyota van faithfully (and often frighteningly) driven by Celeste up high and twisting mountain roads. The sights were breathtaking as we approached the home of the mountain gorillas at the foot of the highest volcanic peaks in the country. Exhausted and cramped we fell out of the van thankfully at the doorstep of the Ishema Hotel, in which our Shyira hosts had arranged for us to stay. It was gorgeous! The hotel is four years old and is a result of the entrepreneurial spirit of Bishop John Rucyhana. It employs over 100 workers, serves the tourist industry, and raises money for the ministry of the church. The bishops we have met are all very concerned to see the kingdom of God impact the economic development of Rwanda. It reminds me of our own desire to serve our city in bringing about real transformation.
So, we were exhausted, but we had reminded ourselves that our trip was not yet over, nor our mission to serve by listening, praying and encouraging. Sure enough, we were greeted by Bishop John and called into a meeting (after 20 minutes to unpack) where he graciously fed us with a snack, coffee, hot milk, and unbelievably delicious African Tea. However, we were fed even more by our time with him, when, after listening to a recounting of our adventures, he poured out words filled with vision, wisdom and passion. We concluded with a time of prayer that was so full of the Holy Spirit of God.
We visited the Sonrise School the next morning and the level of excellence blew us away. It was clear to all of us that God was giving us a picture of the types of things he wants to accomplish in the less developed diocese that we are now partnering with. It also became very clear throughout the course of the week how God is preparing us to enter into this significant partnership. Although we have supported Sonrise School in the past, the economic needs of Gikomero and their daughter parish of Mutara are where Apostles will have the most impact. In addition, Bishop Kalimba of Shyogwe would like us to serve as resource to the diocese by sending members with medical, teaching, administrative, business, pastoral, and English as second language skills. He wants to gather key lay leaders and pastors from around the diocese to receive training in practical skills from our people. In turn, we have told him that we are in need of their prayers, teaching and missions as we hope to bring some of them over to visit Apostles.
I know I have written so much, and there is so much yet to say. Let me close with two words of encouragement to you.
1. The mandate from our Lord is clear, we are now in relationship with our sister church in Rwanda, and we are called to pray fervently and expectantly. God is on the move and He is granting us the privilege of being part of a great work of His kingdom.
2. God desires to do an equally great work in His church in America and in our local setting of Rwanda.
From the moment this trip started, we had a strong conviction that the Lord had great plans for Apostles and us. His promise to us was that He would provide for us every step of this trip…and He truly has. As I write this we have not run out of anything we needed. (There is even 16% battery power left on this computer!) We were led by Him to make Philippians 2:1-11 our passage for the week in which we committed to serve with the “same attitude as Jesus”. As team leader, I can with pride in God’s amazing grace; humbly say He truly fulfilled this scripture in us. The passage goes on to read, “do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life.”
As we flew through the night, I was looking out our airplane window, marveling at the stars and the constellations. I thought, “That’s it! We only become blameless and pure when we grasp how Christ served us to the point of death. When we see that all of life is serving Him, each other and this world around us, we cease to have anything to complain about.
May you shine like stars,
In Jesus,
Patrick Dominguez and the Apostles’ Rwandan Mission Team
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
End is nearing!
We have left the Diocese of Shyogwe and are now in Ruhengeri where we met with Bishop John. Tomorrow we will tour the Sonrise School and then be off to the airport for our voyage home. Susan and Patrick will have the reports of the final two days and will hopefully be up by Friday.
Know that the Lord is doing mighty things here in Rwanda and we are coming back to Apostles transformed from our experience here. Yesu Ashimwe!!
Thanks for your prayers and we will see many of you Sunday at Apostles.
Blessings,
Joey
Know that the Lord is doing mighty things here in Rwanda and we are coming back to Apostles transformed from our experience here. Yesu Ashimwe!!
Thanks for your prayers and we will see many of you Sunday at Apostles.
Blessings,
Joey
Days 4-6
Day Four Saturday, July 25, 2009
Happy Birthday to our son, Matt!
Last night we had the most glorious and welcome rain. The sound of the rain hitting the metal roofs sounded like a North Carolina storm, but it was short lived. In the morning there was little evidence of the rain as the parched earth drank up the precious moisture.
After breakfast and devotions, Marilee, Susan and I went for a quick “walk about” looking to discover anything of interest, which of course we did. Stretched across the road was a jagged looking line that appeared to be alive. As we got closer we saw the reason. The jagged line was actually a procession of ants about 1-2” wide walking in an orderly fashion across the road. It was incredible!
Following that foray we ate lunch and took off to Gitarama to meet and visit with Bishop Kalimba. The headquarters for the Shyogwe diocese is in Gitarama and Bishop Kalimba is the head. It was an exciting time for us as we listened to Bp. Kolimba share with us the vision he has for the diocese. It was based on four pillars: evangelism, fighting poverty, ownership of the church, and unity/reconciliation.
Bp Kalimba then showed us the conference center that is currently under construction and when completed, will provide housing for 50 people. The plan also includes building a kitchen adjacent to the conference center to provide the food for the conference attendees. The buildings are impressive but the view overlooking the mountains is spectacular.
Our next stop was to visit the Shyogwe Church which was built on the top of Zion Mountain. When we arrived at the church we realized that a wedding was underway, and it looked like we would not be allowed to see the inside of the church. However, Marilee really wanted to see the church so we “crashed” the wedding. Really! Reverend Gasana led us inside where we thought we would go to the back of the church in an inconspicuous way. But to our surprise we were invited to sit in the front of the church. Not in the front row but the FRONT of the church. We were introduced and Patrick said a prayer for the couple. It ended up with the bride and groom taking a picture with the “Magnificent Seven” (thank you Johnnie for the moniker). What a glorious celebration!
Now as we headed back to our van we noticed Susan jogging to catch up with group. Apparently there was another van that looked exactly like our van. Susan had mistakenly thought that it was our van and actually got in waiting for the rest of us. When she realized none of our group was joining her and that she was in the bride and bridegroom’s getaway van, she high-tailed back to ours. We were happy Susan decided to ride home with us rather than with the bride and groom.
Reflecting back on this day and the previous ones, I am most touched by the love and friendliness of the Rwandan people. Everyone greets you by shaking your hand or gently hugging you and always with a smile. In all my travels, I have never experience such consistent outpouring of love. Rwanda is a blessed land where the spirit of God is working to change the lives of the people.
Thank you for all of your prayers,
Corey
Day 5 July 26, 2009
Since our arrival, our gracious Rwandan hosts have been excitedly anticipating the Lord’s Day celebration at our sister parish in Gikomero. However, no amount of explanation could have prepared us for the wonderful time of worship we experienced today. We entered the parish church while the congregation was already singing a lively worship song. All eyes were upon the “Muzungus” as we entered the church and sat at the front with the priests. After introductions, the worship service began with songs lead by the children’s choir followed several other choirs from outlying chapels. During each song, the entire congregation moved in time (and in joy) with the music.
Patrick was the main preacher of the morning service. He spoke on the passage that has become the theme of our trip – Philippians 2:1-14. His message was translated into Kinyarwanda by Rev. Gasana. Both men love the word of God and have a similar joyful exuberance when speaking. At the end of the message, dozens of congregants stood in response to a call to recommitment of their lives to Jesus.
During the prayers, Susan was asked to stand in front of the church and to pray for the ongoing projects of the Gikomero parish. She prayed for the new school, the planned health center, and the Mother’s Union that serves the church and community.
The team was asked to sing in front of the congregation. Marilee led us in our theme song, “Yesu Ashimwe”, and we were joined in the second verse by the congregation. They seem to enjoy any of our attempts to speak their language. We also sang “Holy is the Lord” with Joey leading on guitar.
They held a time of healing prayer, asking parishioners to come forward who were suffering from any illness. Over one-fourth of those present came forward to receive prayers for healing. Rev. Gasana asked Andy to pray for the people as the entire team surrounded those seeking prayer. We look forward to hearing accounts of how God heals the people of Gikomero.
One of the highlights of the day was the time of personal testimony. Lindsay, Marilee, and Joey each shared the ways in which God had changed their lives. The congregation clearly resonated with the heartfelt stories of personal brokenness and reconciliation. I am not sure how any of the speakers made it through their talks without tears, but I know that many lives were changed today by hearing these stories.
Our official parish-to-parish partnership was sealed by a beautiful Rwandan song. Pastor Martin left the altar and began to dance. He was quickly followed by Joey and Patrick. Before long, the entire congregation was singing and dancing in the aisles and at the front of the church. It was a joyous time of celebration that none of us will ever forget.
At the end of the service, Patrick and Martin exchanged gifts in celebration of our parish partnership. Patrick gave our guests a book of pictures demonstrating our church and its ministries. We received a beautiful wooden plaque with clasped hands over the map of Rwanda. We look forward to seeing it mounted in the front of our church.
Another highlight of the day was to see the joy on the faces of the children as Pastor Martin handed out soccer and basketballs contributed by our church members. The center of Gikomero includes a concrete sports court, complete with backboards but no basketball rims. In spite of this, the children found creative solutions (points were scored with any ball hitting the backboard), and the basketballs were quickly put to good use. The children are loved and honored in Rwanda, and the parents enjoyed seeing the children playing soccer and basketball with their new gifts.
Our day ended with a long walk around the village of Shyogwe where we are staying. We are touched by the friendliness of the Rwandan people who always greet us with “Muraho” or “Amakuru”. As the sun sets, we hope that the stars will be out tonight. The bright Rwandan night skies remind us that, despite our abundant electricity and daily conveniences, there are many things we lack by living in America.
-Andy
Day 6 July 27, 2009
The news from Rwanda is encouraging and blessed. Today we were able to see God’s hand at work through the Holy Spirit in so many ways. Rev. Gasana accompanied us to the Canon Trapnell Bible and Development School just across the road from our guesthouse. Rev. Gasana introduced us to 17 of the 20 students in the school. This is the second class to graduate from the school. Upon graduation, these young people are sent back to their parishes to be lay leaders, evangelists, and group leaders. Two or 3 of the graduates could be selected to be ordained as pastors.
The students welcomed us with a song that they had written based on the 23rd Psalm. Marilee asked for the music as it was so joyful. Joey video recorded it so hopefully many of you can see their joy and love displayed so completely.
We have been trying to learn the language better so we try to use the appropriate words when possible. However, we aren’t as fluent as we hoped to be. I’ve said thank you when I meant to say hello, Marilee says good morning when she meant to say thank you, and Patrick (along with all of us) mixes up pronunciations. We all get a good laugh and the Rwandans laugh right along with us, but they sure appreciate our efforts.
We left for Mutara right after the Bible School presentation and found ourselves climbing higher in the mountains. God blessed us with the most beautiful views on both sides of the road. Every piece of land is being used for cultivation and houses are built on any ground level enough to hand grade and build on. We saw people repairing the mountain road with hand tools—picks and shovels. What a sight!
Rev. Alexi Kavaemena greeted us on the road and took us up a narrow dirt path to the excavation site where the Mutara Parish Church will be located. God is in this place. The site is at the top of this peak and the valleys on 3 sides with vivid colors and majestic mountains in the background. We were awestruck at the view. The congregation, men, women, and children were working to clear the site and dig the foundations with joy and fellowship on their faces and in their actions. The Holy Spirit was plainly visible in the overwhelming feelings of grace and love that we experienced there. After introductions, Marilee asked their choir director if they could sing for us. This young woman jumped up, handed her baby to an older woman, and gave a pitch to the choir as they fell in line and broke into spontaneous beautiful music as if it had all been planned.
Mutara is known as the poorest district in all of Shyogwe, so we were overwhelmed to be treated to corn muffins and homegrown honey that was lavishly shared. Please pray for Pacifique, the lay leader’s year old son, who has malaria. We all sensed God’s presence in the day as earlier in the morning after breakfast, Patrick had asked Rev. Gasana if they had honey in Rwanda, and lo and behold, we ate our fill of the wondrous golden syrup! God is good!
We finished our long day with a short service under a tent at a 4-month old mission plant just near the guesthouse. As we drove up, we were greeted at the van with singing and dancing or little children. Patrick shared some scripture, Marilee and Joey shared their testimonies, and 3 choirs shared their music. What joy!
Our day and our trip has been filled with joy and the love of Jesus expressed in the life of our Rwandan family.
Lindsay Roux
Happy Birthday to our son, Matt!
Last night we had the most glorious and welcome rain. The sound of the rain hitting the metal roofs sounded like a North Carolina storm, but it was short lived. In the morning there was little evidence of the rain as the parched earth drank up the precious moisture.
After breakfast and devotions, Marilee, Susan and I went for a quick “walk about” looking to discover anything of interest, which of course we did. Stretched across the road was a jagged looking line that appeared to be alive. As we got closer we saw the reason. The jagged line was actually a procession of ants about 1-2” wide walking in an orderly fashion across the road. It was incredible!
Following that foray we ate lunch and took off to Gitarama to meet and visit with Bishop Kalimba. The headquarters for the Shyogwe diocese is in Gitarama and Bishop Kalimba is the head. It was an exciting time for us as we listened to Bp. Kolimba share with us the vision he has for the diocese. It was based on four pillars: evangelism, fighting poverty, ownership of the church, and unity/reconciliation.
Bp Kalimba then showed us the conference center that is currently under construction and when completed, will provide housing for 50 people. The plan also includes building a kitchen adjacent to the conference center to provide the food for the conference attendees. The buildings are impressive but the view overlooking the mountains is spectacular.
Our next stop was to visit the Shyogwe Church which was built on the top of Zion Mountain. When we arrived at the church we realized that a wedding was underway, and it looked like we would not be allowed to see the inside of the church. However, Marilee really wanted to see the church so we “crashed” the wedding. Really! Reverend Gasana led us inside where we thought we would go to the back of the church in an inconspicuous way. But to our surprise we were invited to sit in the front of the church. Not in the front row but the FRONT of the church. We were introduced and Patrick said a prayer for the couple. It ended up with the bride and groom taking a picture with the “Magnificent Seven” (thank you Johnnie for the moniker). What a glorious celebration!
Now as we headed back to our van we noticed Susan jogging to catch up with group. Apparently there was another van that looked exactly like our van. Susan had mistakenly thought that it was our van and actually got in waiting for the rest of us. When she realized none of our group was joining her and that she was in the bride and bridegroom’s getaway van, she high-tailed back to ours. We were happy Susan decided to ride home with us rather than with the bride and groom.
Reflecting back on this day and the previous ones, I am most touched by the love and friendliness of the Rwandan people. Everyone greets you by shaking your hand or gently hugging you and always with a smile. In all my travels, I have never experience such consistent outpouring of love. Rwanda is a blessed land where the spirit of God is working to change the lives of the people.
Thank you for all of your prayers,
Corey
Day 5 July 26, 2009
Since our arrival, our gracious Rwandan hosts have been excitedly anticipating the Lord’s Day celebration at our sister parish in Gikomero. However, no amount of explanation could have prepared us for the wonderful time of worship we experienced today. We entered the parish church while the congregation was already singing a lively worship song. All eyes were upon the “Muzungus” as we entered the church and sat at the front with the priests. After introductions, the worship service began with songs lead by the children’s choir followed several other choirs from outlying chapels. During each song, the entire congregation moved in time (and in joy) with the music.
Patrick was the main preacher of the morning service. He spoke on the passage that has become the theme of our trip – Philippians 2:1-14. His message was translated into Kinyarwanda by Rev. Gasana. Both men love the word of God and have a similar joyful exuberance when speaking. At the end of the message, dozens of congregants stood in response to a call to recommitment of their lives to Jesus.
During the prayers, Susan was asked to stand in front of the church and to pray for the ongoing projects of the Gikomero parish. She prayed for the new school, the planned health center, and the Mother’s Union that serves the church and community.
The team was asked to sing in front of the congregation. Marilee led us in our theme song, “Yesu Ashimwe”, and we were joined in the second verse by the congregation. They seem to enjoy any of our attempts to speak their language. We also sang “Holy is the Lord” with Joey leading on guitar.
They held a time of healing prayer, asking parishioners to come forward who were suffering from any illness. Over one-fourth of those present came forward to receive prayers for healing. Rev. Gasana asked Andy to pray for the people as the entire team surrounded those seeking prayer. We look forward to hearing accounts of how God heals the people of Gikomero.
One of the highlights of the day was the time of personal testimony. Lindsay, Marilee, and Joey each shared the ways in which God had changed their lives. The congregation clearly resonated with the heartfelt stories of personal brokenness and reconciliation. I am not sure how any of the speakers made it through their talks without tears, but I know that many lives were changed today by hearing these stories.
Our official parish-to-parish partnership was sealed by a beautiful Rwandan song. Pastor Martin left the altar and began to dance. He was quickly followed by Joey and Patrick. Before long, the entire congregation was singing and dancing in the aisles and at the front of the church. It was a joyous time of celebration that none of us will ever forget.
At the end of the service, Patrick and Martin exchanged gifts in celebration of our parish partnership. Patrick gave our guests a book of pictures demonstrating our church and its ministries. We received a beautiful wooden plaque with clasped hands over the map of Rwanda. We look forward to seeing it mounted in the front of our church.
Another highlight of the day was to see the joy on the faces of the children as Pastor Martin handed out soccer and basketballs contributed by our church members. The center of Gikomero includes a concrete sports court, complete with backboards but no basketball rims. In spite of this, the children found creative solutions (points were scored with any ball hitting the backboard), and the basketballs were quickly put to good use. The children are loved and honored in Rwanda, and the parents enjoyed seeing the children playing soccer and basketball with their new gifts.
Our day ended with a long walk around the village of Shyogwe where we are staying. We are touched by the friendliness of the Rwandan people who always greet us with “Muraho” or “Amakuru”. As the sun sets, we hope that the stars will be out tonight. The bright Rwandan night skies remind us that, despite our abundant electricity and daily conveniences, there are many things we lack by living in America.
-Andy
Day 6 July 27, 2009
The news from Rwanda is encouraging and blessed. Today we were able to see God’s hand at work through the Holy Spirit in so many ways. Rev. Gasana accompanied us to the Canon Trapnell Bible and Development School just across the road from our guesthouse. Rev. Gasana introduced us to 17 of the 20 students in the school. This is the second class to graduate from the school. Upon graduation, these young people are sent back to their parishes to be lay leaders, evangelists, and group leaders. Two or 3 of the graduates could be selected to be ordained as pastors.
The students welcomed us with a song that they had written based on the 23rd Psalm. Marilee asked for the music as it was so joyful. Joey video recorded it so hopefully many of you can see their joy and love displayed so completely.
We have been trying to learn the language better so we try to use the appropriate words when possible. However, we aren’t as fluent as we hoped to be. I’ve said thank you when I meant to say hello, Marilee says good morning when she meant to say thank you, and Patrick (along with all of us) mixes up pronunciations. We all get a good laugh and the Rwandans laugh right along with us, but they sure appreciate our efforts.
We left for Mutara right after the Bible School presentation and found ourselves climbing higher in the mountains. God blessed us with the most beautiful views on both sides of the road. Every piece of land is being used for cultivation and houses are built on any ground level enough to hand grade and build on. We saw people repairing the mountain road with hand tools—picks and shovels. What a sight!
Rev. Alexi Kavaemena greeted us on the road and took us up a narrow dirt path to the excavation site where the Mutara Parish Church will be located. God is in this place. The site is at the top of this peak and the valleys on 3 sides with vivid colors and majestic mountains in the background. We were awestruck at the view. The congregation, men, women, and children were working to clear the site and dig the foundations with joy and fellowship on their faces and in their actions. The Holy Spirit was plainly visible in the overwhelming feelings of grace and love that we experienced there. After introductions, Marilee asked their choir director if they could sing for us. This young woman jumped up, handed her baby to an older woman, and gave a pitch to the choir as they fell in line and broke into spontaneous beautiful music as if it had all been planned.
Mutara is known as the poorest district in all of Shyogwe, so we were overwhelmed to be treated to corn muffins and homegrown honey that was lavishly shared. Please pray for Pacifique, the lay leader’s year old son, who has malaria. We all sensed God’s presence in the day as earlier in the morning after breakfast, Patrick had asked Rev. Gasana if they had honey in Rwanda, and lo and behold, we ate our fill of the wondrous golden syrup! God is good!
We finished our long day with a short service under a tent at a 4-month old mission plant just near the guesthouse. As we drove up, we were greeted at the van with singing and dancing or little children. Patrick shared some scripture, Marilee and Joey shared their testimonies, and 3 choirs shared their music. What joy!
Our day and our trip has been filled with joy and the love of Jesus expressed in the life of our Rwandan family.
Lindsay Roux
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Days 1-3
Day 1
Day One Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The first God story happened to Susan Dominguez as we were packing this morning. Susan was thinking about the trip and wondering about our safety and if God is really leading us there. “Does He really want us to connect with a church in Rwanda?” As she was thinking about this she recalled the book, “Never Silent” by Bishop Thad Barnum about the founding of the Anglican Mission in America and the commitment of the Rwandan bishops to give us theological and spiritual coverage from the heresies that are assailing the Episcopal Church in America. The Bishops refused to remain silent in the face of the infidelities of the American church to the Bible. They knew what it was like when the genocide happened in Rwanda and the rest of the world turned its back in silence. So they offered spiritual asylum to any churches that needed it.
As Susan was thinking about this she asked our daughter if she could borrow her smaller size bible for our trip. When Amy handed it to Susan, it opened to Acts 18:9 which reads:
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack or harm you…”
As I shared this with the rest of our team, we knew it was confirmation from the Lord that we are in His hands and this trip is indeed His plan. We look forward to sharing more “God stories” with you.
With “the same attitude as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5),
Patrick
Day 2 Thursday, July 23, 2009
After 21 hours of being in the air and waiting in airports, we have finally landed in Kigali, Rwanda. We were met by Pastor Emmanuel Gasana with hugs and many Murahos (Hellos).
What a relief it finally was to know that we have made it to Rwanda. Arriving at night, we couldn’t grasp the beauty of this country, but if the land is as beautiful and welcoming as the people of Rwanda, then we are in for a huge blessing and treat.
As I was riding in the van with our teammates, the thoughts of what this country has gone through couldn’t escape me. My heart was being tugged at from all sides telling me to soak this moment in and not to forget what happened on this land 15 years ago. Yet I also was reminded to look at the beauty of God’s creation and the work he has done and is doing here to reconcile and forgive.
After arriving to the Shyogwe Diocese and the guesthouse where we staying, we unloaded our 13 bags and carry-ons, (praise to the Lord that all of our bags made it by the way) and Pastor Gasana led us to the church where about 200 Rwandans had gathered for prayer, but it wasn’t just anytime of prayer service. These men and women had already been there for two days and were planning to pray through the night for the people and country of Rwanda as well as asking the Lord for a revival in the country. To me it was such a clear testament of faith and power of prayer. The Lord kept them awake through the night, praying as I could hear them faintly in outside air as I was sleeping.
I tell you this story because earlier that day on our last flight, I opened my Daily Light devotional and on the July 23rd evening page, the heading read Brethren, pray for us (1Thess. 5:25) and the entire page was filled with scripture about the power of prayer and that we are to pray without ceasing. For the first time in my life, I was able to see Colossians 4:12 come to life: “Always laboring fervently…in prayers, the you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” These prayer warriors were doing just that. They were fervently praying for each other and for their country.
What a testament! I only pray that these words speak to you as the event of these people praying spoke to me last night.
In Christ,
Joey
Day 3 Friday, July 24, 2009
The day began at different times for each of us. Some got up early to shower with a bucket of water in a bathtub. Others got up to take pictures of the local bat colony after a time of prayer and others slept a little later (7 am) to catch up on some zzzzz’s that were lost in transit. (For those who know me well, you already know which one I chose!) We all convened for a short devotion led by Patrick on Psalm 57 and a song, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” with Joey on guitar.
Then we enjoyed a lovely breakfast of an omelet with chives, fresh bread with jam and butter, coffee, pineapple juice, and an assortment of fruit: passion fruit, bananas, and a new fruit for us—egg fruit which is a beautiful plum colored, large goose egg-shaped fruit that you cut in half and scoop out the tart, juicy, seedy flesh inside. I quickly gave up trying to chew the seeds and just swallowed them whole. I asked Rev. Ghasana if that meant egg fruit would start growing in my stomach like we used to tell our kids would happen if they swallowed watermelon seeds. Our hosts love to laugh as much as we do.
After breakfast we drove in our 13-seater van driven by Silester—he’s amazing! to our sister church, Gikomera. This beautiful town hugs the side of the mountain with its patchwork gardens of corn, bananas, sweet potatoes, and coffee. The homes are made of brick and clay with tile roofs. Rev. Martin Murengera met us in his work clothes as today was a public day for the parish—meaning a day set aside for everyone to come and volunteer on a community project. Today the whole town was working to move large mud bricks the size of cement block from one site to another to make room for the new health center. The men placed 2 or 3 bricks on the woman’s head, and she carried it to the new site where other men neatly stacked them into walls for a new structure. Bishop Kalimba has a broad vision to see the parish of Gikomera equipped with this health center to serve the 30,000 people who live within its borders.
The first place we went on our tour of Gikomera was the primary school. We really had no choice but to go there first as instruction had come to a halt with all the heads of the children poking through the windows. As soon as we came to their classroom, they all raced back to their seats. Since they were too shy to sing for us, we sang our processional song “Yesu Ashimwe Alleluia” for them. Soon they were all singing with us.
Rev. Murengera was so proud to show us the new dispensary with its cheery curtains, clean rooms, simple lab and pharmacy. Then we saw their church and heard the plans to enlarge the building and strengthen the structure to be able to withstand the occasional earthquake. Throughout our entire morning tour, 3 children followed closely on our heels playing peek-a-boo, touching our hands, or posing for pictures and then smiling as they were shown the pictures on the camera.
The day finished with a wonderful meal of rice, green beans with carrots, boiled and buttered potatoes, and sausage in tomato sauce. We know we are being treated like royalty since most people in Rwanda only eat meat 2 or 3 times a year, and we have had meat at every meal! The people have welcomed us with big grins and open arms. We can’t wait for tomorrow. Another day to witness the goodness of the Lord.
Murakoze (thank you)
Marilee
Day One Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The first God story happened to Susan Dominguez as we were packing this morning. Susan was thinking about the trip and wondering about our safety and if God is really leading us there. “Does He really want us to connect with a church in Rwanda?” As she was thinking about this she recalled the book, “Never Silent” by Bishop Thad Barnum about the founding of the Anglican Mission in America and the commitment of the Rwandan bishops to give us theological and spiritual coverage from the heresies that are assailing the Episcopal Church in America. The Bishops refused to remain silent in the face of the infidelities of the American church to the Bible. They knew what it was like when the genocide happened in Rwanda and the rest of the world turned its back in silence. So they offered spiritual asylum to any churches that needed it.
As Susan was thinking about this she asked our daughter if she could borrow her smaller size bible for our trip. When Amy handed it to Susan, it opened to Acts 18:9 which reads:
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack or harm you…”
As I shared this with the rest of our team, we knew it was confirmation from the Lord that we are in His hands and this trip is indeed His plan. We look forward to sharing more “God stories” with you.
With “the same attitude as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5),
Patrick
Day 2 Thursday, July 23, 2009
After 21 hours of being in the air and waiting in airports, we have finally landed in Kigali, Rwanda. We were met by Pastor Emmanuel Gasana with hugs and many Murahos (Hellos).
What a relief it finally was to know that we have made it to Rwanda. Arriving at night, we couldn’t grasp the beauty of this country, but if the land is as beautiful and welcoming as the people of Rwanda, then we are in for a huge blessing and treat.
As I was riding in the van with our teammates, the thoughts of what this country has gone through couldn’t escape me. My heart was being tugged at from all sides telling me to soak this moment in and not to forget what happened on this land 15 years ago. Yet I also was reminded to look at the beauty of God’s creation and the work he has done and is doing here to reconcile and forgive.
After arriving to the Shyogwe Diocese and the guesthouse where we staying, we unloaded our 13 bags and carry-ons, (praise to the Lord that all of our bags made it by the way) and Pastor Gasana led us to the church where about 200 Rwandans had gathered for prayer, but it wasn’t just anytime of prayer service. These men and women had already been there for two days and were planning to pray through the night for the people and country of Rwanda as well as asking the Lord for a revival in the country. To me it was such a clear testament of faith and power of prayer. The Lord kept them awake through the night, praying as I could hear them faintly in outside air as I was sleeping.
I tell you this story because earlier that day on our last flight, I opened my Daily Light devotional and on the July 23rd evening page, the heading read Brethren, pray for us (1Thess. 5:25) and the entire page was filled with scripture about the power of prayer and that we are to pray without ceasing. For the first time in my life, I was able to see Colossians 4:12 come to life: “Always laboring fervently…in prayers, the you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” These prayer warriors were doing just that. They were fervently praying for each other and for their country.
What a testament! I only pray that these words speak to you as the event of these people praying spoke to me last night.
In Christ,
Joey
Day 3 Friday, July 24, 2009
The day began at different times for each of us. Some got up early to shower with a bucket of water in a bathtub. Others got up to take pictures of the local bat colony after a time of prayer and others slept a little later (7 am) to catch up on some zzzzz’s that were lost in transit. (For those who know me well, you already know which one I chose!) We all convened for a short devotion led by Patrick on Psalm 57 and a song, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” with Joey on guitar.
Then we enjoyed a lovely breakfast of an omelet with chives, fresh bread with jam and butter, coffee, pineapple juice, and an assortment of fruit: passion fruit, bananas, and a new fruit for us—egg fruit which is a beautiful plum colored, large goose egg-shaped fruit that you cut in half and scoop out the tart, juicy, seedy flesh inside. I quickly gave up trying to chew the seeds and just swallowed them whole. I asked Rev. Ghasana if that meant egg fruit would start growing in my stomach like we used to tell our kids would happen if they swallowed watermelon seeds. Our hosts love to laugh as much as we do.
After breakfast we drove in our 13-seater van driven by Silester—he’s amazing! to our sister church, Gikomera. This beautiful town hugs the side of the mountain with its patchwork gardens of corn, bananas, sweet potatoes, and coffee. The homes are made of brick and clay with tile roofs. Rev. Martin Murengera met us in his work clothes as today was a public day for the parish—meaning a day set aside for everyone to come and volunteer on a community project. Today the whole town was working to move large mud bricks the size of cement block from one site to another to make room for the new health center. The men placed 2 or 3 bricks on the woman’s head, and she carried it to the new site where other men neatly stacked them into walls for a new structure. Bishop Kalimba has a broad vision to see the parish of Gikomera equipped with this health center to serve the 30,000 people who live within its borders.
The first place we went on our tour of Gikomera was the primary school. We really had no choice but to go there first as instruction had come to a halt with all the heads of the children poking through the windows. As soon as we came to their classroom, they all raced back to their seats. Since they were too shy to sing for us, we sang our processional song “Yesu Ashimwe Alleluia” for them. Soon they were all singing with us.
Rev. Murengera was so proud to show us the new dispensary with its cheery curtains, clean rooms, simple lab and pharmacy. Then we saw their church and heard the plans to enlarge the building and strengthen the structure to be able to withstand the occasional earthquake. Throughout our entire morning tour, 3 children followed closely on our heels playing peek-a-boo, touching our hands, or posing for pictures and then smiling as they were shown the pictures on the camera.
The day finished with a wonderful meal of rice, green beans with carrots, boiled and buttered potatoes, and sausage in tomato sauce. We know we are being treated like royalty since most people in Rwanda only eat meat 2 or 3 times a year, and we have had meat at every meal! The people have welcomed us with big grins and open arms. We can’t wait for tomorrow. Another day to witness the goodness of the Lord.
Murakoze (thank you)
Marilee
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Yesu Ashimwe! (Jesus be Praised!) We are nearing ever so closer to the day we start this adventure God has for us in the country of Rwanda. I along with six other members of Church of the Apostles will be heading off to the Shyogwe Diocese about 45 minutes outside of Kigali to meet and greet the pastor and people of the Gikomero parish.
We are truly excited and hope for God to reveal Himself to us on this trip. We know that the Lord has big things for us there and we can't wait to answer His call.
If we have access to the internet while down there, I will post our experiences as often as I can on this blog. If we don't, then I will post our daily experiences along with some photos as soon as we get back to the states to this blog.
Continue to pray for us as we embark on this journey as you have been leading up to our departure.
May the Lord Bless you all for you incredible support of this team.
In Christ,
The Apostles Mission Team to Rwanda
We are truly excited and hope for God to reveal Himself to us on this trip. We know that the Lord has big things for us there and we can't wait to answer His call.
If we have access to the internet while down there, I will post our experiences as often as I can on this blog. If we don't, then I will post our daily experiences along with some photos as soon as we get back to the states to this blog.
Continue to pray for us as we embark on this journey as you have been leading up to our departure.
May the Lord Bless you all for you incredible support of this team.
In Christ,
The Apostles Mission Team to Rwanda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)