Our Path to Rwanda

About 5 years ago I started researching child sponsorship and how we could get involved.  I found a little boy on a site that lived in Peru, and I had his picture up on our computer for a while as I prayed over him.  I was trying to decide if it would be possible to meet him by going on a trip with T Bar M, the camp I work for, who at the time was building a camp in an area near there.  Peru is a special place for us personally because Chad and I “fell in love” while on a mission trip there.  I felt the pull to sponsor that little boy, but never followed through (I pray he found a committed sponsor!).  I just wasn’t sure if we’d be able to meet him, and I knew I wanted to be able to do that.

 

A few months later a long time friend of mine began sharing about her time in Rwanda.  I will never forget the day the deal was sealed in my heart to pursue a path to Rwanda.  Natalie had video of the walk up to a tiny hut to bring gifts to the sponsored child of a friend of hers.  Food.  A thin mattress.  A picture of the family in Texas who was now forever linked with this family in Rwanda.  I called my girls to come and see, and we watched as they crowded in the tiny home atop a hill and looked through the gifts.  We watched over and over in amazement (and with tears!).  I knew then that there was no reason we couldn’t have that same kind of life-changing encounter. 

 

You see, child sponsorship dramatically changes the life of a child and their family.  It gives them opportunities that would otherwise be out of their reach.  On our end, the changes can be monumental too.  I have watched my children and my husband genuinely pray for and love Grace and Jean Claude, even though they’ve never met.  Our sponsored kids, as well as their families, are now a part of our family.  I’ve watched our children open up to the reality that not everyone has what we have.   And while I certainly wouldn’t want to press “the American dream” into Rwanda, is it too much to hope for every person to have the basic needs covered?  Clean water, nutritious food, the chance to learn and thrive?  Now all we need to do is give generously.  We need to love in tangible ways, practical ways.  Meet needs in any way we can.  Have compassion and act on it.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:2-4 

There are many organizations you can partner with.  We chose Africa New Life in Rwanda.  Visit www.AfricaNewLife.org to start sponsoring a child today.  That’s the first step in changing both the life of a child thousands of miles away, but also the lives of you and your family.  Resist the temptation to simply write a monthly check and leave it at that.  Pray for your sponsored child and their family daily…they’ll be praying for you!  Send them letters.  Gifts.  Weave them into your family, and watch what happens!

 Kathleen meeting her sponsored child Claudine

Bugesera, Rwanda

Photos by Lisa Perry ~ November 2012