What About Vulnerable Children?

This Sunday will be one of my more controversial sermons in the last year. I almost want to encourage you not to come to CCR this Sunday. I can't imagine that I won't offend everyone including my own spirit. If the Lord leads me as I am praying no one will walk away feeling comfortable.

I've gone on a long journey for many years wrestling with what is the responsibility for people of faith with vulnerable children. I've adopted 2 children, been an advocate for more adoptions, at one time sponsored 200 children to attend school, employed lots of people, facilitated many university scholarships, and started a school. I could make a nice CV about what I've done, but I find it has been short.

Though I've done what some may consider a great amount I emotionally avoid engagement. I don't go to orphanages and pretend I don't see street children. I've grown weary of unending problems and dependency. I'm weary of short sighted projects. I'm weary of expatriates who are unwilling to commit themselves, but put band aids on problems and snap photos to send back home as they request more money.

I've thrown my life in Rwanda into a vision of developing leadership that will be a source of transformation for generations. I'm convinced I can't be an advocate of the poor if I am not for the establishment of the middle class.

I tend to work with statistics to discern if my intuition is correct. I put some startling statistics together 2 weeks ago.

· 1 % of population has attended any type of Post-Secondary Education.

· 3% of Rwanda's population could be considered middle class (A/B audience) by Rwanda's media. (About 300,000 people or 50,000 households)

· 34 % of households are headed by widows.

· 13 % of households are headed by children.

· 26 % of the population under the age of 14 are orphans (Somewhere between 825,000 and 1,000,000 children).

Do you see the problem? On this side of heaven, it is more than just the Lord's command to care for orphans. I don't think it will be possible for Rwanda to become a middle income nation (as we've been praying for) if we don't effectively deal with these vulnerable children. They will become an economic weight that will break all gains. Also, many are under the age of 14 and thus were born after 1994. Given the Genocide was a major factor that created this dilemma, but we are now dealing with the second generation of this phenomena and a cyclical problem is developing.

It's time to go on a painful quest with an open bible, willing spirit, and hands ready to act. This Sunday I'm going to lay out some principles that I believe we must engage for the future. It won't be an easy journey, and I promise to offend almost everyone. No one will escape responsibility. If I preached for the favor of man I'd just keep ignoring the problem, but it's time for CCR to engage this dilemma.

Dave Jenkins

P.S. To get a sneak peek you may want to read the following link in Rwanda News Agency: 'Middle class can help end problem of orphans'

Can I Get Some Respect?

I am not a VIP. I am not a Big Man. I am a simple pastor who just tries to spend my time making and helping friends journey together with Jesus. I have twice had the privilege of a conversation with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame. On my last occasion I asked President Kagame about what he saw the role of faith based organizations to be in Rwanda's development. He responded that a key role was to teach about human dignity. It seemed like very wise advice. In a country traumatized by so many horrific events it can become easy to always conclude that one will be a victim. Vision, creativity, and responsibility are crushed in a nation of victims. Also, human rights can be easily trampled on those who see themselves on unworthy. I agree a key role of the faith community is to restore a lost sense of human dignity to those who see themselves as victims.

This Sunday I will conclude our teaching on From Crisis to Opportunity: A Study of the Habits and Values of Entrepreneurs Who Build the Institutions of Our Communities. The last topic we have received from the Ministry of Local Government is Self - Respect.

Though this concept of human dignity and self-respect can feel very contemporary it is one of the oldest concepts of human description. When God chose to create man, God described man as "made in our image." Thus how I treat others is a reflection of how I treat God. We are all worthy of dignity and respect for God has placed His very nature into our being. We are not God, but we are like Him in many ways. We are spiritual beings designed for eternity. We are beings who crave relationships designed for community.

When faced with the most difficult ethical dilemmas of our day our response should be to treat others as we would like to be treated. Thus we display the love and justice of God.

This concept of human dignity has transformed nations. It has taken them from backward ignorant collections of cruel humanity and inspired them to excel in ethics, art, technology, and commerce. Without human dignity democracy would be an impossible dream.

I'm eager to share more thoughts in this transforming discussion. I will look forward to seeing many of you this coming Sunday.

Imana ikurinde,

Dave Jenkins

P.S. If you enjoy walking / running please join us this coming Sunday as our CCR Run / Walk Club begins. Please bring 300 Rwanda Francs to cover the cost of water and bananas afterwards.

Continued Running

November 1, 2008
All I can say about last Sunday is "WOW!" Thank you for all who made it happen. At least 120 runners / walkers participated. Over 320 attended CCR. Minister Musoni started our race and handed out prizes. We could not have asked for a better day. Hopefully, the Lord was honored as we all enjoyed ourselves so much and reflected on the value of Speed.

We always try to listen as much as possible to all of your ideas. Many said that they had such a good time that they want for CCR to do a monthly run. Thus we are starting a CCR Running / Walking Club on the Second Sundays of each Month at 8:00 a.m. It won't have all the hoopla of the past Sunday, but if you enjoy good early morning company and a little exercise come to CCR on Sunday, 9 November at 8:00 a.m. and we will run together.

I know a few may be absolutely confused by a church that runs together. In fact, CCR is really no ordinary and predictable church. We believe God has placed on CCR a very unique calling to develop diverse generations of leaders to transform our communities. I would love to visit with you more about this vision. In fact, every first Sunday of each month CCR offers it's Beginnings Course immediately after worship. In this course we will explain our CCR vision and how you can get involved. We will provide a light lunch and the course will take approximately 3 hours to complete.

The next Beginnings Course is this Sunday, 2 November. I hope you will be able to attend and learn why CCR is a church that runs.

Dave Jenkins

Prayer Bulletin

October 28, 2008
Dear Family and Friends,

It has been an exciting several months with so many things happening that it has been hard to communicate to all of you. We continue to see the Lord do amazing things through answered prayers. In fact, we have never been a part of a beginning urban Africa church plant that has reached the numbers and leadership caliber as Christ’s Church in Rwanda has reached in just 19 months. God must be honored as the results can only be the result of His blessing. We plan our best, work our hardest; but know too well this is God’s work and not ours.

This month we ask your prayers for the following matters;

1. Thanksgiving for answered prayers for new marriages. In 2005 and 2006 when our family first arrived in Rwanda, we met three intelligent and diligent single young men in the Ministry of Local Government as we were registering CCR (Joseph Rurangwa, Fred Mufulukye, and Lawrence Manzi). Dave decided to seek a friendship and begin praying for their future marriages. Joseph and Fred have recently married and Manzi plans to marry next year. We believe one of the key tasks in post-genocide Rwanda is the restoration of family and that God desires to bless new marriages. We thank God for his work in our friends lives and ask his continued blessing upon their new marriages.

2. Thanksgiving for CCR growth. Dave has recently been preaching a series called “From Crisis to Opportunity” that addresses 11 issues that the Rwanda government has raised that must be addressed to promote Rwanda’s 2020 Vision. The series has been a creative and biblical look at issues in developing the institutions of community. It seems that CCR has broken through the “200 barrier.” The last 3 weeks CCR has had 215, 238, and 321 in attendance. Two Sunday’s ago 4 were baptized. This past Sunday to teach about the value of “speed” CCR hosted a 5 Kilometer race and 120 participated in the run. Many were unchurched people who later joined us for worship and we examined biblical texts about running. Rwanda’s Presidential Cabinet Minister of Local Government, Dr. Protais Musoni, joined us for the event.

3. More opportunities to teach widely in Rwanda: During our last 3 years in Uganda, Dave and Jana hosted a popular radio show. Since arriving in Rwanda we have cautiously explored the possibilities of doing radio. There have been increasing discussions the last few months about the possibility of a radio program and also taking our teaching material on “From Crisis to Opportunity” to a national scope. We do not want to rush what God may do, but also do not want to miss an opportunity. We ask that God will clearly open doors for a broader CCR teaching ministry in Rwanda.

4. Greater spiritual maturity, servant leadership, and discipleship at CCR: With our increasing numbers we still are hitting the 10/90 rule (10 percent of the people do 90 percent of the work instead of the standard 20/80 rule). Some of this is just the natural process of building a church afresh with unchurched busy people. CCR has an increasing number that are taking leadership responsibility. However, we want to pray that in the next year 12 will arise who we can personally mentor, and that 70 will arise to be part of a core CCR leadership team.

5. Next week Jana is working with Gladney Adoption Agency to host a conference for many in Rwanda’s government and child care organizations. May this conference bless many. Also, may it open an increasing number of doors to meet the needs of Rwanda’s orphans for a family.

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

Imana ikurinde (May the Lord Stay with All of You),

Dave and Jana Jenkins

P.S. Our family has recently begun using Face Book and thoroughly enjoyed connecting with many old friends. If you use Face Book please feel free to look us up.

Chatting is a VERY Good Friend

October 17, 2008
One of the things I am very thankful for here in Rwanda is the fact that I have been able to make some good friends. Friendship is so important; it is part of our human nature to desire to be with others and to share our experiences.

This got me thinking about the whole aspect of friendship. What actually is a friend? One of the main features of friendship is that you can relax and be yourself with another person. You do not have to act with them, you don't have to pretend that everything is OK when it isn't, and you can be honest with them.

Do you have any friends that you are never 100% honest with? I wonder how deep a relationship like this could be and how long it would last.

Imagine if you had a friend who knew everything there was to know about you. Even things that you didn't tell anyone else. Imagine they could see right in to your heart, even in to the hidden corners. Would you be honest with a friend like this?

Jesus is such a friend. He said in the Bible (John 15:13-15) that if we follow him he will be our friend. In fact, even at times when we choose not to follow him, he will still be our friend. He was labeled as the 'friend of sinners' when he was here on earth. When we communicate with him, or, to use spiritual terminology, when we 'Pray', do we approach him as a friend, in honesty, opening our hearts and letting him see all the hidden corners, or do we see him more as a distant authority figure who we are unable to be completely honest with.

This Sunday we will look at what Jesus' friendship means when we are thinking about prayer. We will look at the wonderful privilege we have in being able to be completely honest with him. Please do come and join us.

Graham McFadden