Rwanda 8/10/2012

Third World living is just that, like an “other world.” I had my first shower Wednesday night. I asked to take a shower and one of the workers on the compound brought me two containers of water – one boiling, one cold. I mixed the water in a wash pan in the bath tub and began! I was laughing to myself the whole time, “If Grace could only see this.” I have been as careful as I can be. I have used all my supplies diligently. God has kept me up, strong, and going.

Today was another full day of teaching. I went over three expositional messages with the men in detail. Because my time with them ends Saturday, I have only one more full morning with them. The vast majority of them have had no training in ministry except what they have gleaned from their spiritual mentors who may also have had no formal training. They are all poor, but they are all committed and hard working men. It is humbling to embrace them as brothers in Christ knowing that they cherish the teaching. They are so respectful, but they are not afraid to ask questions, good questions.

They are still all working to forget about the genocide. None of them were exempt from the carnage and suffering. Most of them have forgiven and are trying to move forward by God’s grace. Some still struggle with the memories and pain. Some watched family members being taken from them forever, others witnessed their murders, some others went through other unthinkable atrocities. Each session begins with the men spontaneously singing choruses. About the second chorus some of them will begin prancing around in pure African jubilation. I wouldn’t call it dancing, just a sort of prancing. It is a hoot! When it comes time to teach, they are all business. My host Pastor Denys, is sick tonight. But he has told me that he is greatly pleased with the meetings. He definitely wants this again in the future. Because of the price of tickets for them, it will be a year or so before it happens again. I hope we can help raise this money through GBTF to help them. It would be best to have classes every six months, but, the fact that this will become a regular teaching site is a very good thing.

Speaking of food. It has been great. I am being served cooked meals twice daily. For breakfast, they eat a lot of bread, tea, and coffee. I am not taking any chances with anything. Today after the meeting, one of the office workers who speaks some (limited) English took me for a walk in Kigali. What an experience. Most of the people looked at the strange white man like I had three heads, —-crazy feeling. I had to guard my pockets from the many pickpockets who throng the streets. I was glad when I got back to the familiarity of the compound.