Home But Not Forgotten

I’m still catching up on sleep.  That’s what happens with jet lag and with the feeling of disengagement.  The trip to Rwanda seemed to go so quickly, probably becasue of how busy we were while there.  It was a good busy- a better busy than the American life offers us.

I want to thank all of you for praying for me on this trip.  I also want to thank the team from Grace Capital Church for making the mission so successful.  Thank you to the Smyths who are doing the most incredible job as missionaries and friends of the Rwandan people and the church.  We are so proud of you guys!

If you ever get the chance to go to Rwanda, please prayerfully consider it.  Your life will be changed forever. I’m home now, but I was at home among the believers there, and you would be too.

-Peter

Friends in High Places

Sunday in Rwanda is always full for missionaries.  It’s full because there are so many people worshiping God in so many diffferent churches.  It’s full because everyone of these churches would love to have you come and give a greeting.  And, it’s full because the whole day is given to God and to others.

Today I was asked to speak at one of our Foursquare churches three hours from the guesthouse we are staying at.  And not just any three hours- but three hours east up through one of the thousand hills.  The roads were dirt and rough and steep and meandering through small villages along the way.  There were times when I wondered if we would be able to climb them in the Nissan 4WD because of how narrow and how uncertain they seemed.  But, finally we arrived to a singing choir of people who were expectantly awaiting our arrival.  It seems that I was one of few Masungos (white person) that may have made it up to this village.  Most of the children were amused, but some were frightened.

As we worshiped together, we became friends.  My sermon notes were left in the pages of my Bible and I shared what I knew to share about Jesus being the only Way for all of us- Masungo or not.  Way up in these hills of Rwanda, I had new friends- friends in high places.  And many of them became friends with Jesus for the first time also.  I was so thrilled to see many respond to the message of God’s love and grace and accept Christ into their hearts!

Afterward, I was a guest at the pastors home- a meager mud house with two or three rooms.  Served the traditional drink of Fanta and the traditional meal of rice, boiled banana and stewed goat, we ate together and smiled and laughed and prayed.  Saying goodbye was like seeing off a close family member with pictures and embraces and holding the pastors small children.  It’s hard to believe it all happened so quickly, in just one day’s time- these friends in high places.

It took three hours to get there, but a lifetime of memories will be with me.  Mostly because I feel the Lord brought me there to receive their blessing, the blessing of knowing them and of helping them.  You see, the  Foursquare church started a school up in those hills so that the children would not have to walk 1-2 hours by foot.  And now children are coming from the surrounding hills to learn and to be brought to Jesus.  I think the Lord has called me to care deeply for my new friends in high places.

-Peter

A Lesson From Mud

Yesterday in Rwanda was a great day.   We did everything from visiting an orphanage, personal one-on-one times with sponsored children, a full scale evangelistic crusade and building a chicken coop!  That’s right, we built a chicken coop for a widow that Richard and Robin have taken the responsibility to care for.

We knew it would be messy, and it was as we stacked bricks made of dried mud and layered them with wet mud.  We felt like kids playing in mud and so did many of the children that came to join us.  Some of these kids were more interested than others and were very skilled in doing something we knew little about.  I was impressed with the intensity and the resourcefulness that they had.

This all felt like a Nehemiah moment for me…many  hands doing their part to make the work easy and really fun!  But it was also relevant at the end of the project.  I felt impressed to pull the children aside who were helping and individually bless them with some money- even though they didn’t ask.  They were surprised and blessed.  One boy who was standing right beside us wasn’t too happy though.  You see, all he was doing while the others were working was leaning on the wall and watching.  Almost as to say, I’m not interested.  But he was interested…at the very end when the kids who helped were receiving the blessing.  In fact, he tried to steal the money from one of the younger boys who worked really hard.

I guess the lesson I learned from mud is the lesson of teamwork.  All of us playing a part wherever we are, whatever our culture, whatever our age.  Like the workers who worked on different sections of the wall with Nehemiah and friends, God calls us to pick up some mud, carry a few bricks, draw some water and be “in it” together.  At the end, the rewards will come- and that’s not why we do it- but because the real reward is having our hands in the mud all at the same time!

Today we are off to another evangelistic crusade with Tentmakers- way up on the mountains in a small village where we will baptize and share the love of Jesus.  Thanks for your prayers!

-Peter

Widows and Wells

Today was an incredible day in Rwanda.

We started out by going to a remote village to visit a woman with several children who Richard and Robin have “adopted” by providing food and resources for.  Mother Theresa once said something like this: you can’t feed the whole world, but you can help to feed one.  As we arrived at her home, she and her two little ones welcomed us with open arms.  We were pleased to see that the seven chickens that TentMakers (Smyths) bought for her were healthy and growing- these are chickens that she is raising and then selling for an income to provide for her family.  We had a wonderful time visiting and then praying for this family.  While we were at this home, many of the other team members were visiting with other widows and orphans- many a result of the genocide years ago.

Later in the day, several of us drove out to the small village where Grace Capital Church, Global Benefit and several others raised funds to dig our first clean water well.  The children were gathered around as must be there regular habit of fetching water for the family.  Before this well was there, they would scoop water from a dirty ravine or have to buy water at another larger village.  Now they have all they want to drink, to wash, or even to play in- living water!

To see this well and the water pumping out of it firsthand made me teary eyed.  Something so simple that we take for granted.  It is a source of life and health.  I arrived feeling so proud of those of you who gave to make this possible.  And now our second well is about to be dug!  I’m looking forward to many more, for each one represents a sacrifice of our resources to touch the lives of others.

Our team is not yet ready to go home…in fact I don’t think they ever will be (ready) as they are talking about their return trip with other friends and family members.  Maybe you’ll be next!

Peter

Ready in Season

I arrived in Rwanda this morning and was shuttled to the guest house before heading out to the hospital to preach at a chapel service.  This was one of those “always be ready” moments- even when you’re tired and don’t feel ready.  God is good though, and it turned out well.  I spoke about the paralyzed man who was helped by two of his friends to get to Jesus.  Considering the chapel service was filled with many of the hospital workers, this really hit home for them as they daily help and servie others.

Afterward we had an opportunity to pray for many people at the hospital, including lots of little ones in two separate wards.  One little girl was tiny and born deformed.  When I asked how old she was, I couldn’t believe it- 13 years old.  It was a blessing to pray for her and her sweet face- and a blessing to thank the two ladies who were her caretakers.  They are truly doing the work of Jesus here in Rwanda.

The team is doing great and very excited about how the Lord is using them!  It’s always neat to watch God build a team and build relationships while serving!

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Layover

We made it from Boston to Amsterdam on a red eye flight last night.  Here we sit in the airport waiting for our next flight to Africa.  The term layover is a nice way to say “a very long wait on uncomfortable chairs.”  Anyway, thinking about how we can actually get half way around the world in such a short amount of time is truly amazing.  We’ll be in Rwanda tomorrow and look forward to joining the rest of the team from Grace Capital Church.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers during this time.  I’ll try and update photos on my facebook page as well as here on the blog.

Ready for Rwanda

In a few days I’ll be off to Rwanda with several of my brothers and sisters.  Although this will be my third trip there, it will be the first time our church has sent a larger group.

I will try to give you daily updates of what we did while we were there-starting with the exceedingly long plane flight to get there.

Here’s an overview of the trip.

• Monday October 20, depart. (We’ll be meeting most of the group there as they leave a few days earlier than me).
• Wednesday arrive ( I told you the flight was long).  Wednesday night hang out with the group and share a word that the Lord has already put on my heart about how “time is short.”
• Thursday we visit widows and orphans and then I’ll be a part of some leadership training.
• Friday Outreach with the Kimaronko Foursquare church and then another outreach in the evening.
• Saturday Rulindo Foursquare outreach.  Also, visit the clean water well projects that we are funding from Grace Capital Church.
• Sunday preach at the Kigali Foursquare church and other evening events.
• Monday- free day which will probably include visiting the Genocide memorial.
• Tuesday, get ready to travel home.

Thanks for praying for me while we’re there.  I’ll post as much as I can each day.

-Peter