Black Cherries... AND a new intern!

Picked up another intern last night at the airport. Kendal Robinson, all the way from LA! She came but her luggage did not.

BUT... she did declare that she did have black cherries.

BLACK CHERRIES!!!

I haven't had black cherries... or plums, or peaches, or raspberries, or blueberries... in SIX years... and I love them all.

Needless to say... as we sat around the table getting to know each other a little bit... I had black cherries.

They were as good as I remembered!! YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY!!!

I like Kendal too... thinking she's going to do great here. We'll see what God has for her and how we'll be part of that journey! The coming weeks will tell!

What We Looked Like Yesterday!

A Cool Encounter!

We went out for lunch yesterday after church to a new little place called La Fiesta.

COOL thing!!

Found our old houseboy there in the kitchen.

Vienny is a young man who knows how to COOK!

We were one of his first employers and he was still trying to figure his life out. We 'hung in life' with him for a long time, trying to be tough love, give him a chance, etc. - knowing and believing that he could be a better person than who he was. He said that he loved God but the head just didn't get connected with his heart.

One day, after he had lied to us, yet again, it was time to let him go. That was about two years ago now. Regulary, he has called Serge since then, first to apologize repeatedly, then ask for a job ( sorry, we have great workers and don't need another) and then to ask if we knew anyone who needed someone. I know that he has held small jobs here and there, but nothing stable and life has been hard for him.

Seeing him in the kitchen at La Fiesta, did our heart good.

In chatting with him face to face, he has changed. God has changed him.

Vienny is going to go places!

As soon as Serge had taken a bite of his fish... he knew that Vienny had cooked it.

We always said that Vienny could cook us the same meal for 5 nights of the week and it would taste different and delicious everytime.

We are pleased and happy for him that maybe, just maybe he has found his place AND he's using his gift! Thanks God!

New look...

If you have been following this blog, you'll know that the look has changed.

Just got a little notice that there were new templates available... and liked this one.

Hope you like it too.

Thinking it's like a new haircut... which I desperately need!!

Enjoy!

Something Totally FUN!!!

World Cup Fever has hit Kigali and I`m thinking all of Africa!

Serge was able to buy a decoder yesterday for a decent price and get it hooked up on the same day (miracle!) at the church for the street kids! (Thanks interns!)

They had come for their regular Friday lunch yesterday and about went through the roof when Serge told them to be back at 2pm to watch some football on the big screen.

Prince and I went and joined them for the two games yesterday - South Africa vs. Mexico and France vs. Uraguay. Amazing how much Prince knows about football. Totally reminds me of my brothers in the 80`s. They could quote just about anything from the Kitchener Rangers as well and the rest of the OHL. Guess it`s DNA for boys who are 12ish. Great that South Africa scored the first goal of the tournament!

The fever pitch is crazy!

With 6 African teams playing, it`s like 6 home teams PLUS they LOVE Brazil and need to see France play as well. Thinking we`ll be showing at least two games a day for the rest of the tournament.

Looked at the schedule... tournament ends July 11th.. ONE MONTH!!!

Are we crazy?

Maybe... but it`s so great to give the kids something they love. They would need to pay to go see it somewhere else and they just can`t afford to do that, or they`d do something they shouldn`t just to get a little money.

And we get to speak into their lives during halftime.

Been thinking that maybe I should be doing snacks for them... mmmmmmm... now maybe that will put me over the edge of crazy... but any ideas?

One Never Knows...

So yesterday, Kaitlyn and Ruth, two of our current interns dropped by the house to share about their afternoon.

They were to be tutoring six of our kids in school but only one showed up, Appollinaire.

Appollinaire is about 15 years old and was outcast for his family when he was very young. They were poor and could not afford to keep him. About a year ago, he met his father on the street, counting some money from his pocket. He went up to say hello to him, and his father just ignored him.

We first met him about 2 years ago in one of our ministries. When we parted ways with that ministry, we decided that we would take those who had no one and find a house to put them in. Appollinaire was one of them.

Today, Appollinaire lives in one of the houses which we have for former street kids. He is in school, doing well and learning English more every day. He wants to be a lawyer someday but first he wants to make sure that all people know about Jesus. He LOVES Jesus!!

Since the other five kids didn't show up (wait till I see them on Sunday!), the interns decided they would take him on a little outing to town. After dressing up in his Sunday best, off they went. This was his second time to go to town, even though he lives in Kigali. Who knew!

They take him for ice-cream at the Bourbon Coffee Shop - best ice-cream in town, hands down. As they are sitting there chatting - working on his English conversation skills and watching him savour his ice-cream for over an hour, Appollinaire all of a sudden jumps up and calls 'Mama Jennifer, over here! Mama Jennifer! She's come!'

Appollinaire thought he had see me. But it wasn't me. He was so disappointed. As he sat down, Ruth said to him that 'Jennifer... '

Appollinaire immediately corrected her saying, 'Not Jennifer, Mama Jennifer.'

Ruth continued, 'is really nice, isn't she?'

He sat and thought for a bit and then said, 'No, she's amazing. She is my mama.'

They had just taught him the word amazing that afternoon.

As they relayed this all to me in my living room.... I was overwhelmed.

What had I / we really given Appollinaire?

But when I really stopped to think about it... a home, food every day, education, love, he belongs somewhere... aren't these the things which every human being desires?

Every day, every week of our life here, we interact with the street kids. Some we have been able to get off the street and into homes and others are still on the street.

Yesterday was a HUGE reminder to me again, that it's the things in life, most of us take for granted that can matter SO much to someone else.

Old Kamari Had a Farm...E-I-E-I-O

Serge and I have a piece of land on one of the thousand hills in Rwanda.

To get there, you head east of Kigali, turn left just after the village of Rwanamagana and keep going up to you come to the village of Fumbwe. You continue to Pastor Desontos house, park the car and then walk....

About a year and a half ago, Serge was talking to Pastor Desontos. He is a pastor in the Vivante denomination which we are part of and part of the group of pastors which we trained for three years. He was simply sharing life with Serge and they were dreaming together how life could be better for the Pastor, his wife and two small children.

They live a very modest village life in a small two room mud brick house subsisting on sweet potatoes, matoke and beans.

A village pastors life is not easy in Rwanda. They are left to survive on the meager offerings of their congregation who are also subsistent.

As Serge and I talked and prayed about this, we had an idea... which we believe is from God.

We would buy a piece of land close to the pastors house and farm it.

We did just that. Don't ask me exactly how big it is, as I have no idea. What I do know is that it is overlooks a small lake and more wonderful hills of Rwanda. It would be a great spot for a cottage... only if we're into no water, no toilet, cooking on charcoal, no electricity... you get the picture. Great spot for a farm! :-)

The first thing we did was get the land cultivated and we planted some food crops. The food would then be shared between the pastor and his congregation. The returns were not great as the land had not been cultivated and fertilized for a LONG time. They then planted some sorghgum which they harvested and they continue to cultivate some of the land.

But... what we have wanted to do all along is buy some goats. Serge and I thought that if we buy goats then when the mama goats have babies, we would split them with the church. Thanks to an adult Sunday School class from Slave Lake Alliance Church, AB, we bought six nice mama goats. AND we just had our first babies!! WOOHOO!! Serge just went to see them this past Saturday.

So we got the goats... why not a cow! We bought a cow AND she just had a baby calf last week. Another BIG WOOHOO!! Now the pastors family will have milk to drink! SO good!

Now before some of you jump all over me because the cow is definitely not a true type Holstein... just know she was bred to a Holstien, so we're on our way! But half breeds do much better here anyway as purebreds are alot more fussy about what they eat.
This is all pretty exciting for us and Serge is feeling the 'farmer' coming out in him!

We've also built a small barn and small house on our land. The associate pastor lives in the house and takes care of things for us.

Oh... they want me to come and teach them how to milk a cow! Been a long time, but my dad always said that milking cows was like riding a bicycle - you never forgot.

Our little farm is continued at home with two crown cranes - Jack and Nicki, and about 15 rabbits - you know how they multiply! The kids want a dog... no dog!

NO wise cracks about 'old'...