We’ve come to the end of another amazing month! Working with Successful Christian Ministries has been awesome – Pastor Innocent, and his wife Pastor Vanacia have kept us laughing, they have encouraged us and they have challenged us so much each day. They have been super hospitable, so joyful and so loving…not to mention that their three sons Joshua (11), Innocent (9), and Prince (7) have been so much fun to hang out with each day! Let me tell ya, they were on holiday all month, but when they had to leave for boarding school the last few days it was really hard to say good bye.
So, 24 days of: meeting with community members to share the gospel and encouraging words, teaching drama to the Sunday school children and teens, teaching songs and games and just loving the children of our neighbourhood, preaching at Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday morning services, following Pastor Innocent to his meetings and just cherishing every story we heard from all the people we met here about life in Rwanda – both in the past and present. I am definitely going to miss it…Though Uganda is a very, very, veryyyy close second, Rwanda has definitely been my favourite place to be on the Race thus far. I’m really hoping that the future holds another trip to Rwanda to see our family and church here…
This next portion is just so you have an idea of the family we were blessed with this month 😀
Pastor Vanacia: a strong woman, very determined, articulate, and passionate. She and Pastor Innocent are a POWER duo.
Pastor Innocent: unintentionally hilarious, very loving, faithful to his family, ministry and Lord. He loves his warm milk, but encourages us not to drink it because we’ll “become like [him]” (as he points to his belly)! Also, insists that we call him ‘Captain Innocent’ whenever he is driving.
Joshua: biggest smile, so joyful, very smart, a great dancer (his hips don’t lie) and translator.He had me in stitches laughing all the time, and would refer to The Lord of the Rings (which we watched with them) as “The Magic Ring Film.”
Innocent: so kind and thoughtful, takes care of his youngest brother and vocalizes his love for people he cares about all the time. He would do our T25 work-out videos with us and pretended to be coach when he got too tired to participate. Also, he loved using our cameras, had the touch of a true photographer, and – when he got in the mood – would comically begin preaching on Ephesians 6 (“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is RIGHT!”) to anyone who would listen!
Prince: typical seven-year-old and youngest child – whines a lot, uses a pouty face, and watches TV all the time…but he also loves his hugs, would greet us with a big smile and “I love you SISTAH” when we’d return home, improved his “please” and “thank-you’s” over the month, and loved showing off his Chris Brown dance moves.He is SUCH a ham just like his Dad!
This month I felt truly at-home. Pastor Innocent would stop the car every time we mentioned the unfortunate count-down of days we had left, and would say, “You have to enjoy right now because you are HOME. It is not until next month in Ethiopia that you will be in the mission field. For now – with us – you are at home.” And that’s basically an overview of the month right there. All the ministry that we were a part of felt so natural because the people we were working with and the family we would return home to at night are so incredible…
I can’t believe there’s only one month left on this continent! The time is flying like crazy!
