Why We Are Here

As week four comes to a close, we’re reminded why we are here. With full schedules and even a waiting list for people to read with us at FAWE Girls’ School, we're thankful to have two more weeks to practice English and read the Bible with the people of Rwanda since the trust is building and they’re starting to open up and ask very good questions. It’s also fun to see the improvement in their ability to converse in English and to see the light come on when they finally understand a point, like the expression on Phocas’ face this morning when he grasped the meaning behind John the Baptist saying he was not good enough to untie Jesus’ sandals. Phocas teaches the Kinyarwanda language at FAWE and like so many of the teachers and staff, he grew up speaking French. The impending deadline requiring classes to be taught in English is less daunting to him since he is teaching their native language (like an English teacher in the U.S.), but he nonetheless is working hard and improving steadily. He is a devout, baptized believer so he loves discovering new truths from the book of Luke and being able to understand and express in English concepts he previously could only comprehend in French or Kinyarwanda.

During our sessions, it’s not unusual to stray from the Luke text to other parts of the Bible to illustrate a point. I have encouraged many to “be a Berean” ( Acts 17:11) and study the Bible for themselves to determine if what I or others tell them is true. I had a great conversation about spiritual growth with Apollo, an English teacher from Uganda, which led us to 2 Peter 1:5-8. Apollo returned from Uganda yesterday so during our lesson today he talked about the chaos in Uganda and the turmoil in eastern Congo near where he grew up and his parents still live. This led us to Gal. 3:28 and 1 Cor. 12:13, how we are all one in Christ – “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,” to which I added “neither Ugandan nor American.” Apollo commented that if everyone believed this and lived it, the world would be at peace. Amen.

Sharon is an extremely bright S5 student (equivalent to a high school junior) who wants to be a pediatric dietician. Like Phocas, she is a baptized believer. Her knowledge of the Bible is impressive, especially for a 17 year old. One of the lessons from the LST Luke workbook led us to James 4:17 and an interesting discussion of sin. Today, based on the lesson in the workbook from Luke 5:27-32, we talked about how if Jesus were here in Rwanda today he would spend time in the rural villages with the poor and how he would not push away the begging children as if they were dogs (something I witnessed). This led to discussions about how we should always be willing to associate with “the tax collectors and other bad people” and specific ways that disciples of Jesus should help the poor in rural Rwanda. Yes, Sharon is only 17 years old.

For those with sufficient English skills, we journey to Micah 5:2 to read the prediction that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem – a prophecy written some 700 years before Augustus Caesar forced Joseph and Mary to travel from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for the census. One can imagine the long walk or donkey ride hastening Mary’s labor, but the amazement expressed by my readers when they realize God knew this would all happen 700 years prior is priceless.

John, whom I described in an earlier blog post, is one of my favorites. He arrives early for every lesson and has prepared by reading the text, looking up words he doesn’t know, and answering the practice questions in the workbook. He asks great questions and enjoys reading from the NLT New Testament I gave him, although he has to refer to his Kinyarwanda Bible sometimes to comprehend. We’ve had great discussions about Christian community, looking at the description of such in Acts 2 and 4. Yesterday, we explored the various roles of the Holy Spirit and his eyes lit up when he understood that it means God is with us all the time in every place. The light came on when I explained that if Jesus was still living as a man on earth and lived in Kampala, Uganda, only those people around him in Kampala would be in the presence of God. Once Jesus left this earth and sent us the promised Holy Spirit, we can now be with God in Kigali, in Gisenyi, in Kampala, and in Manhattan, Kansas. Tonight we will discuss a list of verses about baptism I gave John to study, stimulated by one of his many excellent questions. John has been baptized but expressed confusion about all the different teachings about baptism. John is doing his best to be a Berean!

To all of you who have encouraged us, prayed for us, and contributed funds to help make this mission trip possible, thank you for the opportunity to plant and water seeds of faith and help people with their English. It’s been a joy to watch God provide the growth!