I stepped off the plane and I felt like I was HOME.
The air was clean and fresh and there was so much GREEN!
It was different than I expected but I instantly fell in love with this beautiful Country. Ok I have felt love for every country I have gone to but this feels different.
Since being a little girl I have always wanted to travel to Arica and live in a community, fully emerged in the culture. God has fulfilled this desire and I have 4 total months here in Africa!
As we drive on a unexpectedly perfect paved road, to our new home for the month, I am like a kid in a toy store. Super excited with eyes wide open, not knowing where to look next. I love the rolling hills, I love the farm land, the trees, the green pastures, the beautiful people we continue to pass.
Thank you God for bringing me here!
We turn on a dirt bumpy road through this small town/village.
People and kids surround the streets along with their small shops. The owners/workers sit at the entrance to talk with the people nearby.
I am loving this place more and more. I think I mentioned before…Village life speaks to my heart.
We pull up to our host site and I am in awe. The house is tucked in the back of this village with farm life surrounding us. I am truly grateful for the view.
I step out of the van and I am instantly greeted by smiling children. AHHH I have been longing for this for so long. Bring on the endless HUGS!
I also instantly notice the cow. It’s been a growing friendship since. I named her Daisy. I visit with her every morning and stop by to pet her/lay on her on the way to ministry. My goal is to have her run to me when I call her by name. I’ll keep you update 🙂
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Here in Rwanda I am with Team Fly with Andy, Ty, Lee, Anna, Jen and Katy. Its been fun! We are partnering with International Healing Center. Such a powerful beautiful ministry led by our fearless, woman of God Fatia.
Me & Fatia
Let me give you some updates of what we have been doing here and how God is moving!
We got in on a Friday, had lunch and did a walk through of where we will be doing ministry:
-The School where we will be helping the teachers in the classrooms: these sweet children welcome us in their classrooms with a welcome song each day. The first time I heard this I wanted to cry happy love tears. It was so sweet!
-The Church where we will be giving our testimonies/sermons at the church a couple times through the week
-The Classroom where we will help with Sunday school with the kids
-The area we will be helping with construction to build a new church, add more classrooms and another bathroom for the kids. Big things are happening over here 🙂
New Classrooms
Saturday was our day off. We got to rest, adjust and settle in.
I went for a run in the morning and got stopped along the way by the many kids in the community.
I stopped and passed the ball back and forth and then decided to go back and get more of the team to spend time with the kiddos.
When we arrived to this open area (it’s like a community area where houses surround an open dirt field), kids starting running up to us. Seriously just coming from every angle. It was heaven on earth.
We had races, sang songs and silly dances, chased them around and played games and futbol (soccer).
Some of them know some English so we can communicate with them a little easier.
The parents gather around or stay at their houses and just smile and laugh.
It was an amazing day off 🙂
So since then we:
*had the opportunity to attend their church service, take part in their amazing passionate worship and then speak to the crowd of over 200.
Youth Worshiping
*Put on bible skits for the kids at church and at the school fellowship on Wednesdays
*visited families in an even remote village who then came to Accept Jesus in their heart. I also got to hold a baby 🙂
*visited their local hospital and prayed for many people, babies and pregnant women. I got to hold another baby (1 day old)
*played in the field with the school kids of about 300+ kids. We played soccer, sang songs, danced, I taught some cheers. We had a lot of fun! (Me Teaching them a Cheer is on my Facebook)
*attended a Wedding introduction. It was beautiful and set up like a wedding reception in America. Stunning views under a big white tent. Here the families gather and they negotiate the dowry. We got to dress all fancy and enjoy their traditions and a yummy meal.
*Held a medical clinic
We teach, we preach, we pray, we play!
We tell our testimonies and visit with people. It’s an incredible month y’all.
When we walk back to our house we are always greeted by our lovely friends in the community and of course so many hugs!
When we step out our doors, there are kids just patiently waited to say hi or for us to interact with them.
The wait at the edge of our yard
We usually have between 12-3 off (lunch at 1) everyday to rest or do whatever you need to get done. There have been a couple of times I try to take a nap but then I hear the kids outside my window. How can I rest when these adorable kids are just waiting for us to play with them. This is why we are here. This is what brings me instant joy. I get out of bed and just sit with them. Just being present is enough for them.
Our neighbor who always hangs out with us. I am love with this little babe and his cute little laugh 🙂
We are here to serve, love, bring encouragement, talk about how awesome Jesus is and hopefully leave a positive impact. The truth is…Fatia, this ministry, this village, the people are already impacting us in such a huge way. The presence of God is so powerful here. The way the people love and worship Jesus is inspiring! They have so much joy, even what we consider, having “so little”.
Honestly we are missing out on so much in America by having “so much” but that’s for a different blog.
I am loving this simple life. I have never felt so much peace and stress free. It’s a beautiful feeling!
As I travel around the world, I am realizing more and more that HOME is where my HEART is and honestly, I have left a piece of my heart in a lot of places.
Thank you for reading this and supporting me! More pics and videos to come in the future after my social media fast is over 🙂
Love ya and have a great day!
-Kristen
What a typical lunch/dinner looks like. Delicious!
Enjoying a day off at the Epic Hotel with Team Fly and John (our translator and new friend)
Also attached: A video of Team Fly’s “Meet My Team” with me as a special guest created by Tyler Inman 🙂
