Final Thoughts From One of Us

Today we will jump through the portal that links our current life, in a third world country, to our old life in the richest, busiest and perhaps the most complex nation in the world…and the transition will be jarringly abrupt for pretty much every aspect of life. Thirty one hours in transit link the two.

My head sometimes feels heavy with too much thinking. Some thoughts are just musings: “Do the stars look closer and clearer here because we are at the equator?” “How do you practice balancing a basket of thirty or more avocados on your head?” “How strong are trapezius, splenius and erector spinae (neck and back muscles) of a small woman in Rwanda compared to a young, strapping average American male’s (I’d put money on the woman)?” “Do people help you tie the baby to your back or do you start by sitting on the ground and work your way into proficiency (and then periodically the question is, “How often do babies slide out and fall on the ground in the interim?”). “What makes wearing bright orange, green and florescent yellow in large geometric or animal designs garish in our culture and stately in Africa?” (It is a similar question to, “What defines “art”?)

There are other thoughts though, those that permeate my dreams and by nature, are ripe for peeling and digesting. Recently, within a short time frame, my eldest son, Cary M. and a book I am rereading * all interjected questions into my own recent thoughts about the causes of poverty and societal/governmental/church/individual responses to such. I am aware that there are complex economic and cultural factors behind all of this and that the analysis, non-conclusive. But, what has percolated to the top is the strengthened conviction that I, as an individual entity in the Body of Christ, must concentrate on how I must respond to the crying needs of others. Although hospitality and generosity is made easier by wealth, if I don’t concentrate, abundance can also be a potential trap for hoarding and retreat into the comfort of self-sufficiency. It is easy to become a cancer in the Body, multiplying without any checks on growth and utilizing more and more resources, while so much of the world suffers from malnutrition. Sorry for perhaps sounding dramatic…I spent this morning in an orphanage and shared a meal with the children, a half cup of watery “porridge” with a mucilaginous sticky film on the top. It was one of the two meals they would get that day.

I have been reminded on this trip that my greatest peace comes when I have been able to work closely with other people and that our work has allowed us to serve. Hacking new foot bed into the pitched terrain of a mountain with Harvard, my brother and a band of strangers from all over the country while carving out a mile or so of the Colorado Trail and the many hours and days it took with some of you to put together the skits and props for Vacation Bible School come to mind as examples. Our time in Rwanda has been quintessential in the same way. God used things He put in me, like intuitiveness, along with the nurturing that he has woven into my being, to be the strength to compensate for my abysmal weakness at functioning as a “people person” on a mission that sometimes required eight hours a day of talking with people. He paired me with hardworking people who had a similar purpose and showed us, in a vivid word picture, what mutual respect and dependence on the giftedness of others in the Body could accomplish. I felt useful, necessary, and productive for good in the world. It has added clarity and focus for why I am and what I need to be about. I am relaxed in my own skin…a perspective that produces contentment.

Last topic in my mind for the night: Some of you know that I am terrible at navigating change. Be patient with us as we transit back into life at home in the heartland. We begin the journey through the portal early afternoon, right after worship Rwandan time.

Imana iguhe umugisha (God bless you)

*Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Phillip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand

A Message to All of Our Supporters

This is Ignace, one of my readers. Here is a message from him to you.

Breakthroughs

This past week has been encouraging in the reading sessions. What a difference a fifth week makes! For many of my readers there is a familiarity with me that allows the sessions to be much more comfortable and open. For many, they are willing to risk their English in elaborating and giving examples of the concepts or words, even guessing at vocabulary that is new for them. But beyond improved English, there are improved realizations of God’s Word.

For one reader it came in the account of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. She has been a very bright student who has vastly improved in her English with me, and has generally understood the Biblical lessons with little difficulty. She told the story back to me flawlessly, but I was surprised when she asked me what the word “tears” meant. I assumed she knew so we had not gone over that word. So I explained the meaning, and that it must have been more than a couple tears that sometime we cry with if the woman was able to wash Jesus’ feet with them. Something struck her, and I could see it in her face. This reader was moved by the idea that this woman (potentially) cried enough to fill something like a basin to wash someone’s feet in. I asked her why the woman had cried so much. She herself was slightly choked up from the realization, and answered along the lines of the woman’s sorrow over her sins and recognizing who Jesus was… To see her response over this unnamed woman in Luke has had a great effect on me. It is refreshing to rediscover these scriptures with the eyes and hearts of my readers who are softened to the depth of their meaning.

Another reader has always made quiet noises in response to realizations she has during the sessions. To hear them when at last something makes sense, or has a deeper meaning than she first thought is a sweet noise to hear, and makes me want to have an appreciation for the words as she does. For the first time last night she shared a personal example that applied to the calling of Levi who “left everything” to follow Jesus. When she understood I had asked her personally if she has left something to follow Jesus, I heard a deep hushed noise of reflection – but one of acknowledgement. It took her a few minutes before she explained that she had nearly been conned into prostitution; she was told the money was very good, but she eventually found out enough about the man to know what her real job description would include. She turned it down immediately. While she said it was hard to lose the prospect of an income, there was no way she would sin against God. This reader has been a delight and challenge because her understanding is more advanced than her ability to communicate English, so while our sessions remain basic in questions, her understanding sees the whole picture of the scripture before her. My heart has been tutored by the typically wordless, but audible, expressions of her understandings.

New Photos

The latest photos are available:

• LST Rwanda - Part 4
• Harvard and Dana at Mana Mfasha - Part 1
• Harvard and Dana at Mana Mfasha - Part 2

Previous photos:

• LST Rwanda - Part 1
• LST Rwanda - Part 2
• LST Rwanda - Part 3

Mana Mfasha for the Townsends

This LST mission project has offered a flood of experiences that God has used and will continue to use to mold and shape us and hopefully shine a little more of His light in a world that needs His peace and love. Monday morning was no exception as Dana and I visited "Mana Mfasha Pour Les Enfants," the pre-school operated by John, one of my readers.

I shared the remarkable story of John and his school in a previous blog entry, but now the story has flesh on it and is even more compelling. It's one thing to listen to John talk about the children with obvious love and compassion. It's quite another to:

• See their infectious smiles in person
• Hold their hands and have them curiously rub my hairy white arm
  
• Observe 3- and 4-year-olds sit quietly after getting a chocolate cookie from Dana, waiting until everyone had been served. Only after saying in unison a prayer of thanks did they eat the cookie and drink their "milk tea."
• Encourage the 3- and 4-year-olds as they wrote the numbers 1-10 on a chalk board and pronounced them in English
• Witness 24 five-year-olds singing the ABCs song while crammed into a room no bigger than many American walk-in closets
• Watch six-year-olds from one of the poorer neighborhoods in Kigali spell/write the numbers 1-10 in cursive and count to 200 by 2s, 5s, and 10s
• Hear those same six-year-olds recite in English from memory a poem about animals in a zoo
• See the homework booklets into which the teachers painstakingly copied each assignment... by hand, for each child. The same is true for exams - the teacher writes each copy by hand
• Listen to John explain the help they offer children who have parents who can't read or speak English and therefore cannot help their child with the homework assignments
• Have over a hundred children swarm around me and press ever closer while I play the guitar, then start dancing and laughing joyfully when I play a raucous blues lick
• Laugh with them as we teach them how to sing "Father Abraham" with all the actions
• Hear 112 children recite John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 in English

These were the best behaved school children we have EVER seen, and they are pre-schoolers! The teachers had complete control despite children packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the small classrooms. These children are learning and will enter primary school with a tremendous advantage over others. It was a wonder to behold. The morning was capped by a delicious meal cooked by John's wife, Alphonsine, on two small charcoal stoves in their "kitchen," which is the ground outside their back door.

In one our reading sessions at Christ's Church in Rwanda, I taught John about "mixed emotions." Our visit to Mana Mfasha left us with mixed emotions because the school and John's home will be razed at some point in the not-too-distant future. One part of "progress" in Kigali consists of knocking down small homes and shantys to erect mansions for the wealthy. John's school will soon have huge homes on three sides so it's just a matter of time before he is forced to move his family and his school. Likewise, the many poor homes below John's where most of his students live will be destroyed and the residents displaced. But that doesn't seem to discourage John or keep him from dreaming big. He already has a plot of land picked out that he wants to buy to use for recreation now and then rebuild his school to government specifications so they can't condemn it like they will his current location. There are so many hurdles to overcome that many of us would lose heart and want to give up. But even the $8,000 price tag for the land pictured to the right does not deter this man who recently had to cut in half the daily per child milk allotment because he couldn't afford the $10 cost.

To address the cost of milk, John dreams of owning a dairy cow - a dream Dana and I will help come true. We are going to buy the cow for him, but there will be other expenses until the cow can produce milk and alleviate the daily expense of the milk for the children. If you're interested in helping, send me an email.

I titled this blog entry "Mana Mfasha for the Townsends" - God's Help for Harvard and Dana - because God is teaching us so many things from this experience. I may be the "worker" and John the "reader" in LST parlance, but God has used John and the children he serves to teach us far more than I will ever teach him.

Experiences of the World Beyond, for a Small-Town Country Boy

Weeks before leaving I tried to focus on finals instead of allowing myself to realize the reality of the trip that was quickly approaching so I wouldn’t be completely scared. When we arrived in Amsterdam we were in a hurry to get to our departure gate as we were jogging/running I stopped by in a store to buy a coke. I noticed the price of the coke was no longer in dollars and when i tried to communicate to the store clerk, she did not speak English. This was a small encounter, but after I boarded the airplane I realized i was finally outside of the United States. I guess I have never realized the true difficulty of being a foreigner.

We arrived at night - which was a blessing so I could get a good night sleep before I faced the reality of the weeks to come. The next day we traveled to the local muzungu restaurant named Bourbon Café. During the short trip to the Bourbon Café, I experienced my first culture shock. It was so different to see Africa or any third world country in person. I had seen pictures and documentaries on television, but none of my previous exposures had me ready for the experiences to come.

Even though I have never experienced this kind of poverty, I knew I could still face this reality and accept that I can do nothing on my own to help the people in the long run. I had at this point two main factors that kept me from hiding in my bedroom and not coming out before the six weeks were over. First, and most obvious, I have and will always have God. When you realize you are never alone and that no matter what happens to you, you will still have God’s love and the everlasting life He promises, nothing anybody can do to you matters. The other factor is I knew I was on an extremely experienced and skilled team. I knew the team had large amount of diverse talents and skills that would help us through any situation we would experience.
After having our information meeting, it was time to get my feet wet. I had not been this nervous since my first college football game. However, by the end of the week I was so excited to start the next coming week I wasn’t able to sleep at night. By the second week I had great conversations of faith and true trust in God. Some readers were even asking so difficult of questions I had to stay up at night reading through Scripture to find answers. I will never know the amount of seeds I have planted or watered, but I do know the readers have encouraged me and have greatly strengthened my relationship with God.

I am looking forward to the next few weeks and hope to build stronger relationships with my readers and God.

Thank you so much for all the prayers, support, and financial contributions. Imana iragukunda (God loves you) and Imana iguhe umugisha (God bless you).

Our Goal

A couple of weeks ago, one of my readers pointedly asked me what our goal here is. He made it abundantly clear that he did not appreciate when people tried to convert him from his church. He believes in God and in the saving power of Jesus, and though people have tried to show him what is wrong with his church, he does not see that any other church is any better.

So what is our goal here? Answering this question on a public blog requires candor – I cannot give one answer to my readers and another to my supporters. However, there is no need to be evasive. Our goal is twofold: to help people to improve their English, and to share our faith in Jesus with them.

The latter part of this goal is obviously related to my reader’s concerns; however, this goal is much different than conversion to another church. If my goal were to convert people, then I would first need to take the position that the church I represent is superior to any other. This position seems arrogant to me. The sad fact is that all churches consist of imperfect people, and therefore fall short of perfection.

The goal of sharing faith, however, does not require any premise that my faith is superior to anyone else’s. Indeed, some of my readers have faith that surpasses mine in certain ways. As a result, we can share our faith with each other, so that all of us may grow. Sharing faith in this way does not imply any kind of coercion to the acceptance of any particular beliefs, but does provide an opportunity for God to lead all of us to a deeper faith and fuller obedience.

In fact, what are most important are God’s goals, not ours. Again, I don’t want to be arrogant enough to presume that I know all of God’s goals. I am convinced, though, that at any given time, his immediate goals are different for different people. For some, his immediate goal may be that they come to a belief that he is real. For others who believe that he is real, it may be that they make a public statement of faith in Jesus and be baptized in his name. For some, it may be that they become a part of the church we represent, Christ’s Church in Rwanda. Whatever the case may be, we want to be a part of the growth process, but only God changes hearts.

From the Missionary

The following post was written by Bryan Hixson, one of our host missionaries. Bryan and Holly Hixson are former residents of Manhattan, KS, and were responsible for our invitation to Rwanda and have overseen our project.

What is possible when a heart is led by God?

God is blessing Rwanda through six of His servants. We too are blessed by servants who choose to selflessly sacrifice of their time to spend it with us ministering to a beautiful people. As is the case with most of our visitors who are here to give of themselves I think these servants of God are surprised in who has become the giver and the receiver. As someone who has prepared and served on a number of LST projects I understand the feeling of blessings received from sharing faith and seeing others touched by that. After my first experience in Rwanda I began to realize in a profound way that this work was not necessarily about what I would give, but what God would teach me through those I studied with.

Rwanda is a place that is hard to explain, but it is a place that will change the heart that lets Rwanda’s story speak to it. Rarely in history has such evil been seen as that of 1994 in Rwanda. With that backdrop it is hard to understand today how such love and forgiveness can be offered by the very people who were victim to the darkest realities mankind has to offer. We still see divides around the world that are hundreds and even thousands of years old. Rwanda’s wounds are not all healed and hatred still exist, but it is clear that God has moved in the hearts of many to change Rwanda in a way that has never been seen in history. Rwanda’s story is not the story of the genocide, it is the story of forgiveness and hope that teaches the rest of the world what is possible when a heart is led by God.

It is in this reality that many come to Rwanda thinking they are coming to give and go home realizing that it was Rwanda that gave to them. We came to Rwanda praying that we would make a difference. We stay because we believe we are, yet we understand that it is not us or our story, it is the story of sacrifice, love, and redemption that brings hope and Rwandans understand these realities better than most of us ever could. Short-term workers come to Rwanda with the same desire and often leave feeling like they failed as they are the ones walking away with something they did not expect. They leave with a new perspective. They leave with a new outlook. They leave with a new reality that shapes the future for them. My good friend, Dr. Zac Nsenga used to say when he was the Ambassador to the U.S. that “when you come to Rwanda you will catch the virus, and the virus will demand that you return.” It is impossible for people to explain the experience of Rwanda that demands that they return, but it is a reality felt by many.

As this LST team tries to share their experience, know that they do so not knowing exactly how God is using them, or why they are in Rwanda. Today they may not see how God will continue to use them through this experience. At the same time you should know that they are making an impact that will be felt through generations regardless of what they perceive today. The irony and the blessing is that the gift of service goes two ways and this KSU LST team is blessing and being blessed in ways that will make generations of difference on both sides of the Atlantic. You can be proud of this team and you can be proud of the Rwandans God is also using to mold these guys into even more beautiful vessels.

Bryan Hixson

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!

Sustenance

Most Rwandans eat to live, as evidenced by the majority of full-grown men with waist measurements less than 28 inches. In fact, extra padding, regardless of whether you are male or female is revered here. “I see that you have gained weight!” or “My, you are fat!” are compliments in this culture. It does allow some of us Americans to be more comfortable in our own skin. :)

The team has been living in Kigali, the capital city in the heart of Rwanda, for the past 3 weeks. This week we traveled northwest, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, adjacent to Volcano National Park, home of the last wild population of the mountain gorilla. We traversed the countryside for 100 miles, dodging cavernous potholes and the ever present march of humanity up and down the mountains. And “yes”, to answer the question for those of you who know me well, I have not gotten used to the unattended, 2-3 year-old children and distracted rowdy schoolboys near or in the road as we pass them at highway speed. I am convinced it is my ever-diligent, telepathic signals that keep them riveted to the shoulder and my persistent, instinctive gasps, which keep the driver aware of their intentions to run under our wheels, that none have been lost.

It was evident on our trip that the rich volcanic soil sustains a higher biomass than around Kigali but, food variety is still nominal and abundance still minimal. At FAWE boarding school for girls, the food is enthusiastically endorsed as “very good” by every single girl I have asked. The girl’s eat unembellished, cooked corn gruel (a watery porridge) for breakfast. One of our readers has told us that this is the only thing the “poor” eat. Corn is low in the amino acid lysine and needs to be complimented with green peas or beans to be a complete protein. Thus, a child of ~ 30 lbs. would be 18% deficient in protein and additionally, not able to meet caloric needs on this diet because 3.5 lbs of gruel a day would be required for sustenance, an amount physically impossible to eat even if you had it. The average woman in Rwanda bears 10 children.

At lunch we join the teachers for a meal of rice and beans, sometimes cooked with greens, and often either with potatoes or plantains (a large banana that is boiled when it is green). There is no added butter and a scant amount of salt but I enjoy this simple meal…except for the day there was an abundant amount of gritty soil mixed with the beans. We all smile and bore up while crunching through lunch. FAWE grows their own potatoes and all of the girls, unless they are second-term senior 6 (equivalent of high school seniors), take turns performing KP duty by scrubbing and peeling even though they only get potatoes with their lunch on Thursdays. The Rwandan small Irish-type spuds are delicious boiled or fried. Their white-fleshed sweet potatoes (which we often get on Fridays) are dryer and starchier than ours and require some work to swallow. The quality of cooked plantain varies and must be an acquired taste but the teachers seem to relish the addition judging from the quantity they pile onto their plate. This meal is replicated for dinner seven days a week. Sundays the girls get some meat, still mixed with bones, fat and gristle, cooked with the beans. When they have told me about the meat on Sundays their eyes and smiles tell me that this meal is special. Eating this repetitive weekly diet is apparently what is considered the way the upper middle class eats.

Harvard, paparazzi of our group, snooped around and found out what/who produces this food three times a day for over 700 people at FAWE. Four vats are tended by wood-chopping men and fire-stoking women, who are managed by the "storekeeper” named Alain who reads regularly with Caleb. Add 300 edited Women carry the hot food to the dining areas in large silver bowls and then follow with water. At the end of one meal, ingredients are reloaded into the vats to begin the cooking process for the next meal.



We have a similar type meal, with addition of at least fruit, prepared by our cook a couple times a week in the evening. Savory beans cooked with turmeric, coriander, oregano and tomato paste are served over white rice. I plan to make this a regular part of the menu in the Townsend household when we return, not only for the health benefits but also for the satisfaction of simplicity. Ibibiryo ni byiza (This food is good!).

The "Office"

The view from where I sit during our days at FAWE Girls' School:


(Click to embiggen)

Tragedy, Beauty, and a Rockin' Choir

I'm writing from my usual spot in the library at FAWE Girls' School in Kigali. There is a hum around me as the other team members read with students, other students sit with each other and study, and the general hubbub takes place all around the building.

We are starting week four of work here, and the pace is picking up dramatically as our schedules continue to fill. There certainly still is the expected downtime as African culture has a very loose conception of time, which means lots of late readers and a good number of no-shows, but that's okay because the readers who have become regular at this point are opening the door to some powerful times of sharing, discussing, and opening up with each other. The girls at FAWE are exceptionally bright and our readers at Christ's Church in Rwanda are diverse and always interesting.

This is probably obvious by now, but one thing that almost all native Rwandans have in common is the massive genocide that took place in 1994 that resulted in the brutal murders of almost one million people. As we continue to get to know our readers, some have opened up about their experiences with this, which are always unimaginable stories of violence, evil, hatred, and extreme loss. A handful of my readers are the only ones who survived from their entire families. One thing that I came to realize as I talked with one reader, even though I had known it intellectually, is that a great number of the thousands of people that we pass on the streets every week are people who participated in the madness of mass murder only a few years ago. As I have shared before, Rwandans, strangers or otherwise, like to stare you in the eyes. It's eerie to know that many of the people who look you in the eyes every day are people who proved they are capable of deadly violence, even against innocents. I've concluded that I will never understand the realities of genocide.

But what amazes me even more is how well so many have handled having been through such an atrocity. Some of my readers witnessed the slaying of their entire families, but they don't live with hatred or bitterness. They simply accept the situation of their lives and work to make the best of it. One of my readers is highly involved in memorial and reconciliation efforts, which means being in regular outreach to the people who, by all reasonable standards, destroyed her life. She lives in the midst of what we would call her enemies. But to her, those labels simply must be banished and the love of God put in its place. It's an incredible display of the extent of the call of God to love. I know for a fact that we do not know what this is like. How can you unless you are taken to this extreme? Many Americans will sit in death chambers waiting for capital punishment against someone who has killed one person in their family, and these Rwandans have no choice but to walk the streets every day with people who took everyone in their whole lives. Forgiveness is the only way to not drown in your own bitterness, sorrow, and vengeance here. It's an incredible lesson, the depth of which is very hard to truly comprehend.

Most children here have no idea what it is like to have grandparents.

On a lighter note, we had a great party on Sunday with students and teachers at the FAWE school. With almost fifty total in attendance, we played a great big game of Scrabble on the wall with big letters and about seven teams of five or six each. It was a blast and we capped it off with a treat of Cokes, Fantas, and homemade cookies for all. This is a rare experience in Rwanda.

We spent our "weekend" (Monday and Tuesday) at the town of Gisenyi on Lake Kivu in the Western province. We stayed at a nice place on the lake south of the town, which had its own little beach, dugout canoes, and beautiful views over the lake, which really seems like the ocean. Bryan and Holly, the missionaries, came with us and spent Tuesday at Volcanoes National Park where they hiked out into the bamboo forest to literally hang out with groups of mountain gorillas, including some of the biggest silverbacks in the world. This was a gift to them from Harvard, Dana, and Rod, as it costs hundreds of dollars to do these expeditions and they probably never would have had this experience on their own.

As nice as the location and the relaxation was, the true highlight experience came unexpectedly. While we were sitting near the shoreline, we heard a chorus of singing wafting over the lake from down the road a ways. I rounded up Amy and we went exploring. We walked down the road into a small part of the nearby village, where there was a old brick building up an eroded path off of the road. We could hear the high-energy singing coming from inside this buidling, so we hiked up the little path and cautiously peered inside one of the open doors. The group inside could see us and immediately started waving us in. We walked into the building, which was a large open room with several dozen low wooden benches. The group was a choir of about two dozen or so in ratty clothes raising the roof with some of the most high-powered praise you've ever heard, along with a rythmic drumbeat. One young man came over and sat by me and helped us to understand some of the things they were singing about. At one point they would not continue without us introducing ourselves to the entire group, which was followed by them extending a very enthusiastic "God Bless You" from many individuals. This was an incredible change from the reception of most Rwandan strangers towards a couple of muzungus.

Rwanda continues to hold many blessings and surprises. I am confident that our remaining three weeks will be full of continued reminders as to why God has us here.

New Photos

The latest photos, including week 3 of work and our weekend in Gisenyi, are up.

LST Rwanda - part 3

A Picture of Rwanda

Rwanda is a beautiful landscape of steep hills and cultivated mountain slopes. The land is a breathtaking agricultural quilt. Everything is vegetated. Trees are abundant and of great variety. Some resemble pine trees, but with soft feathery “needles” that are more wispy than defined, and bright orange-sienna bark. Other trees are slim and tall with wide canopies that resemble an umbrella turned inside-out or simply flat-topped. Perhaps the most surprising is the enormous cactus-like tree that begins with a standard trunk but branches out with cactus arms; these are gigantic. Banana trees are abundant, some with individual leaves that are twice my size in length (or maybe saying “Caleb’s size” would impress you more). ; ) The trees are found all along the river valleys and hilltops. The sun illuminates patches along the hills, and leaves others cooled in shadow. Altitude seems to make no difference to the terraces of farms and trees. The sharpest inclines are still made farms of any given produce: pineapples, tea, coffee, beans, potatoes, avocados, etc with dirt paths and mud-brick homes thatched or clay terra-cotta style roofing. The clay is rich red that makes the bricks of many of their houses, and adds a burnt sienna glow to the muddy brown rivers. The rivers flow in the base of the valleys, and waterfalls are found in the mountains.

The roads are paved with scattered pot-holes, and are always populated with people walking and biking with loads too heavy for most. Men, women, and children pile loads on top their heads and shoulders to carry them for miles uphill and downhill. Some put exceptionally full sacks to the back of bikes and require the help of one or two others to push it up the hill; some do it alone. Women carry everything on their heads and have their babies strapped to their backs while carrying work tools or other items in their hands. Children are most often seen with yellow water jugs. I am convinced these people walk uphill both ways.

While all this scenery is breath-taking and beautiful, it is hard to ignore the condition of these circumstances. The people live off the land – and that happens to mean the side of mountains with great distances between cities and water sources. The manual labor along the roads is less than $1 a day… and yet this is beautiful Rwanda. It is beautiful. But it is hard.

It is easy to love what I’ve always known, and measure all else by its standard... Adjusting takes experience; adaptation takes change in attitude of both the mind and the heart.

Mana Mfasha for the Children

"Mana Mfasha for the Children" means "God's Help for the Children" and is the name of the pre-school and ministry founded and operated by John, one of my readers. John is a soft-spoken, polite, and serious man of faith who regularly attends Christ's Church in Rwanda, the congregation hosting our LST mission project. Last night, John shared with Dana and I about the school he started four years ago based on a passion to help the poor children in his community, and it captured our hearts so I want to share it with you.

John had a good job as a cook at the largest hospital in Kigali when a passion to help children grabbed his heart. So he quit his job and started this school in his home with his wife and two young children. John emphasizes four things at the school which serves children ages 3-6, some of whom have no shoes to wear to school: education (in English and Kinyarwanda), hygiene, nutrition, and the Bible. From humble beginnings four years ago, he now serves 112 children and employs four teachers and two custodians... all in his home! The work does not stop there since he also teaches a Bible school on Saturdays for ages 3-15 and every weekday evening from 5-7pm he uses his knowledge of cooking and nutrition to teach mothers of children in the school how to prepare and cook nutrionally balanced and affordable meals. Not only does this tackle the problem of malnutrition for the poor, it also gives these women a marketable skill that will allow them to get a job and help support their family. On top of that, every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evening at 7pm he meets with me to improve his English skills and read the Bible.

John has invited us to visit the school, which we will do soon on one of our days off. I anticipate a humbling, inspiring, and convicting experience.

John is a man with a big heart who embodies the hope for the future of Rwanda. He is also the embodiment of Matt. 25:31-40 - "... I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." We would all do well to follow his example as he follows the example of Christ.

Perspective

Moses is a young man from Uganda who has a robust laugh and a frequent smile that seems to take up half of his face. He serves as the youth minister for Christ’s Church in Rwanda, our hosts. Moses is soft spoken except when he preaches…which he did this past Sunday.

He stood behind a small wooden podium, smiled, spread his hands and boomed, “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO!” I settled in and anticipated the progression of the message…faith of a child, let the little children come to me, you must be as a child etc. “WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD YOU PROBABLY BELIEVED THIS SONG,” he said. ”When I was a child I didn’t, but I do now,” I confidently answered him in my mind. And then, as if reading my mind, Moses continued, “BUT WHAT ABOUT GENOCIDE?” “WHAT ABOUT THE MILLION PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILIES THAT ARE NOW GONE? …” and the next ten minutes was the continuation of an inventory of the disasters, suffering and evil perpetuated in the world during the last few years. The misery in the refugee camps of the deposed in war-torn Africa, the tsunami in Indonesia, the terror of the destruction of the World Trade Center. Sometimes he painted more details to drive home the point: people live in fear of having their lips or hands cut off or of being “boiled in a pot” in Sudan.

My mind recoiled and fled to two almost simultaneous thoughts. “God would not allow that to happen to my children,” and a form of disbelief. “Is God really involved in our lives?” “Does He care?” “Does He even know?” I mulled my reaction over most of the rest of the day. Maybe these fears and doubts are submerged, unformulated, and hidden beneath my faith because there have rarely been circumstances in my life that have caused them to surface. It is easy to believe the song I sing every Sunday to the babies in the nursery class when life is routine in the heartland of America.

I wish I could somehow convey to you how fervent and genuine were Moses’ words that morning as he continued. He exhorted us to believe even without the knowledge of why or what outcome there would be or if or when we would ever know any answers. “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.” In his eyes I believed he believed and as I glanced to my left I saw one of my readers, also with an upturned face and shining eyes. I had met Katherine (Kat-er-ena) just this past week and knew that she is a widow who has been raising three daughters on her own for the past 13 years after her husband was murdered visiting his parents in Burundi. The perspective of the moment crystallized an understanding that I hadn’t ever known before. The Rwandans that we have interacted with seem to be a hopeful people, the country is forward-thinking, this congregation of about 270, many who have personally experienced or witnessed the unthinkable, even after all of it, have hope and believe in God’s love. Some of these people, unlike me, had experienced a real testing of their faith…and it has produced perseverance and perseverance, hope.

This week my spirit has grown quieter because of their witness. I have enough faith to believe that God can give me what I don’t seem to have now if circumstances would warrant it in another circumstance...even one that my mind recoils from and dares not linger in thinking about.

“Jesus loves me this I know for God’s people help show me so.”

New Photos

New photos are now available by clicking here:

LST Rwanda 2009 - Part 2

Previous photos are still here:

LST Rwanda 2009 - Part 1

On Being a Muzungu

Ever since my first international experience, I have always felt that everyone should know what it is like being a true foreigner. There is something about being in a place where you are the one who does not understand, where you do not get what is happening, where you look differently than everyone else, and where the probability of doing something foolish, embarrassing, frustrating, or inappropriate is fairly high simply because you are out of the cultural loop.

Now, even when you are a foreigner, there are at least places in the world where, as a white American, you can try to at least go unnoticed, if only for a moment at a time. However, in Africa this is not possible whatsoever. Everywhere you are you immediately pop out as a complete and total stranger. This is combined with the fact that, in Rwanda, staring and calling attention to people who are different is socially acceptable. This can be disconcerting, especially to anyone who is uncomfortable with excessive amounts of attention.

There is a word throughout Africa used to label white people - muzungu. This literally translates to "white person." Africans are generally not afraid to use this word often and out loud. However, for many Africans, muzungu is much more than its literal meaning. It also carries deep perceptions of white westerners as people who are endlessly rich and priviledged. This can be a difficult perception to deal with, especially as you are surrounded on the street by children in rags, calling out "Muzungu!" and doing what they have been trained to do with all white foreigners - demand your money.

The muzungu perception calls attention to what is a stark reality in much of Africa - poverty. This weekend the team traveled to the western edge of Rwanda to spend the weekend at Lake Kivu. This involved a three hour drive through the "bush" of Rwanda, which is at the same time both strikingly beautiful with its rolling hills and mountains, and disconcerting with its endless streams of people eeking out an existence with substinence agriculture. There is a ditch being dug for dozens of miles along the main road we took, all being done with old hand tools by hundreds and hundreds of workers making exactly 500 Rwandan Francs a day. One American dollar equals 560 Rwandan Francs. And the ditch project is actually very good, as it allows for many to have at least some kind of income. This includes some mothers swinging old pick axes with babies strapped to their backs.

So you start to wonder if the muzungu concept might be true. Just how priviledged are we and how much do we take this for granted? How much do we expect our own wealth and comfort, and lament in the sporadic times that our oppulent lifestyle is not living up to our expectations? I have no naive assumptions that we hold a magic key to the end of poverty or that our lifestyles make us guilty of the state of poverty in places like Africa. But if being a true muzungu for a few weeks can do anything, it can provide you with intense perspective on your own life that teaches you how to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:18).