Amahoro Rwanda

Amahora means "peace"

This past week, we have been in Rwanda with our team mates Bruno and Kathleen Soucy for the first Kigali Guardians of Hope leadership conference. Along with a full week of ministry, we had the joy of spending time with the Soucy's eldest daughter Caroline who is visiting from Canada. Late one afternoon, we slipped over to Amahoro a women's sewing ministry.

Gorilla Quilted Wall Hanging at Amahoro

Grace giving us a tour of the Amahoro workshop and store

Amahoro was started in Kigali as part

of the ministry of Amani Ya Juu, Nairobi

The women in the program gain literacy

and sewing skills that enable them to earn

a sustainable income.

The Gorillas of Rwanda

It was great to see the creativity of these women at work

Erica and Caroline

Kigali 2012

Kigali, Rwanda

This past week, we traveled to Kigali, Rwanda, for the first Guardians of Hope Leader's Conference with the Baptist Associaton of Rwanda. 70 Guardians leaders and regional pastors gathered for the three-day conference at the Alarm Centre on the out-skirts of the city.

Erica and Kathleen Soucy

We are blessed to work with such a great team in Rwanda. Together, they have been supporting the ministry of the Guardians of Hope in 29 projects in every corner of this small Central African country.

Aaron and Reverend Gato

We were delighted to have such a strong turn out of women from the leadership of Guardians groups. Women play a key role in bringing about grassroots change.

The conference has been a great opportunity to share best practices from all of the Guardians of Hope projects in Africa. It was a fantastic time of mutual learning and sharing.

Aaron and Michel speaking to the gathering

Erica with Ernestine, who is serving as a development intern

with CBM's project in Rwanda with the AEBR.

Isaie training the Guardians of Hope leaders

on the principles of food security

Erica with one of the younger members of the group

(Several of the women GOH representatives brought their young children and nursing babies to the conference -- this little guy is a dancer!)

Integral Mission in Rwanda

Bruno & Kathleen Soucy with the Development Team in Rwanda

(Lawrence, Esperance, Sam, Andre, Gato, Isaie)

One of our joys in being a part of Canadian Baptist Ministries, is the great family of coworkers with whom we have the pleasure of serving with. I just returned from a week in Kigali, Rwanda, where we are helping with the Children of Hope and Guardians of Hope projects with the Rwandan Baptist Association.

It is exciting to see the holistic impact the church is having upon communities throughout Rwanda. Please uphold the Rwandan team in prayer as they prepare for 2012 ministries and anticipate the arrival of the Bustin family who are being redeployed by CBM to Rwanda where they will be involved in rural pastor training and Integral Mission projects.

In Prayer:

* Pray for the work of the Guardians of Hope as it seeks to strengthen home based care for people living with HIV and AIDS. This is an important component in each of the 29 GOH groups in Rwanda.

* Also in prayer this week, please remember the Christian churches in Garissa still reeling from the grenade attack on a Pentecostal Church this past Sunday that killed two people and injured three others. Insecurity in Northeastern Kenya has escalated over the past few weeks and has resulted in the withdraw of several international and national organizations. CBM will not have personnel in NEP until the situation improves.