Sunday adventures in Rwanda

There was no internet yesterday, so we have some catching up to do...

   Sunday began with worship at the Bumbogo Anglican Church led by Pastor Didace. He was the first person in Bumbogo be moved by Gilbert's concern for the disabled children living in the area. He opened his church for the first meetings of Love With Actions, until they outgrew that space and began renting their own space just down the road. Six or seven LWA families regularly attend this church, but yesterday all of the moms and their kids worshipped with us there.
   I (Sally) had the privilege of preaching (which I always dread) while also enjoying 4 different choirs and various presentations during the 3 hour service. I gave a classic 20 minute or less Jim Stuart sermon, based on John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant will also be." I shared that in the Gospels Jesus walked toward the very people others walked away from. We enjoyed lunch at the pastor's house while torrential rains fell outside. Pastor Didace is so very grateful for the Kinyrwandan Study Bible we recently gave to him. Imagine pastoring a church for 35 years without a single Bible resource tool. I love the way that it will bless the entire congregation through his preaching and teaching.

   Our afternoon sounded simple..."visit two LWA families in their homes." What we didn't understand was that about 4 hours of driving on often impossible red dirt "roads" was involved. When Gilbert had his previous car, a Corolla, he had to stop many miles from the homes and take a moto the rest of the way.
   Our first visit was to the family of 7 year old Osse whose family lives in a river valley where there is a lot of standing water and a very high incidence of malaria. Osee has a very loving and attentive mother and a kind and hardworking father who is a manager at the nearby buisness that makes bricks from local clay and fires them in large towers (see photo below). Most likely Osse's very severe disabilities  result from untreated malaria that went to his brain. Bonnie now believes many of the LWA cases that have been labeled CP are in fact consequences of cerebral malaria, which could be prevented by a $5 bed net or quick detection and treatment which is available for the $5 annual health insurance fee. I'm grateful for many of you who have been active in raising funds for mosquito nets in recent years.

Osee was also to receive the wheelchair we brought from Colorado, but it needed major adjustments due to very small size, weighing no more than 20#. We needed a large Allen wrench - so we packed it up for the drive back to the LWA office after Bonnie spent time helping the family with ideas for PT and feeding. I brought a bottle of prenatal vitamins for mother Marie Claire who is 3 months pregnant after 6 miscarriages over the years. After a time of prayer we left them some maize flour and soap for the family and headed back to the LWA office.

   The drive home was a challenge as darkness was falling and we weren't sure which of the crisscrossing sets of ruts were the correct road. When you stop to ask directions people give you the closest moto track or cow path since most have never seen a car. In my mind I was planning how much snack food and water we had if we ended up spending the night "out." When we finally passed a drilling rig by the side of the road we all cheered - we were in fact on the right road!

   The last stop, in the dark, was the home of 12 year old Aime who recently returned home from the hospital where he was treated for spina bifida and club feet. He is starting to walk with crutches for the first time in his life. We handed him some crayons and a coloring book and he absolutely lit up. He is without a doubt an artist, and proudly shared his skill. This boy has known nothing but abject poverty and physical pain and suffering his entire life...and yet his smile lights up a room. I'm humbled by people like Aime.

   For us, following Jesus into the homes of Bumbogo has been a privilege and a joy. Thanks for sharing in the journey with us.