(From Hillary Dotson)

My Beloved bring me awake, Take me up to your resurrection place

My Beloved bring me awake, ‘Cause I want to feel Your light upon my face

Awake or asleep? Great question for each member of the team as we waited, endured, or sleepwalked through the five hour layover in Addis Ababa’s one-room airport. In the wake of our 14-hour flight, we all attempted to bring some semblance of life back into our tired, smelly, confused bodies as we used toilet-paperless bathrooms and brushed teeth with the dregs of water bottles (as faucet water from here on out is highly unrecommended). However, in His sovereignty, the Lord had another means of refreshing and awakening in store...

My Beloved take me away, Over Jordan up out of this place

My Beloved, for You I wait, With You here ‘til forever face to face

So as we waited to be freed from that crowded place, the Lord brought us face to face with two new friends: Laura, a girl from California, and her friend Austin, from Raleigh. Yes, Raleigh, NC…he happens to live down the street from Teresa.

Austin 

Some members of our team excitedly engaged and encouraged these two college grads as they talked of their upcoming plans ministering to youth in Tanzania and Kenya. And then there were others of us simply trying to stay awake...thankfully Sarah called me over as Laura began to share more of her personal story. Laura Chance reminds me greatly of Philip from Acts chapter 8. Never before have I met a person more Spirit-led. Throughout her story, she attentively listened to the Lord and acted in obedience. All the while allowing Him to dictate each step, not the world or the opinions of others. As Laura finished speaking with Sarah and me, she asked to pray over us. So, in the middle of the Ethiopian airport we stood and prayed. She voiced specific hurts from our past and anxieties about our future—things Sarah and I had just shared and discussed with each other over the past 14 hours. I had never met her before and had not spoken with her for more than 7 minutes, and yet she knew. And I was reminded that my Heavenly Father also knows.

No more sorrow, no more pain, No more darkness weighing down on me

No longer blind now I can see, Forever light, forever free

This is what I know: God is real. God sees me as His beloved. God cares deeply for me. He cares enough to bring a random stranger across the world to pray over me. He desires both joy and freedom for me. And finally, I know that I “belong to God, so that I may declare the praises of Him who called me out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (I Peter 2:9) Forever light, forever free.

Safe in Rwanda!

(Sam Bass) We arrived at Kigali, Rwanda at 1 pm, 27 hours after leaving RDU. Our first greeters, Rwanda's customs agents, were quite warm and courteous. After a quick picture and thumb printing, we were off to claim our bags with a prayer that our luggage followed our “four-transfer” journey.

Almost immediately, our bags began appearing on the conveyor before us. One by one we confirmed that this would not be a repeat of last year's teams' unfortunate four days without a change of clothes. It would not be the case for a young missionary named Abbey, whom we met at the baggage claim. Her luggage had not come before the conveyor stopped. She was there to produce a documentary on the area. We joined a circle and prayed for her protection and that she would soon be reunited with her supplies. 

As we made our way into the airport lobby, the veterans of our group quickly recognized Pastor Etienne and Bernard. They greeted each and every one of us with a warmth and affection that did not vary, regardless of acquaintance.  Remarkably, they had arrived at the airport three hours earlier, because of a schedule mix-up, yet they showed no sign of frustration.  

Our luggage pile was twice that which might be expected for a group our size, as we carried medical and other supplies for the clinic at Gikomero. The small pickup that Pastor Etienne brought was soon piled high with bags that were lashed down with care and skill.

It wasn't long before we were winding our way through the busy and crowded streets of Kigali, Rwanda's capital city. The sights, sounds, and smells were typical of a city, but new, exciting, and uniquely African, at the same time. Cars, bikes, scooters and pedestrians squeezed onto roadways and sidewalks that were too small for their volume, but each remarkably continued on course unaffected by the others, if only by millimeters sometimes.

After a quick stop to change our dollars for Rwandan francs we were on our way to the Shyogwe Diocesan house and dorm, where we would headquarter for the next week. We wound our way out of the city into the suburbs and more expansive fruit and produce markets along the river. The congested curvy streets soon gave way to less crowded, but increasingly narrow roads. Diesel smoke was eventually replaced by the heavy blue smoke of wood cooking fires as the pace of life slowed dramatically.

In stark contrast to the peaceful countryside, our driver seemed to increase his speed as the roads became trickier. On the rare straightaways he seemed intent on finding just how many rpms he could get from that old van's motor, bound and determined to arrive before his friends in the luggage truck.

When we arrived, about 4pm we were greeted by Pastor Prosper, Claudine (8 months pregnant) and Clementine who showed us to our rooms in the dorm wing of the Diocesan house, just recently completed. We had time just enough time to wash our hands before being ushered into the dining room where we were served a hot feast of chicken, peas and carrots, rice, plantains, and potatoes.

Soon after 7, (1PM our time) 32 hours without horizontal sleep) we met with Bishop Jared Kalimba, Eugene Kagwera, and Pastor Prosper to go over the week's schedule. The meeting was informative and filled in some blanks, but left more questions unanswered than some in our group would have preferred. HOwever, there was unanimity over our disappointment that we would be leaving too soon. 

We concluded with prayer and hopes to get into bed, only to be informed by the bishop that a supper had been prepared to honor our arrival. Everyone, to the person, put on the best face and gratefully accepted Bishop Kalimba's kind invitation to eat...once again! By 9PM the halls became very quiet as we retired before starting our first full day as emissaries from Apostles to our brothers and sisters of the Shyogwe Diocese.

Saturday Morning from Addis Ababa

Blog Entry from Addis Ababa Airport (Taylor)

Before we boarded the plane for Ethiopia, Patrick led us in a devotion of Philippians 2:1-11.  One take away for me was the reminder that Jesus did nothing out of selfish ambition but everything for the glory of God the Father so that he might be exalted to the highest place.  So also are we to glorify God by being like-minded and being one in spirit and in purpose - because this makes God's joy complete.  This means laying aside our needs to serve the needs of others . . . easier said than done . . . especially when you're tired and hungry and in need of a shower and a toothbrush!  Prayers that the Holy Spirit would unite us in spirit and in purpose as a team and as a partnership with our brothers and sisters in Rwanda are much appreciated. 

About the flight . . . It didn’t feel that long.  Most of us were able to get a decent amount of rest . . . Others continued gabbing ;-)  But the Lord sustains and strengthens.  There was enough leg room to not make the ride feel cramped and the adjustable foot rests made all the difference!  Always see the blessings :-)  The coolest part about the plane was the lack of window shades which were replaced with dimmers controlled by the flight crew to make the plane feel as though it was night time even though it was broad daylight outside.  This really helped the adjustment to RWANDA TIME!  

As I’m writing this blog a friendly couple in Addis Ababa has approached our group and we just found out that the gentleman spends lots of time in Brevard, NC!!  Of course I had to share some sweet memories of my precious grandparents and mom who hails from Brevard.  :-) 

We will be boarding our last flight in about an hour so I will be signing out for now . . . Until our next blog post - Imana Ibana nawe (God be with you)

Day 1: First leg from Raleigh to DC

(Patrick)

Up at 3:00 AM!!! Jim and Ann Dotson came to pick me up while shuttling their sweet daughter Hillary to RDU. So at 3:45 I kissed my lovely wife (who I am already missing) and said “goodbye” to Charlie, my yellow Lab who just can’t seem to understand why I was not feeding him breakfast at this early hour. Met the rest of the team at RDU at 4:10. They were amazingly chipper. 

Our first flight was on a Q400 Turbo PROP plane. The largest propeller plane I have ever seen! And yep...it flys! (Though I think “400” stands for how many feet it flys above the ground.) In flight, Sam, Eric, Lou and Taylor all conked out. Hillary and Sarah (who says she’s ‘not a morning person’) gabbed the whole way to Washington DC, Dulles. Poor Courtney Williams was the only team member to get a lone seat...next to a balding businessman. Guess that’s what happens when your group has an odd number and your last name starts with a “W”.

The bumpy turbo prop flight, in tropical storm induced rains made me reflect on the goodness of God’s promises as I read Psalm 33:18

“The Eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.” Hopeful for spotting His good blessings on this trip.

s

Sarah and Hillary, gab-meisters!

Rwanda entry #1

Greetings! Imana Ishimwe! (God be praised!)
Thanks to all who are reading this blog. Welcome. I hope you will both enjoy this blog and receive true blessings from it. In addition, may the LORD move you to respond in prayer for us that we might shine His light and carry His glorious presence with us as we meet with our brothers and sisters in Rwanda.

Photo from the 2011 Rwanda trip.

History

Our partnership began about five years ago when we made a request to the Anglican Mission to be partnered with an Anglican congregation in Rwanda. We were assigned to the Gikomero Parish of the Shyogwe Diocese. The parish is located in a rural setting almost two hours from the capital city of Kigali. Rwanda is a beautiful country with rolling hills, green vegetation and many tile roof houses. The people of Rwanda are quite friendly and greet you by smiling and waving both hands in the air. The friendliness makes it hard to comprehend the horror of genocide that rocked this small country in 1993. Over 900,000 people died in the ethnic cleansing and almost as many in the years that followed through war-related wounds and infectious diseases. Yet, the people of Rwanda display a remarkable resilience. Many have found the grace to forgive their enemies while others silently suffer the wounds they received. It was not uncommon to speak to someone who had lost every relative in the killings. We were deeply touched by the Rwandan Christians and their quiet faith and joyous dancing in their worship services. 

Our relationship with Gikomero and the Shyogwe Diocese can happily be described as warm, loving and growing. This is now our fourth trip to Rwanda while we have hosted the Bishop Jared Kalimba and some of his staff on two visits to Raleigh. On our first trip we learned that they were hoping to build a well in the valley and pump water to the top of the hill a mile away where the church, its' school, and medical dispensary are located. The well and pump would enable Gikomero to turn the dispensary into a health clinic. The clinic would serve close to 30,000 people in the surrounding community. By God’s grace we were able to raise over $80,000 to complete the project and the well is fully functioning today! 

Its about relationship

Yet, the partnership is more about relationships then projects. We have taught English, preached sermons, brought gifts and provided scholarships and child sponsorships, but our greatest focus is on developing friendships based on our common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We were very sad when Reverend Martin, the pastor of Gikomero died in a motorcycle accident. Our relationship with his wife Dancille and her three children continues to this day. We have been helping support her through medical school where she will soon receive an advanced nursing degree. This will enable her to support her family and carry out a much needed vocation. 

We are also growing in our relationship with Reverend Ettiene and his family. He replaced Pastor Martin. He is an enthusiastic leader and prays for our congregation quite faithfully. Bishop Jared Kalimba is one of the most gracious and humble man of God you could ever meet. He loves the people of his diocese and has a great vision for church planting, economic development, education, leadership development and pastoral care. 

Some boys from the 2009 trip

This Trip

So we hope you will be in prayer as we prepare to leave early Friday morning. (We have to be at the airport at 4:00 AM!) Our trip will focus on furthering our relationship, deepening in understanding and prayer, learning from our hosts as well as providing some teaching on biblical basis for strong marriages, financial stewardship principles and an English as a Second Language intensive course. We also intend to visit the church, worship twice with them, exchange gifts, visit several compassion sponsored children, and bring back a report of the ministries and missions of our sister church, as well as determine if there is another mutual project with which we can partner with Gikomero. Please pray for safe travel, team unity, spiritual growth, health and that we be good representatives of Apostles and our Lord. Stay tuned as all of our team will be making entries over the course of our trip!

In Christ,

Patrick

2013 Team: Courtney Williams, Hillary Dotson, Taylor Warren, Teresa Kincaid,  Sarah Hughes, Eric Bolash, Lou White, Sam Bass, and Patrick Dominguez

8.2 - Final Entry in Rwanda

This is our final entry from Rwanda.  It’s not so much a post for you as it is for us.  Our trip has been amazing and we’ve been well fed, but we’ve eaten the same thing at almost every meal since we’ve been here: eggs & toast with butter and jam for breakfast and some kind of meat with red sauce over rice, a vegetable and french fries for lunch and dinner – all of it topped off by wonderful fruits.  It’s been very good, but it’s been the same…EVERY SINGLE DAY.  That’s 12 breakfasts and 24 lunches and dinners with no variety. 

So about three days ago we began talking about what we wanted our first meals to be when we returned.  For any family and friends who are reading this and would like to know how to love your traveler well once they return, here’s a few hints:

Teresa Kincaid: Pizza & dark chocolate

Jennifer Kromhout: Mike’s steak, Alton Brown’s Mac & Cheese, roasted green beens and 12 Ice Cold Diet Cokes

Taylor Waren: Peperoni Pizza & a vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing

Sarah Hughes: Rudinos Royale Pizza

Manning Pruden: Big Buddah pizza (from Lilly’s), side salad & blood orange sorbet (see Beka Dominguez)

Hillary Dotson: Huge salad, “chocolatey” ice cream

Eric Bolash:  Giant salad and frozen pizza

Ford Jordan: Berry Cobbler (made from exotic NW berries that I can’t eat in NC) with a side of vanilla ice cream topped with amaretto 

Off to the airport in 2 hours.  Please pray for our travels.  We’ll see you soon!

Tuesday, July 31st

Tuesday – Visit to Lake Kivu. To the West  near Kibuye

Muraho (Hello) Friends!!! It has been almost two weeks since my hands have touched a computer. It has been an incredible freedom for me, but I am so glad to break my fast to tell you of our journey of fun and relaxation to Lake Kivu on Tuesday. It was a dream. This is quite possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. If you have never seen a picture of Lake Kivu do yourself a favor and visit Google Images . . . right now. Ok, now that you have seen it . . . can you believe we got to be there!!!!???

We settled in at a beautiful grassy place where we took in the sun, rest, and fellowship. We kept saying that it felt like being in Monet’s Picnic on the Grass. Of course we had to go for a swim. Ford was the only one who had a bathing suit (which Eric later borrowed – don’t worry we have pictures) so Taylor, Hillary, and I made due with what we had. I swam in my pajamas – an experience I recommend for all. The water was crisp and clear and parasite free (or at least as far as we can tell). It was marvelous.  Before leaving we feasted on grilled cheese and pineapple sandwiches.  A large part of what made our visit to Lake Kivu so wonderful was being blessed with the company of Reverend Prosper. I wish you could all meet him. He is a delight and full of joy. His joy is clearly from the Lord and contagious. He has requested that we teach him to swim next time we come – I can’t wait!

The 2 hour van ride there and back was not wasted – it was full of seeing the beautiful countryside and enjoying our friendships. It was a great day of enjoying God’s beautiful creation – both on the earth and in each other. “It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s Word so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.” Hebrews 11:3

Murote Imana! (Dream of God)

Sarah