Reaching the Children of Rwanda

Dear Friends and Family,

I apologize for not posting any blogs in the last couple weeks. And now I have so much to write about! I will try to keep this post short and sweet.

A week ago tomorrow, I finished up an incredible 3 weeks at Hope Haven and said goodbye (for now) to some people I absolutely adore. I cannot thank the people at Hope Haven enough for allowing to be apart of their ministry. It really is an amazing thing they are doing in Murindi.

That said, the past week (has it really only been a week?) with Benjamin at Reach the Children of Rwanda has been incredible! Here I travel to a school in a place called Gahanga almost every day with my sweet translator and friend, Phiona. We write profiles for children in RCRI’s sponsorship program and conduct home visits to see what these children really live like and experience on a daily basis. I have only been doing this for a few days and I already feel like I have seen enough poverty, sickness, and hardship to last me a life time. 

For example: meet Petronile. 

She is a sweet young girl. Everyone says she is never happy. She never smiles. She never has fun. Here’s why: Petronile has no mother. Her father is God only knows where. She shares a one room house with 8 other people in the middle of the African bush. They struggle finding something to eat on a daily basis. She walks for an hour up hills and through the bush so that she can go to school. She is only 14 years old. She has had enough hardships in her 14 years than most people have had by the time they reach the ripe old age of 90. After everything she has gone through she dreams of one day becoming a doctor so that SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE SICK. Can you believe that?! People should be tripping all over each other for the chance to take care of this young woman and SHE wants to help OTHERS? Oh that we would all think like Petronile. No matter our situation, our backgrounds, our lives, we should always be thinking of others. People always say “think like Jesus. Act like Jesus would.” Well this 14 year old has it down and she probably doesn’t even realize it. Our God works in amazing ways doesn’t He? I came to Rwanda to help and to minister but look at this: people, CHILDREN, are ministering to me.

A small part of Gahanga

A little boy in Gahanga. I couldn't resist sharing his adorable face with you all:)

This weekend I went with Benjamin and my sweet new friend Godance to a place called Nyabihu in the western province of Rwanda. You have never seen beauty until you have seen this place. It was incredible. RCRI is building a beautiful little school in this little village. I can already see the community that is going to come out of creating a singular place of education for the children of Nyabihu. I got to play soccer with a bunch of young boys (and some cows), listened to a precious children’s choir, and helped paint the inside of the school with its teachers. I also learned a clapping game/song in kinyarwanda. I was very proud of myself after this accomplishment:) These children are some of the dirtiest and smelliest children I have ever met. And it is hard being shoulder to shoulder, face to face with them. It really is. And yet Jesus never told us to only love the clean and the well off, did He? That is when you can look past the dirt, the boogers, the coughs, and spit, and say “look how beautiful you are. Look how smart you are. Do you know that I love you? Do you know that Jesus loves you even more?” Oh that is contentment. That is when you can just imagine Jesus sitting right next to you guiding your words, your actions, and reminding you that these little ones are His. And they are precious in His sight. 

The school in Nyabihu.

Me and my Mama for the weekend, Godance.

My soccer pals.

Today Benjamin and my good friend Phiona and I drove an hour outside of Kigali to boarding school where three young boys live. These boys lived on the streets before Benjamin, out of the kindness of his heart, took them in gave them food from his own table and a place to stay. Today these boys are healthy and strong. They are going to school. They are learning and growing in the best environment, among great teachers. Talk about God using a man to work in the lives of His children. Benjamin trusted God and now three former street boys are receiving an education, daily meals, and their own beds. 

Amahoro (sp), Eric, and Eric

I want to share one other experience with you all. Benjamin and I stopped in a small village on the top of hill very close to where his house is. He had to talk to some people about business things. After that was done we walked down this dirt path back to the truck where we stood conversing with one woman. While we were standing there a group of about 3 women come walking up to us and started speaking to Benjamin in Kinyarwanda. Before I know it he is hurrying to the car saying “This woman is in labor!” Um sorry what? This lady is in labor? Where is the moaning and the groaning? Where’s the lady doubling over in pain? This woman is in labor and I have already decided that she is my hero. She just sat in the back seat of the truck taking deep breaths, not saying a word. Oh I wanted to do something to help! I was panicking more than she was! Benjamin told me at that time that she was also bleeding. Thankfully I had half a bottle of water that I could give her but it was all I could do! I was so aggravated. Benjamin ended up paying for a moto to take her to the hospital because it was faster but honestly if it was possible I would’ve hopped on the moto with her just so I could make sure she got to the hospital safely and that there would be no problem being admitted. But instead I sent her with my urgent and almost tearful prayers. I know God is with her and her baby. I will have to leave it at that. 

Well, there is so much more I could write about RCRI, Benjamin and Josephine and there adorable new baby girl, Phiona, Godance, the families I have met but that would be a novel and I know this is already getting too long for a blog. So I love you all. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to meet children and their families and get used to taking a bath with out running water (it’s quite the experience by the way. I think there’s an art to it.:) Pray that I would be a willing servant and that as the days go by I would continue to be healthy and useful to RCRI’s ministry here in Rwanda. 

Love,

Heidi

His Love Has No Boundaries. Neither Should Ours.

Hi Everyone!

  I hope this blog finds everyone well.

  I have been in Rwanda for over 2 weeks now! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. Sometimes I really just wish it would slow down a little bit. The Rwandan culture is so beautiful and I cannot imagine why God chose to bless me with this opportunity. I love Hope Haven so much and I am super excited about starting work with RCRI!

  So far I have been on one safari, taken three motorcycle taxis (so fun but really crazy), and gone to the bathroom in lots of holes in the ground. I met Jacque Boyer (if you don't know who he is, look up the trailer for "Rising from Ashes.") Was given fruit as a gift by an old market lady. Been whistled at, stared at, yelled at. Watched African comedy with a sweet friend. Ate the best fish kabob I have ever had. Ate lunch in the middle of an African plain: the home of giraffes, Cape buffalo, zebras, and warthogs. I sleep every night under a mosquito net. Watched some hilarious movies with some one who makes the films 20 times more entertaining. Helped teach songs to adorable 5 year olds. Waved to more people than I can count. Have heard the word "mizungu" about 40 million times. Hugged hundreds of children. Been sneezed on, spit on, and laughed at a million times. And played soccer more times in the last 14 days than I have in my entire life.

  Hope Haven continues to impress me. They have the most precious students and the best teachers. I cannot tell you enough how much I love these people! If you know me at all you will know how I am practically in Heaven with all of these children. Since I have started helping in classrooms more, they call me "teacher" instead of "mizungu" now. Some of them even know my name:) Although sometimes it get's a little overwhelming when 20 kids run up to you in the playground and fight over a hand, an arm, a finger; I cannot express to you how happy and at home I feel at that moment. What a beautiful, difficult, job God has given us to make the knowledge of His love known to His children. God is so so good.

Love from Rwanda,

Heidi

                                                        New shorts for Sports day!

                                             My sweet friend with a very complicated name.

                                                                  My girl Rosine.

Fabrice!

                                                                  Art class outside!

If you look closely, you will see a bird on the buffalo's eye.

Happy late Mother's Day moms!!

  

Imana Ishimwe- Glory be to God

Hey Everyone!

 Well, I made it to Rwanda! It is so beautiful and I am so excited to be here. I have been in Kigali for about 5 days now and I am having an incredible time. It is very green here and there are hills as far as the eye can see. 

  I am staying at Hope Haven currently. Hope Haven is where all the Valor Christian High School teams go so it has been nice to adjust with people I had known previously. Interestingly enough the house I am staying at is right across the street from some very important Muslim leader and I have been waking up at 5 every morning to their call to prayer. That is somewhat different than waking up to my alarm clock back at home:) But it reminds me to pray to our God so I don’t get as annoyed as I probably could, being woken up at 5 every morning. 

  The first full day I was here I went to two Genocide memorials. The memorials are churches where Tutsis thought they would be safe during the 1994 genocide but found out that that was just an easy place for Hutus to contain them. I have never been to a Holocaust museum but I imagine the experience is very similar. In the churches there are clothes of the victims, draped over wooden “pews” and hanging from the rafters. On shelves, bones of the victims are displayed to remind everyone that these were real people with real lives. One of the churches had a mass grave that held the bones of 40,000+ people. Talk about a difficult experience. I was so horrified I couldn't even cry. The hard thing is that you think you know something about the Genocide until you experience the repercussions from it first hand. But the beautiful thing is that God always redeems and today most Hutus and Tutsis are walking the streets and going to soccer games TOGETHER. 

  Hope Haven is an incredible school with beautiful dreams. They have great teachers and precious students. When we drive up to the school, children wave at us and yell “mizungu! mizungu!” which means white man. They have the most beautiful smiles. On Friday I got to sit in on one of the classes and the children make me laugh so hard even though I have no idea what they are saying 90% of the time. Friday was also a Holiday called Sports Day. On this day everyone is let out of school/work at 12 and they spend the rest of the day stretching their legs and playing games and sports. So after the kids had a few hours of classes they all went outside to play around. Talk about a slightly overwhelming but absolutely blissful feeling when 200 precious children scream and yell and jump and try to touch what ever part of you they can reach. It is Heaven for me! And if you even try to sit down to take a rest after running all over the place, you are mobbed by 20 kids trying to touch your hair and ask you questions that you have know idea what they mean. One little boy was tugging at his shirt that had a picture of a monkey on the front so I said “monkey” and pointed to it. He looked up at me and just started laughing and proceeded to point to every one of the 20 kids around me so that I would tell him what color their shirts were. They thought it was the silliest thing to hear a mizungu recite all the colors in english. The language barrier is pretty frustrating but thankfully I started learning some Kinyarwandan before I left the states so I am just getting to practice what I know and learning more on top of that. 

 The food here is delicious and so fresh! And I will never be able to enjoy pineapple, mangos, bananas, and papayas in the U.S. the same anymore:) 

 Driving is absolutely nuts! Thankfully I don’t have to drive but there’s enough excitement just in taking the ride for me. People just walk in the middle of the street and there are zero rules and about two traffic lights in all of Kigali. And yes, women in Africa do walk around carrying water buckets and you name it on top of their heads. It is actually a beautiful sight. 

 So, to say that I am adjusting well to Rwanda would be an understatement. I absolutely love it here! God has been so good to me. I see Him in every face I come in contact with and I have seen so many people! God is definitely at work here. That is very apparent.

 I miss everyone at home but so far I have not felt very homesick at all. Which I hope that’s not a bad thing? :) Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to learn and grow in the lessons God has to teach me. Also, I would love to hear from you all! I would be so encouraged if you would just share some of your favorite verses or just things God has taught you. And now I am going to have to say murabeho (goodbye) until I post my next blog:)

Love from Rwanda,

Heidi

The view from Hope Haven

 One of Hope Haven's school buildings

 The children line up before they go into class

 Precious children with adorable faces. The boy in the striped shirt is one of my sweet friends.

 Lining up

Doing a puzzle. Finally learned how to say "good job" - kazi keza (not sure how to spell it)

It's Actually Happening!!

Hi Everyone,

   I have never blogged in my life so bear with me:) After almost a year of thought, preparation, and LOTS of prayer I am finally heading to Kigali, Rwanda for 2 1/2 months. And believe it or not, I leave in 5 days!! I will be working with an organization called Reach the Children of Rwanda International (RCRI). RCRI works to get orphans off the streets and in sponsorship programs so that they can go to school and be well taken care of.

  I am so blessed to have this opportunity to serve God and the people of Rwanda. The feeling is totally overwhelming! God has been so faithful and made it known to me that He never forgot the desire of my heart: to be called a servant of God. And here He is blessing me beyond comprehension by allowing me to go Africa! Like I said before, the feeling is totally overwhelming. I have learned so much just through the process of getting ready and have been able to meet (over the phone) some incredible people!

   Anyways, on this blog I will post pictures and tell you about my time in Rwanda. I will definitely try to be as regular as I can with updates but Wi Fi will probably be limited where I am. Please pray for safety and health and that all my flights and plane connections will go well. But most importantly, that I will be an example of God's light and love for His people.

I'll keep you updated!

Love,

Heidi

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
-Micah 6:8

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."
-Isaiah 1:17