Compassion child visits and Debriefing time

   We both love the work Compassion International does in helping to "release kids from extreme poverty in Jesus' name" through education, spiritual development, health care and skills training including how to set and achieve goals. Tuesday morning Bonnie was able to visit her sponsored 17 year old girl Liliane who lives right on the Congolese border in Rubavu, and Wednesday Sally visited 21 year old young man Tuyiringire who lives 12 km up the road. She and Jim have sponsored him since 2004 when he was 7. Both days also allowed us some much needed time for debriefing all we have experienced. On group trips I always plan a couple of days just for team debriefing, but this has been a "working trip" and we will squeeze in debriefing where we can.

  On Tuesday morning Bonnie was picked up by Emmanuel, a Compassion translator, who accompanied her to meet her sponsor child, Liliane, for the first time.  With a little bit of nervous energy in tow, they first stopped by Liliane's Compassion Project office and spoke with 5 members including the Compassion staff and the Parent Committee.  After looking through Liliane's file which included her scholastic, compassion and medical records Liliane walked into the room and gave Bonnie a huge hug with a smile from ear to ear! and shouts of joy were heard.  Liliane's mother accompanied her and Bonnie was pleasantly surprised that her mother spoke French! No translator needed for Bonnie to speak directly with her mother.  What a wonderful visit Bonnie, Liliane and her mother had together getting to know each other, visiting her home, seeing her bedroom with the pictures sent by Bonnie and letters nailed to the empty walls and going out to lunch. Bonnie left her with some simple games for her to play with her friends and even taught her how to play "Cat's Cradle".  Selfies were taken like any American teenager on the way to lunch together in the car and after lunch under a beautiful large leafed tree about 40 feet high! For Bonnie, this visit was essential to understanding how to write to her child and what things Liliane is really interested in. Bonnie and Liliane both agreed to communicate with letters including questions to have each other answer in the following letter.  With the span of time between letters, we decided to both taken out the previous letter prior to writing another one to make sure we answered the questions.  Everyone likes getting letters especially when they are personalized to you!

Bonnie and Liliane

Tuyiringire 2004

   Sally and Jim began sponsoring Tuyiringire after her first visit to Rwanda in 2004.  He had lost his father in the post genocide conflicts and his mother was left to raise Tuyiringire and his twin sister as well as a brother one year older, by herself. At age 6 the little girl died and Tuyiringire was enrolled in Compassion. Today both boys are on their way to completing secondary school which is a huge accomplishment. He told us his grades took a big jump after I brought him a solar light so he could study in the evening. The things we take for granted! Tuyiringire loves to sing Gospel music and he sang and played the drum for us. His plan after graduation is to find a way to attend a two year program in mechanics and driving. This is a good way for a young man in Rwanda to earn a living. There are now many more Rwandans graduating from university, and not nearly enough jobs for them all. . You can enjoy his singing in the video below (sorry I don't know how to trim videos) I knew visiting Tuyiringire would be emotional, because he recently turned 21 and will graduate from secondary school next month. Then he will have completed the Compassion program as well. In addition to sponsoring him for 14 years I have visited his family in their tiny Rwandan home 7 or 8 times as well. He is a part of our family. The good news is, once he has completed the program we will be able to exchange emails and continue to stay in touch.

  

    As we left his home we saw so many children who are clearly not in school, not getting enough food and dressed in rags. The women looked the same, with hopelessness in their eyes. All I could think was "this would be Tuyiringire and his mom if Compassion had not stepped in." Wow. Thanks to those of you who also sponsor kids - even if the letter writing is sometimes frustrating, real change IS happening. Look in the faces of his entire family - they all love Jesus and have reason to hope for a good future.

        Wednesday afternoon we drove back to Kigali and stopped at the LWA workshop where we filled our now empty suitcases with beautiful baskets and fabric items (including, according to Bonnie, Vera Bradley-like accessories and bags) made by the LWA moms. Bonnie and I will both have these for sale at our homes and in our churches when we speak about Rwanda.

       Thursday morning we drove 2 hours to see Ildephonse, the 16 year old young man with new prosthetic legs thanks to Love With Actions, at his boarding school in Gatagara. The school has 600 students, 250 with disabilities. No longer are they seen as "different," no longer are they the subject of taunting and rejection. At this school everyone belongs. Conditions are still rough, but classes are a reasonable size, there is a bed to sleep on, porridge in the morning and two meals of something like beans and rice every day. Ildephonse will grow and learn in this environment.

Ildephonse - a young man full of courage and talent
Thanks to Love With Actions for opening the doors to his future

   It is Friday morning for me (Sally) and I am in the Brussels airport en route to London and Denver. Bonnie is flying KLM Amsterdam to Boston. Thank you for sharing in this journey with us. We will each make one final blog post when we get home and can pull our thoughts together. It has been a journey with God and for people he loves. Let's be honest, God can not be pleased to see some of His children suffering so much when His body, the Church, could be alleviating some of that suffering... one child, one widow, one family at a time. To God be the glory.

Sally & Bonnie