8 Weeks in Rwanda

We can hardly believe it, but we have been in Rwanda for 8 weeks. It has gone very rapidly. So much has happened in such a short time that our heads are continually spinning. This month we ask your prayers for the following matters:

1. Thanksgiving for Rain: The dry season has ended. For our first 7 weeks there was a dusty haze that hovered over Kigali. The dust contributed to our colds and flues. It has now rained each day for 5 days. The dust is diminishing. The air is cool and fresh. Everything is becoming green. We can not express how thankful we are for the earthly pleasure of rain in Africa. May our spirits enjoy God’s refreshment as much as our bodies.

2. Thanksgiving for a Fabulous Let’s Start Talking Internship: We had a wonderful group of 12 university students from Oklahoma Christian and 2 from Harding University this summer. They did a Let’s Start Talking Project (teaching English using the Gospel of Luke) on the campus of Kigali Institute of Science and Technology. They interacted with approximately 350 university students, and made a tremendous impact. Their time at KIST closed with a party. During the party a reporter for “New Times” (Rwanda’s most popular newspaper) walked by, heard the commotion, and smelled a good story. In interviewing us he made the comment, “In all my years in Rwanda, I have never seen any thing like this.” May God use the efforts of this team to bear great spiritual fruit.

3. Government Documentation and Favor: One of our first tasks in Rwanda is securing a means to stay legally and work. It appears that KIST will help Dave acquire a long-term visa as he will be their Ethics Lecturer next year. (Again, thank you to our LST team and Oklahoma Christian University for creating such good will.) However, we are now at a real crunch time. This visa needs to be secured quickly so that our possessions can be imported into Rwanda and we can settle into life.

4. Settling Into Life in Rwanda: With the departure of our interns our lives are much quieter. (But we generally prefer commotion.) It is now time to begin settling. The next few months will probably be some of our more stressful ones in the next year. We are moving from our furnished home (where the city water has not run in 6 weeks) to an unfurnished home (where hopefully the city water will continue to run). The move should save us rent and utilities, but will have some difficulties. As we can not clear our possessions without a long-term visa we are in a wait mode. We will sleep on simple mattresses on the floor and basically camp for a month or two as we try to get our documents processed and our shipment into Rwanda. (However, the home we are moving into has a beautiful wooded lot and lots of room for our kids to play). May we have joy, contentment, patience, and wisdom.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement that sustain our family and ministry.

Imana inkurinde (May the Lord Keep All of You),

Dave and Jana

P.S. Sam Shewmaker has created a new blog with information on Rwanda that we recommend you view at http://cryrwanda.blogspot.com/