I neglected to give the website for more information about the Gala. It is October 17, 2009 and the website is: www.oneliferwanda.com.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Back in the USA - Now What?
It's been a month since I've posted something. I would like to say that all eleven of us are busy doing nothing. Well, Mark S. took off for another 10 hour flight for business, Mary and Struan are back in school, and the rest of us are busy working and all being busy looking at our thousands of pictures taken narrowing them down to maybe 100?
Many of us are wearing many hats these days and I think some of us could top the Cat in the
Hat hats he had on.
On October 17, 2009 we will be hosting with a lot of others a One Life Rwanda to raise funds for the Sonrise School. We spent time there this summer and are looking forward to a fun evening of celebrating life, enjoying the portraits painted by the Sonrise School High School students and raising funds through a silent auction and Rwandan Market Bazaar.
That is all for now. We are doing what we can to stay in touch with each other. Going to the same church helps a little but I miss my new Saturday routine (coffee with the girls). On the last day in Kigali before we flew home the long way through Ethiopia, Maureen, Stacey and myself took off for the Serena Hotel for a western style buffet breakfast and then shopping followed by sitting down to coffee at the Bourboun Street Cafe. Others went to the Saturday market and others did whatever. It was a nice free morning and you had to stay in groups of two (at least you weren't alone).
So until next time, I will leave you a photo taken during our debriefing from our mission trip. We went to Uganda to Queen Elizabeth National Park and on our safari, we were 10 minutes from the equator where north meets south. The weather did not change (I tested it) but I didn't take some water to see which way the water swirled. So like most American tourists on a "family vacation," what else do you do but even the axis of the globe for a few minutes. Our lovely guide joined us as well to make it a six and six even for the north and south.
God bless you.
Sally
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Back in the USA
Dear All,
We arrived home on August 17, 24 hours later than expected. The flight from Kigali, Rwanda delayed our trip missing our connection on August 15. It worked out fine because Ethiopian Airlines put us up in a nice hotel for about 12 hours, fed us before departing for the airport to come back to USA. We traveled to see Addis Ababa and an eastern orthodox church to see a museum that opened a few years ago and shared the history of the kings and priests, etc. We went back through biblical history of King Solomon, Queen of Sheba and their son Menelik (as historical records mention) and saw the tombs of King Hayla Sellasie I (died 1974) and his wife (died ~1961).
Our time in Uganda at Queen Elizabeth National Park was worth the time spent after what we thought was going to be a seven hour trek took us almost 12 hours. Some roads are paved from Rwanda to QENP and some are not, going from pavement to gravel to sand, etc. Three of us thought that where we stayed (Jacana Lodge: individual cabins overlooking a crater lake) was a good spot for a women's retreat.)
We accomplished seeing the big game, rested with decent nights' sleep and British-style cuisine. There were many highlights of this leg of the trip but one excitement was to get to the Equator.
There are pictures and when we get some time will be uploading some. We all have great ideas of how we futuristically want to serve God and will be meeting and praying about our next steps.
Please continue to pray for us as when we return to life in USA from trips like this, there is a strong power of opposition lurking around.
Thanks, God's blessings to you and will be writing other stories aobut our trip.
Sally
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Good Times in Rwanda - Begin the Return
Dear All, Please keep us in prayer as we head off to Uganda to Queen Elizabeth national Park at the Jicana Lodge which is a tree house lodging system. -- hmmm.
We will be there for debriefing from the trip and then head to Kigali on August 14 before having dinner with Pastor Deo on Friday evening and then have a day at the market before heading to the airport to get home around 8am on August 16. We have enjoyed our time here and are anxious to come home and talk about things. This was a different trip and I am eternall grateful for those who financially supported me to go.
We will be doing some blogging when we get back and have updated the blog as best we can. There is a lot to process. The most important thing is that we are on God's time not our own. We have our list of things to accomplish and then God does something to say that this is what I need you to do. One final picture I need to take in Musanze, Rwanda is the volcanoes that have shown themselves out of the clouds and also a bush of sisal, which I will explain later. We had a wonderful lunch with Bishop John, his wife Harriet and a group of pastors and archdeacons that he knows and it was great.
Dinner was even nicer when we met with the committee of the Mother's Union and Inyakurama. They presented all the women with traditional Rwandan outfits that we will wear at the gala on october 17 and just a sweet time of fellowship of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
The coffee washing station was overwhelming. I cannot speak too much about it than I have because it is a processing thing and may end up with an article about it. What I can say is that I will never drink or sell coffee the same way after where we were what we saw how these coffee growers live. The bright spot is that they send us the best coffee beans, there is a field landscaped for a soccer field. It needs grass, lines and goals and then they can learn to play, share the Gospel and learn about coffee growing. Remember the movie Field of Dreams and this is it for the future of Rwanda, in small parts.
We thank you for your prayers. We thank you for your support for us and we thank you for sending us to give to these wonderful people in Rwanda.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Sally
Please pray for: safe return flights, good time in Uganda, and decent roads. Pot holes in the USA are a welcomed sight.
We will be there for debriefing from the trip and then head to Kigali on August 14 before having dinner with Pastor Deo on Friday evening and then have a day at the market before heading to the airport to get home around 8am on August 16. We have enjoyed our time here and are anxious to come home and talk about things. This was a different trip and I am eternall grateful for those who financially supported me to go.
We will be doing some blogging when we get back and have updated the blog as best we can. There is a lot to process. The most important thing is that we are on God's time not our own. We have our list of things to accomplish and then God does something to say that this is what I need you to do. One final picture I need to take in Musanze, Rwanda is the volcanoes that have shown themselves out of the clouds and also a bush of sisal, which I will explain later. We had a wonderful lunch with Bishop John, his wife Harriet and a group of pastors and archdeacons that he knows and it was great.
Dinner was even nicer when we met with the committee of the Mother's Union and Inyakurama. They presented all the women with traditional Rwandan outfits that we will wear at the gala on october 17 and just a sweet time of fellowship of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
The coffee washing station was overwhelming. I cannot speak too much about it than I have because it is a processing thing and may end up with an article about it. What I can say is that I will never drink or sell coffee the same way after where we were what we saw how these coffee growers live. The bright spot is that they send us the best coffee beans, there is a field landscaped for a soccer field. It needs grass, lines and goals and then they can learn to play, share the Gospel and learn about coffee growing. Remember the movie Field of Dreams and this is it for the future of Rwanda, in small parts.
We thank you for your prayers. We thank you for your support for us and we thank you for sending us to give to these wonderful people in Rwanda.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Sally
Please pray for: safe return flights, good time in Uganda, and decent roads. Pot holes in the USA are a welcomed sight.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Coffee Washing Station Tour - Part 1 - Aug. 10, 2009
Muraho!!
Today was a tough day. I cannot drink or sell coffee the way I used to. Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee (www.drinkcoffeedogood.com) is grown in an area stricken by severe poverty and despite high altitude sickness today my heart rejoices and breaks - rejoices for God in being used to share this with others and breaks because of their living conditions. We prayed tonight about gratitude in our lives and read Colossians 3:15-4:1. Their joy of the Lord radiates.
The soccer field that was dug out two months ago is now landscaped. Goal: teach new coffee growers the business, teach soccer and share the Gospel at the same time. I was asked to give speech at the end of our tour; as coffee ambassador, had few tears streaming down my cheeks as I shared as primitive as their surroundings are, they are just as professional as what we have here in the western world. Got to ride a bicyle that is used to transport coffee beans. Riding the bumpy and rocky sand roads was an adventure. The local children like to hop on the back of the bikes; however, if you don't know they are there, you can topple over, which I did and which there are no pictures to share that wonderful scene.
We are tired and have heavy hearts tonight for all that we did, saw and thought about through Colossians 3:15-4:1.
Have lots of activities tomorrow and will continue the coffee story in Part II.
God's blessings to each of you, and thank you so much for your prayers.
Mugisha
Today was a tough day. I cannot drink or sell coffee the way I used to. Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee (www.drinkcoffeedogood.com) is grown in an area stricken by severe poverty and despite high altitude sickness today my heart rejoices and breaks - rejoices for God in being used to share this with others and breaks because of their living conditions. We prayed tonight about gratitude in our lives and read Colossians 3:15-4:1. Their joy of the Lord radiates.
The soccer field that was dug out two months ago is now landscaped. Goal: teach new coffee growers the business, teach soccer and share the Gospel at the same time. I was asked to give speech at the end of our tour; as coffee ambassador, had few tears streaming down my cheeks as I shared as primitive as their surroundings are, they are just as professional as what we have here in the western world. Got to ride a bicyle that is used to transport coffee beans. Riding the bumpy and rocky sand roads was an adventure. The local children like to hop on the back of the bikes; however, if you don't know they are there, you can topple over, which I did and which there are no pictures to share that wonderful scene.
We are tired and have heavy hearts tonight for all that we did, saw and thought about through Colossians 3:15-4:1.
Have lots of activities tomorrow and will continue the coffee story in Part II.
God's blessings to each of you, and thank you so much for your prayers.
Mugisha
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Monday - August 10 - Coffee Washing Station
In about 12 hours we will be on our way to a coffee washing station in Bukonya, Rwanda. It is about 90 minutes from Ruhengeri and a dream come true for me to finally getting to see this place. Our Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee comes from this region and we are looking forward to our visit of a tour, how the coffee is processed, etc. and then lunch before other activities.
Please keep us in prayer for decent roads. Every so often you are driving on smooth roads and then you are driving on gravel that consists of volcanic and regular rock and sand. Also pray for a wonderful time with each other. I am hoping to take a lot of pictures to hopefully get printed in time to sell the coffee on September 6.
Until later......blessings for the rest of the day to you.
Sally
Please keep us in prayer for decent roads. Every so often you are driving on smooth roads and then you are driving on gravel that consists of volcanic and regular rock and sand. Also pray for a wonderful time with each other. I am hoping to take a lot of pictures to hopefully get printed in time to sell the coffee on September 6.
Until later......blessings for the rest of the day to you.
Sally
Sunday Worship - African Style
I wish I had pictures to show you right now. We attended two worship services. The first one was with the Sonrise School kids and their style of worship muffles the 11am service in main sanctuary (author's perspective yet admit I could be wrong). Lively music with electric piano, drums, dancing and singing. At one time, some of the kids came to where we are and got two of our best dancers dancing like pros. After we left there, some went straight to the Cathedral in Ruhengeri for a Rwandan traditional service. Others had to make an emergency run back to our Guest House where we were staying and when we arrived, were escorted to the front of the sanctuary and sat in chairs directly in line of view of Bishop John - oops. A little later on, he recognized my presence with traditional hello nods.
It was also baptism day, food and other item donation day and when Bishop John gave his sermon, he allowed his brother Francis, who is now ordained, to translate the sermon for us. The service started around 9:30 or so and didn't stop until close to Noon. The children's choir sang, a small sermon and prayer for the kids before they left for Sunday School, toe-tapping and dancing African worship music interspersed between readings and prayers. Except for the sermon and a few announcements, the service was conducted entirely in Kinyarwandan language.
The bottom line for the sermon based on Exodus 23:13-end of chapter and Exodus 11:18-end of chapter called on us to come to Jesus as we are with all we have to be changed and transformed and to treasure your relationship with Jesus Christ from right where we are to where we are now and where we are headed in the future.
It was a fun morning and worship here in Africa (esp. Rwanda) is none like home.
God's blessings to you this fine and glorious day.
Sally
It was also baptism day, food and other item donation day and when Bishop John gave his sermon, he allowed his brother Francis, who is now ordained, to translate the sermon for us. The service started around 9:30 or so and didn't stop until close to Noon. The children's choir sang, a small sermon and prayer for the kids before they left for Sunday School, toe-tapping and dancing African worship music interspersed between readings and prayers. Except for the sermon and a few announcements, the service was conducted entirely in Kinyarwandan language.
The bottom line for the sermon based on Exodus 23:13-end of chapter and Exodus 11:18-end of chapter called on us to come to Jesus as we are with all we have to be changed and transformed and to treasure your relationship with Jesus Christ from right where we are to where we are now and where we are headed in the future.
It was a fun morning and worship here in Africa (esp. Rwanda) is none like home.
God's blessings to you this fine and glorious day.
Sally
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