Day #2 in Rwanda:
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Wake up at 6:00 (no alarm) because we go to bed at 9:00pm. Lay in bed. Spend some time with Jesus. I’m feeling pretty terrified of preaching on the spot (a normal occurrence in African churches), but then I realize that I am filled with Holy Spirit and He is a genius – the best evangelist ever, the best preacher ever. He knows everything. What am I afraid of? Why am I not trusting Him to show up if I am called on to preach? He knows exactly what the people need!
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8:30 – breakfast. It consists of tea or Nescafe, fresh fruit – bananas and pineapple today – and buttered bread. I like it. 🙂
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10:00 – our first experience with door-to-door evangelism in Africa. Alecia and I go out with our translator, Josephine.
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10:15 – at the first house we meet a man in his early twenties named Innocent. We make small talk. As the conversation turns to spiritual things he says to us, “I want to be saved.” Wow! I’ve heard Africans are hungry for Jesus…now I’ve seen it with my own eyes! It was a glorious moment! He got on his knees (no one asked him to.) Josephine led him through a prayer of salvation and then Alecia and I both prayed for him. He was clearly moved. Thank You Jesus!
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11:00 – catch a matatu to the post office where we are sharing at the fellowship that meets there at noon. Yes, they have a Christian gathering over lunch everyday in a room in the post office. Pretty sweet!
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12:00 – Kathleen does a great job preaching a message on 1 Corinthians 12 and the importance of embracing how God made us – each with unique gifts and a unique role to play in the body of Christ.
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1:00 – we grab a snack – pineapple juice, yogurt, and coconut flavored biscuit crackers for me
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1:30 – we are about to enter a museum about the genocide that took place in Rwanda in the early 90’s. What an intense experience. This happened during my lifetime. How does this happen? Why do people kill other people just because of their ethnicity? One of the most powerful things I saw was pictures submitted by family members of those they lost. Looking into those faces made it so real.
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3:30 – it is raining about as hard as I have ever seen it rain. I can’t see across the lawn of the museum. Then it starts to hail. I am in Africa near the equator and it is hailing. 🙂 Kind of fun. Reminds me of a summer storm growing up in Montana.
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4:30 – taxi to a bank in downtown Kigali that accepts international visa cards. The ATM is down, but thankfully they can do electronic banking with my card in the office.
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5:00 – our contact informs us he is headed to the hospital to help translate for one of our squadmates who isn’t feeling well. I go along.
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5:30 – spent a couple hours at a very nice hospital in Kigali. Don’t worry, all is well.
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7:30 – time to catch up on finances. Write receipts for the days expenses and enter them in my computer.
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8:00 – it’s dinner time. We are blessed with another fantastic meal. Rice, homemade french fries, homemade meat sauce, cucumber and carrot salad….we are spoiled!
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8:30 – phone call to touch base with the other half of Team Favor, Michael Perez. We are both loving Africa!! 🙂
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9:00 – time for a quick email check.
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9:30 – finish this blog….and it’s time for bed….
