Land of a Thousand Hills

GUARDIANS OF HOPE

RWANDA

Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills. As we travel this week through the seemingly endless vistas of steep mountains covered in terraced farms and sparse forest, we have been blessed by the songs of the Guardians of Hope and their testimony to God's grace.

As Canadian Baptists, we have been serving in Rwanda over the past five years working in partnership with L'Association des Eglises Baptistes au Rwanda (AEBR). This Association of Baptist Churches began in 1966 and today consists of 30,000 members worshipping in 183 local churches and approximately 300 chapels throughout this small country in central Africa.

Our friends and Canadian Baptist Ministries colleagues Kathleen and Bruno Soucey with Farming God's Way instructors Carl Shmidt and Willhelm Els from South Africa.

We have had the joy of staying with our CBM team mates, Bruno and Kathleen Soucey, and their son Ben. From their home in Kigali, Rwanda's central capital, we have made day trips into both the Eastern and Southern provinces bordering Tanzania and Burundi.

The Soucey's joined CBM at the same time as our family, and it has been such a gift to finally be able to visit them in their home and see first hand the great work they have been doing through integral mission with the AEBR. One of our highlights, has been getting to know pastor Gato and the AEBR development team who work with the Souceys in strengthening the work of the church in reaching out to the physical and spiritual needs of the poor.

This week, Bruno and the team are hosting Carl and Willhelm from Farming God's Way in helping improve agricultural practices in Rwanda's Eastern Province. Canadian Food Grains Bank has recognized the spiritual and practical impact of this ministry as it has been an effective ministry throughout Africa. We look forward in seeing the difference this makes within the communities benefitting from the training.

Kigali, Rwanda

One of the visits we made earlier in the week was to a homeless family living in Kigali Rural. Much of Rwanda lives in poverty, surviving on less than a dollar a day, but even among the poor you find people struggling at the margins. Often it is here that we encounter single mothers and widows living with HIV and AIDS. Anne Marie Kankera, was abandoned by her husband after discovering that she was HIV positive. Frightened for her own life and for the future of her seven children, bad turned to worse when their small house collapsed, leaving the family without anywhere to live.

Anne Marie had become a member of the Guardians of Hope in her AEBR church, she was encouraged by the prayers and concern for her family. The small congregation is made up of people like Ann Marie struggling to improve their lives and looking to Christ for Hope. They meet in an dusty stone building on the outskirts of Kigali. It so happened that the congregation had been constructing a small barn for pigs and goats. When they learned of Anne Marie's need, knew there was a more important use for this small stable, and so they converted the small adobe barn (only 6 feet by 12 feet), into a two room house for the family.

Life is not easy for Anne Marie, or her children, but she gives thanks to God and to the Church for the compassion and grace they have shown her family.

Anne Marie and six of her seven children

(if you look close, you can see the babies feet peeking out behind the eldest sister's back).

Please pray for both Anne Marie and young daughter who have AIDS. Through the Guardians of Hope both mother and daughter are receiving medical treatment and support, and the family is benefitting from a kitchen garden and rabbits which they raise for meat. Their family has been growing beans all around their home. Through odd jobs, Anne Marie is working hard to feed and keep her children healthy. Through the Children's of Hope program the kids are receiving school fees and basic help.

If you would like to hear more of her story, we have an interview with Anne Marie that we will be posting on our podcast site early next week.

What's Around the Corner?

Travelling along narrow mountain tracks in the back of a truck with the always jovial Isaie Gakwerere, the Guardians of Hope program officer for AEBR Rwanda. Isaie brought us to visit Guardians living in Gikongoro in Rwanda's Southern Province.

Once we return to Kenya next week, we'll be posting more stories and podcasts of the work of the Children of Hope and Guardians of Hope in Rwanda. Thank you for keeping our family and these ministries in your prayers!