7/14/2014 – Rwanda and Congo

By Bruce Snavely | July 14, 2014

Where to begin. I feel like my heart is chopped in pieces and left all over the world!! Having arrived in Rwanda two days ago, that is already happening again!! First, let me say what an amazing ministry God has given us! I can’t conceive of a more rewarding way to spend your life than investing in people who absorb every bit of knowledge possible so that they can pass it along to their people!! Sometimes, at home, when we are working hard to raise funding and keep up with the mundane bookkeeping that is required of us, it is easy to lose sight of the mission. Not here. We know exactly what God has called us to do!!

Accommodations
Because of a family wedding, the usual accommodations in Pastor Denys’ home are not available the first week we are here. They have arranged for us to stay in a large guest house (8 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms). The house is actually quite beautiful. It is sparsely furnished with just a couch and a bed in each room. We have the whole place to ourselves. The kitchen is non-operational, and, here is the big one, THERE IS NO WATER!! Rwanda struggles with water issues, and at times of the year, they have to transport water to their homes. So, we have a house boy who brings us water every day, and we use that water to flush the toilet as well as to “shower.” Actually, it is more like sponge bathing! There is no way to heat the water, so you can figure it out from there. Yikes!! But, the Rwandans are generous and loving hosts constantly trying to make us as comfortable as possible!

Worship
We were able to worship yesterday with a local church here in Kigali. This church is the host church for the teaching sessions. They provide food and lodging for all of the visiting pastors, some of whom travel for many hours to come and learn. Their worship is both passionate and beautiful. Many times I was brought to tears by their expressions of love for “Number One God.” They sang this one line in English for our benefit! I will post a video to our Facebook page (the videos are too long to send via email) of one of the choirs singing in yesterday’s service. I am also attaching a picture of the offering. Most Americans couldn’t handle these services – three hours long with THREE offerings!!!!

Children and Orphans
Everywhere we travel, there are orphans. I think in our culture, we lose sight of just how many children are orphaned around the world. Churches in the third world have made it their duty to care for these children in whatever ways they can. Today, after I took some pictures of the pastors’ class, I walked out to “recess” for the children here on the compound. They looked at me, and, as one, ran toward me. Each wanted a hug from me. It was such a surreal moment for me. As I hugged each child, I prayed for each one – they are the future here in Rwanda. GBTF NEEDS childrens’ ministry.

I have so much more to share. Tomorrow…..