I’ve been putting off the task of writing simply because I feel the burden of explaining all that’s happened and all that I’ve experienced over the past three weeks—and it’s been a lot. The movement has been constant, my eyes fully open, trying to take it all in. Camera poised, ready to “click” the button, but everything rushes by…blurred images leave me with only a snapshot of what I’ve seen, experienced, and lived these past three weeks. My prayer is that the Lord would help me capture, through pictures and words, exactly what He’d have me share with my dear friends and family back home.
The interaction with friends here in Rwanda, both old and new, has been constant; and the learning curve for a new town, culture, and totally different way of life has been steep. However, while it’s been exhausting, yes, learning new things and exploring new places brings me so much joy. And truly, truly, the Lord’s unending and abundant provision has met us at every step of the way, so all I can do is step back and praise His holy name…Imana Ishimwe (God be praised) as we say in Kinyarwanda.
The entry into Rwanda was different this time. From the beginning, my mindset was one of trying to adapt long-term, not simply soaking everything up in a mere few weeks. We were met at Kigali International Airport by a glorious group of friends, twenty in number, that wrapped us in hugs and welcomed me home. Third time around, we finally reached a point of deeper relationships—but Rwanda was also the same. Same smells, same bustling of millions of people ( literally), same sights and lights of Kigali. A growing city, literally rising from the dead. A quote from the Genocide memorial has stayed with me and left its impression in my mind with three simple words…Rwanda was dead. Yes, this country was devastated, and I truly cannot begin to imagine what it was like. But now, twenty years later, Rwanda has risen from the ashes and new life is evident all around—a bright yellow sunflower stretching over ten feet out of rich, fertile soil, standing alone in all its glory next to a mud brick home, or skyscrapers pulling Kigali into the twenty-first century. Literally from death and ashes this nation has been rebuilt and it seems that they are stronger for it. A few nights ago, Dad and I spent the evening at Lake Kivu—a beautiful, beautiful place, but particularly haunted with stories I’ve read and stories friends have shared. But amidst the tranquility, suburban growth and serene landscape of today, it is nearly impossible to reconcile what truly happened here almost my lifetime ago…except God was not done with Rwanda yet.
Exodus 3
I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey—and now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt…Who am I, that I should go? I will be with you!
I shared these verses with our team during a devotion time last week as I kept feeling the Lord impress them upon my heart. The Rwandan people have been through much…more than we will every fully understand….but I truly believe the Lord has heard their cries and He is oh so present here. Rwanda is both literally and figuratively a land flowing with milk and honey. During our visit to Sonrise School earlier this week, Dad and I shared “African Tea” with the primary school teachers during their morning break. The tea was made fresh from the milk of 7 cows that are owned by the school and housed in a barn just up the hill. With hot milk, fresh honey from Kigali, and tea grown and produced in factories all around Rwanda. Drinking from that cup was such a tangible sign of God’s provision and abundance here in Rwanda. And for me personally, it’s been a long, hard road to get to Rwanda, as well as plenty of time spent in the dessert this past year. So I have never been more ready or yearned more deeply for the promises I know the Lord has in store for me over this next year. Thank you for journeying with me and much more to come.
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