Bring on the Water!

Today was a long awaited day - years in fact. The pieces and details were finally together to start digging a well on our Nyamirama Development Project land. VERY exciting!

We trust that there is more than enough water so the surrounding community can benefit from it as well. Currently they go about 2km one way to fetch their daily water.

Oh wouldn 't it be great if they could just 'come on' over and get some when they needed it?! I think of the mothers who back break with all the work the must do beside getting water, I think of the kids who don't go to school because they need to fetch water, I think of those that just drink from dirty puddles because they can't walk to 'cleaner' water. Bring on the water God... I'm thinking this community needs it!!

The trucks rolling into the property

The bit goes into the ground for the first time

We are so very grateful for this partnership with Living Water International - Providing a cup of Water in Jesus name.

http://www.water.cc/ 

How many people does it take...

... to write wedding invitations?

Two to write the invitation and 10 to discuss, argue and decide who is actually getting one of the 300 invitations.

That was my Sunday afternoon at Serge's mom's house. Quite entertaining sometimes to say the least.

A couple of interesting things about wedding invitations here...

1. If you're close family or friends, you don't get one as it's assumed that you know and that you are coming. Kind of like that.

2. When you do get an invitation, it's expected that you will contribute money to make the wedding happen. Weddings here are a community affair with everyone pitching in to make it happen. Like that too, only when we get invitations for people we don't even know that it becomes a bit annoying.

It's always a 'count' to see how many we get in a year.
We'll see how many 2011 brings!

Highlights from Canada

Mom and Isabella celebrating their birthdays

Prince's first snow

Selling stuff

My dear, dear, sister friend

Great times with Eric (Duane and Jennie too!) in Tennessee

Fun times at the Falls

First time on Skates... 'Mom, I don't think I need to do that again!'

Francois and family - former director of the Kiziba Refugee Camp - now in Hamilton, ON
It was so great to visit them in their home.

First time for Prince... he got pretty good and enjoyed it!

Serge with Auntie Annie

First snow for Beni

Da Ladies... SO great to be with you all that night. (THANK YOU SCOTT!!)

Uncles and cousins... great Christmas!

Living Barnabas

About a year ago, we started a series here in the English Service on the Book of Acts. I was reminded and challenged again about Barnabas - The Son of Encouragement - who was part of the crowd of believers that were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32-37)

Serge and I do our best to live generously responding to the needs of those around us. 

Every month we receive financial gifts from people who know and love us and want to be part of the ministry here in Rwanda. We are humbled to be on the receiving end. 

I believe that we are ALL called to live and give generously ... but then there are the Barnabas's in this world who go above and beyond.

Barnabas people in Canada saw our need and responded....clothes for the kids, a minivan to drive, envelops of money for whatever, so many words of encouragement, etc.

One that impacted me...

We were visiting a church and who should be there but someone who I hadn't seen in years. He is a long time monthly supporter of ours and a Barnabas.

As we hugged, tears streamed down both of our faces. He had been carrying a card - a card that was personally selected for us, not just any blank card - in his Bible for us, knowing that one of the Sundays we'd be showing up at their church. I have known him most of my life and for our adult life, he has been one of my biggest encouragers.

 Always a note, always words to deeply encourage my heart and often a little extra money for whatever.

'Jen, you know we totally believe in you and the work that God has called you to, you know we love you guys, we pray for you.'

I think I have notes of encouragement from him that are 20 years old, and they are still in my Bible. I'll be adding the card to the stash.

He's a living Barnabas and this girl is more than blessed!

I'm back...

... in Kigali and I'm back blogging.

Not what there wasn't anything worthy to blog about in Canada - there was, but I just didn't get the time. I DO have some thoughts from Canada rolling around in my mind and I will blog about those in the next couple of days or weeks as time allows.

Right now, it's time to get Beni to bed. Thinking he's come down with chicken pox or at least that is what I think it is. I went looking for calamine lotion and I did find it in the fourth pharmacy. Not bad. Just happy to have something familiar.