The rain that falls

The rain that falls, may it fall again. So the saying goes in Rwanda. In Texas it might be: Yall come back now, ya hear? Right now I am sitting on the last airplane I want to even see for a long time. I have been on the go for 27 hours and have another 2 before I get into San Antonio.

As you can imagine, I am more than a little bit tired and raw. You will excuse me if I lose a little grammar and/or flow. To be sure, I am not even certain I have a purpose in composing this post.

I was just looking at my pictures from the trip. Once again, I got far too few. I always regret not having taken more while I was there, but when I am in the moment the last thing I want to do is remove myself from living that second by retreating behind my camera.

This trip was tough. By far, the toughest experience for me yet. Obviously the most disappointing part is not having the rest of the team make it over. That really crushed my spirits. I was so looking forward to having everyone. Because Van & Debbie didn’t make it, I am still without significant ability show you the incredible story of redemption playing out in that small nation. Add to that I got really quite sick for a couple of days. I also was with some good, but human people struggling to be Godly everyday – sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. There were points this year when I wondered if this would be my last trip to Rwanda for a while. I don’t know what the future holds, but God is good and before I flew out of Kigali I knew I would never leave Africa, not really.

After my first trip to Rwanda, I distinctly remember telling people that the nation reminded me of a newborn fawn trying to find her legs. You watch with anticipation knowing that it is equally likely that the newborn will collapse as gain its balance. In just a few short years, Rwanda has found her legs. They are building bridges – not just over rivers, but between their past and their future. This is a country who faces new national challenges every day. Filling one need inevitably reveals two unexpected new ones. Yet, this little nation sits as an example of what is possible to its neighbors: Kenya, Congo, Uganda, Chad, etc. (to say nothing of Zimbabwe).

Real change takes commitment. It takes good people willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. It means expecting Christ and His Church to be leaders in shaping the future of the country. (I don’t mean participating in politics really. I mean actually being the center of community life and everything that entails.) It takes men like Nathan Amooti sharing his laughter when it’s a choice between that and crying. It takes women like Jan organizing widows and leading the way toward reconciliation. It takes saints like Emmanuel Kolini exerting his own personal holiness as a covering for the people. It takes survivors like Harriet seeing the worst the devil can dish out and still choosing to see love people in a way that envelopes your whole being.

I don’t know if I will blog anymore about this trip. I find that once I get home it takes me several months before I can share my experiences. That being said, I will put up some pictures on the blog once I am at a high speed location!

Finally, I ask you to keep praying for the saints in Rwanda: Nathan, the Mango Tree Church congregation, Amy, Tiffany, Harriet, Archbishop, the kids in Hope Village and all the others who love us and are loving their people so well.