Rwanda: Finding Ways to Serve

We just completed our second full day in Rwanda.  The day was spent serving on the YWAM base in a variety of different ways.  The students did everything from helping to prepare for a large conference on Friday, time in classrooms, cooking meals, organizing keys, to cutting bible stories out of felt. 

Below are a few experiences as described by Katlyn, Madi, and Isaac.

Katlyn: Today I had the privilege of helping the YWAM staff prepare “The Hall” for tomorrow’s APRICOM conference. 250 widows, many of which have HIV/AIDS, will gather here to pray, worship, hear God’s Word, and simply be loved by the people here at base. We mopped (more like a squeegie on a stick) the floor, washed the windows, and set up many chairs. We had fun chatting with the base staff as we cleaned. I remain in awe at how welcoming, genuinely nice, and extremely sincere everyone here is. We able to pray over the area and for those who will be here tomorrow.  I look forward to tomorrow and helping with the conference. We will be dressing in traditional clothing, praying and talking with them, humbling ourselves to wash the widows feet, and showing them how significant they truly are. I hope we can show them at least a glimpse of  the great love God has for these wonderful people.

Madi: Today I got to work with the preschoolers, ages 5 and 6. Ive never felt so welcome! Every child wanted to hold and hand and sit in my lap. I met so many children and all had a kind and helpful personality. A boy named Kevin laughed at me when I tried to say thank you in kinyarwandan. He then proceeded to say it was okay, took my hand and told me how to sat in the “real way.” I was introduced to the class as teacher madi, so the whole day the children called me “teachah.” I learned that children of Rwanda are patient and very very smart. They loved any form of affection, especially holding onto my hands and arms. In the three hours I got to work with the class, they made me feel like family. God has blessed me beyond belief on this trip. Glory to Him!

Isaac: Today I had the privilege of working in the kitchen with the cook Emanuel, a very humble Rwandan on the YWAM base.  Not only was the task fun but it really enlightened me to how much preparation and hard work is put in to have meals here.  The meal consisted of rice, squash, and a soup consisting of peas, carrots, and tomatoes.  Haydn, my partner for lunch duty, and I had to peel and cut every single piece of food eaten which was then boiled to become edible. The rice was already taken care of by Emanuel.  After that about 30min before lunch actually started we poured the soup and all the other foods into more manageable containers to serve the many people here on base.  After this whole task I really respect the people on this base for all the hard work they do to barely scratch by and survive.  They deserve more for how loving they are.  They are so selfless and caring when they already have nothing. It helps show the beauty that is here in Rwanda and it makes me feel bad for how well I have it at home.  That’s all I have to say for now.