Under Attack

After visiting our 24 kids in Rwaza and some very productive and pro-active meetings with various people that day, all leading to the betterment of the future of the children, we drove back to Kigila, satisfied and knowing the attack would come.

You see almost every time after we have made progress concerning our 24 children we find ourselfs under attack. Something will always happen to discourage us. We know that has we taking these children away from witchcraft, abuse and traditional medicins (is form of wicthcraft), we are taking them from a dark spiritual situation and bring them into light and freedom that Christ offers them.

Hence we know who is the one is trying to discourage us, even to the point of trying to cause us to die.

We had warned the two pastors who we network with that attck would come as usual. And sure enough, about an hour's drive before reaching Kigali the steering of our car broke. Travis was able to stop the vehivle just in time before crashing into a valley. It was a matter of less then an inch (2cm) before we would have crashed down.

The far left child is standing on the tire track of where we came to an abrubt stop.

We were in the middle of no-where. Curious children looked on while Travis and Pastor Joseph came up with a temporary fix to get the car to a place where more tools were available.
The joint had snapped and was in need of welding. With a temporary fix of some rubber string tied to keep the joint somewhat in place we drove at super slow speed to the nearest village.
The welder used to weld the joint together!
Pastor Joseph and Travis working together on a car part. We jokingly called this time a Godly Bonding time. But really that is what we thank God for.
A little "garage" behind the market place. It was yet another scary event with yet another breakdown that is called "odd". We thank God that the steering stopped where it did. We see the miracle of God's protection basically every time we go on the road. Sometimes in small ways, other times in very big ways as this day.

But really, if I would have to give up my life for the sake of those 24 children... Would I? Is it a sacrifice I am willing to make? God asked me to "bring justice to my children" as I was visiting Rwaza the very first time. Now I am the primary caregiver of the children. I did not understand what God was asking of me at first, but as I stepped out in obedience and found the truth concerning the children, their lives and the ongoing abuses I started to see what God was asking of me. Now the spiritual war is on over these children. Knowing they all know what true love is like now as they all know Jesus and have the full time care of someone who truely loves them as they are, I feel I would indeed be willing to lay down my life for these children. They are Rwanda's future. A generation of God fearing, tribe ignoring, reconciled youngsters! I thank God for the attacks. As pastor Jospeh said yesterday: where satan is not afraid, he does not attack!

P.S. We do need a new car , suitable for bad roads, very badly though!!!

Loose Life to Gain Life

It has been 3 years. Who would have thought that the impact would be so big. I remember the words: ”Oh it happens all the time”, “It is a natural weeding out of the weak” and “it was nothing anyways, really, why be sad”.
Yet, my heart tells me all those words are not true. My spirit knows the Almighty holds the truth, this truth I have held on to these past 3 years.

It was a Friday afternoon when Trav had to come home early from work to take me to the hospital. Fear and peace came and went, as if they took turns those long hours of waiting in the hospital. The kind woman looked at me as she realized I too saw the reason of my urgent hospital visit. As I stared at the life less baby on the ultra sound screen I looked at the woman as if I wanted to ask her what was wrong with the machine, it is supposed to show a beating heart, not one that stands still. Tears started to flow. My mother heart was broken. My baby, it was no more.

Then the questions came; did I have too much wine during the holidays, did I eat food that damaged my baby? Did I, did I, did I…. Questions and self-accusations ran through my mind. Stopping my mind I prayed: “God, you are the Creator. I refuse to believe anything but your truth about this life you gave to me. Please give me your point of view, your truth about the life that was just so short.” Right away I heard my thoughts: ”Even before I formed you in your mothers womb I had called you to be a prophet to the nations.” These words were all it took for me to feel peace, to know that God had purposed this little being inside of me even if it meant to be so short.

We named this baby Noa, meaning Quiet Peace.
It has been amazing to see how the Lord used Noa’s short life to impact many other lives. As I would share the loss of Noa, yet the peace I felt during my grief, knowing that God desired my DNA-my child to live shortly and to be with Him so quickly to worship Him forever and ever, and how I knew that the day will come that I will hold my baby as if it had lived with me every day of my life, with people around me, many women broke down in tears. They shared the loss of their babies and the emptiness they had felt since that time as they were not able to grief their loss. The friendships and prayers following brought healing and peace to many women.
A new ministry had started. Most of it happened at my daughter’s school playground.

When the Lord used Noa to heal areas of loss and grief I had experienced as a child, I knew that I could never agree with those claiming; “nature weeds out the weak from the strong”.
My Lord, the Creator of the universe created my Noa with purpose. And the blessing from this life has impacted not only me, but many that were close to me in that time. Loosing life to gain life. I thank God for my little Noa. The day will come that I will hold you. Until then I know you are safe in the Father’s hands.
Quiet Peace is mine.

An Unforgettable Christmas... continued

Lots of dancing!
Opening of the gift boxes. Cheers of joy and amazement were heard throughout the room! The buddies helped to children to understand that you do not eat lipgloss even when it smells like strawberried and that playdough is not a lotion for your skin!

Erin and Beatrice looking at the pictures of Erin's parents who are part of the church sending the boxes.
New cloths. Every child received new cloths. This boy came in a dress to the party as they had ran out of clean cloths that morning. Now he looked the way he should: a handsome young boy.