We have been without internet for about a week, so we will be catching up by writing some blogs after we return home. Right now we are in the Kigali airport waiting for the first leg of our trip home.
I've invited each team member to share a few words about their time in Rwanda.
Sue: It was a privilege and honor to be able to return again to Rwandan and actually be able to see the progress and improvement of the various Shalom initiatives. To be able to see hearts mending, home gardens and nutrition improving, women and youth programs expanding throughout the community that are improving their quality of life. We were able to work with the community to meet basic needs of widows such as latrines, access to health care and a simple mattress to sleep on. Our donation of $180 for the materials and labor to construct one latrine for a widow ended up providing three latrines because the community jumped in with so much volunteer labor and materials. I hope to return again to see how much more people are coming to know Christ and helping each other to better their communities. I hope some of you will join us.
Deb: We are returning home full having eaten our fill of a colorful and spiritually satisfying meal. We spent time with faithful, deep souls whose obedience in the face of overwhelming obstacles has inspired us and humbled us. We are grateful for Jean Paul's humble shepherd, Christ-like heart and the godly staff he has gathered around him.
Susan: It's been an incredible two weeks of ups and downs, but God is alive and at work in Rwanda. We have seen that in the work of Shalom as they reach out to reconcile and develop their communities. We have seen it in the care for the severely disabled children living at Gahanga orphanage and the wonderful work with handicapped children at Jessie's Place in Rubavu. We were privileged to join our Rwandan friends as God's hands and feet in these wonderful ministries.
Sandy: We have been grateful to see how God is expanding the work of Shalom in their community in the Shalom youth clubs, the women's groups and the youth soccer clubs. We see the fruits of their work as more people are saving for their own government health insurance, the number of women in cooperatives has more than doubled, they have graduated 27 secondary students with computer skills and the groups they work with have discovered the joy of reaching out to serve others in their community as well.
Sally: This trip has been like watching a flower open and blossom, or a toddler take off and run. Eighteen months ago I visit Shalom and saw many small initiatives just getting off the ground - offering free computer classes to secondary students, bringing together parents of handicapped children, teaching hygiene and nutrition, encouraging supportive savings groups for vulnerable women, starting Shalom peace clubs in the secondary schools and a Shalom soccer club using sprot to spread the message of reconciliation.and
Dee: We had many Rwandan friends meet us at the airport this evening to see us off. What an honor that these new friends would take time out of their busy schedules to come and say goodbye at the airport.
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