Visits to two of my favorite groups in Rwanda

   There were two groups I (Sally) was especially eager to be with during our time in Rwanda. Friday we spent God-filled time with both of them.

Dukundane widows group

     The original group of widows brought together by Shalom is called "Dukundane," a name they chose which means we love one another, and boy do they. These 20 women, age 55 - 84 were all hidden away in their homes, isolated, depressed and generally having given up after a lifetime of suffering and losses. Shalom leader Elaine went door to door and invited them to come together. She simply loved them and listened to them. Most have since participated in a healing workshop as well.

85 year old Bernadette putting in her weekly savings while Eliane enters it in the account book

   We greeted each other as old friends, and they were eager to start in telling us about the positive changes in their lives since they started coming together to pray, listen to the word of God and save together. Grandma Console, whose home was repaired by the St. James VBS kids, is a part of this group. Many were wearing colorful t-shirts we had brought them last year from Hobby Lobby, and gorgeous new pieces of fabric wrapped around their waists...fabric they had purchased for themselves with their savings from last year. They were so proud and so beautiful! Many said this group has helped them to feel young again. Now they are saving in advance for their medical insurance which is paid in June each year. This $5 a year is saved by weekly contributions of 50-100 Rwandan francs, about 6-12 cents. This is a major accomplishment for people who may earn less than $1 for a full day of labor cultivating a neighbor's field. Over and over they shared how finding community and God's love has changed everything for them.  Sadly, they told us several members had not been behaving with good character (drunkenness) and they were removed from the group recently because Dukundane truly wants to be seen as the light in the community. Other women were eagerly waiting in line to be invited in. These women are serious about wanting to make a difference in their village.
  This is the group of women who received small wooden bed frames, thin foam mattresses and sheets and blankets last year (partly from their savings and the generous gift of a woman in Colorado). They marveled at the fact that they were now sleeping on mattresses. Several woman shared that they had never slept on a mattress until this year...a reminder to us all to be grateful.
   Jean Paul had requested a blood pressure cuff to monitor some of these women. Bonnie taught him how to take the blood pressure for women such as Esther....whose reading that day was 220/120. YES this is needed! Jean Paul will take her to the clinic very soon for medication.
   Several months ago I made the decision to share from Philippians 4 with these women. My friend Lory even prepared beautiful laminated copies of the Scripture in the local language for me to present to each one (Esther is holding hers in the picture below). I always pray before these trips, asking God to guide me to the right passage. As our time together began, sitting on low wooden benches on a red dirt floor, the group's leader, Venancie stood to share the devotion she had chosen for the day. Yes, she too had chosen Philippians 4. We rejoiced together that the Holy Spirit was indeed among us.
   Our time ended with more singing, dancing and prayer. Then we were presented with a gift from the group. We are no longer "visitors" but friends who return year after year. It was the first of FOUR chickens we have been given over the past two days. We are trying to not get too attached to them.....

Grateful Grandma Console

Esther showing off her beloved bed

Our very costly, and lively gift

Taking Esther's BP

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    We climbed back into the SUV for another 30 minutes of bouncing along the "road" and pulled up in front of a cluster of very small mud brick homes with the usual collection of goats, chickens and small children everywhere. This was an extremely poor area and most children were very dirty and wearing literal rags, but they greeted us with warmth and showed us the way to the home we wanted. Gathered there were 6 mothers and their handicapped children - all very clean and clearly well cared for. Most were wearing the clothes I see in every picture - perhaps the only set of clothes they own. This group called "Jyamubandi" has been meeting less than two years. Each Wednesday the moms come together at this home to pray, have someone read Scripture, and to discuss their common problems and encourage one another. The moms took turns holding and caring for each others children as if they were their own, something unique in a culture than shuns such children. 

They have developed true friendships with each other. Our very presence in their home, and our obvious love for each of their children was a sermon all its own, and the while neighborhood had come out to listen. Inside the house we all shared with each other, sang and spoke of God's activity in our lives. Then we went outside where we set up a grass mat and small mattress so Bonnie could spend time with each mother and child showing the moms simple things they could do to make their children more comfortable or to improve function.

The mothers and children of Jyamubandi and Elaine from Shalom

neighbor kids displaying new stickers
keeping them occupied while Bonnie worked with moms

Marie Louise presents a chicken to Sally

7 year old Marie Louise with Bonnie
She tried going to school but the other children were so cruel she quit
She has a beautiful spirit and dances even with her many deformities

Jean Paul even got down on the mat so this mom could practice what Bonnie was teaching

 Watch Bonnie receive a kiss from 17 year old Kabago as she teaches him to hold a pen in hopes of some day learning to write. His hands are terribly deformed from falling into the fire as a young child.

    We have seen and heard some very, very difficult things over the past week. Things we can not change. Things we can not fix. Things we can not even explain. There are many things that are breaking our hearts every day. We are finding it so important to not let that cloud our vision for what God HAS been doing, and what HAS changed for the better. Yes, things are not good....but they are not the same as a year ago. We know our efforts to advocate for groups like Shalom and Love With Actions is NOT in vain. Those of you who partner with us ARE making a difference. These children are still suffering every day, with physical issues and serious bullying and even abuse from others. These mothers have an impossible task before them with no help, no physical therapy or surgical treatments available, not enough food or clean water, no one to teach the deaf child sign language, and on and on. And yet two years ago they did not have each other. They did not have friends who understand. They did not have Shalom visiting them and bringing small items like blankets, food, love and prayer. They did not have wheelchairs (provided by Shalom). Over and over we see that loneliness and isolation are the great enemies, and people coming together is the first step toward life improving. That is a good reminder for all of us, in every culture, including America. 

   After dinner at our guest house Bonnie and I went outside to enjoy the evening glow of Nyiragongo Volcano, the largest active volcano in the world, which is always visible spewing clouds of smoke and steam everywhere we go. We're not in Kansas any more.....