Picture of the Day 26/08/2014

We visited the nursery school for the second time this morning, and led them in both lessons and games! They really enjoyed making conga-lines and copying our team leader David's actions!!

Playing copy the leader!!

Rwanda Shima Imana 2014

Rwanda Shima Imana 2014 by Henry Destin:

Our team spent last week worshiping and praising at the Rwanda Shima Imana festival across Kigali and we had a wonderful time!!

“Rwanda Shima Imana!” an annual national festival is prepared and organised by Christian churches in Rwanda, operating in unity and acting as one Body of Christ.

The inspiration to organize Rwanda Shima Imana comes from the Bible, under the text written in the book of Deuteronomy 8:10-18: 

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forgetthe Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself,“My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Members of our team outside the Amahoro National Stadium

In this year 2014, Rwanda Shima Imana was organised for the 3rd time around the theme: "A New Legacy". The leading verse is a biblical text found in the book of Isaiah 61:4:

"They shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations".

This conference happened on two different days; the first was on 15^th August and that was the youth rally where we all praised and worshiped the Lord for all he has done for our country in this year. We also prayed the most dangerous prayer ever, compiled of only three words - “Lord use me”. The youth conference took place in Kicukiro stadium.

Two days later on the 17^th of August in the national stadium there was joyful noise. This was the day everyone had been waiting for and that everybody was anticipating. The national celebration of “Rwanda shima imana”. We were all blessed with a lovely sermon from the fantastic preacher Rick Warren.

One of the amazing choirs that performed on the second day

 A New Legacy:

We might all know the effects of a legacy. There is a Kinyarwanda adage that states: "Uwiba ahetse aba yereka uri mu mugongo". (Literally translating that when you cheat or misappropriate, you are indeed coaching your children to do the same). If by doing bad we influence others, equally true is that by doing good we influence others to do good too. We could then confirm that when you do good; you are also coaching your children to do so. Our actions, good or bad, minor or big, few or many, leave therefore a legacy for the next generations to follow.

This theme was selected as a way of reiterating a covenant and a strong commitment of the current Church in Rwanda; which vows to leave a positive legacy for the following and subsequent generations.

For the people of Rwanda, the concept of a "new legacy" goes beyond proclamation. For us, it means much more than mere words. It entails times to reflect on and analyse our awful history, assess the possible origins of the dreadful situations our country went through and consider generally the responsibilities of different people and institutions, with a specific attention on the role played by the Church in that history.

Amahoro Stadium just after the sun went down - so beautiful!

Uniqueness of Rwanda Shima Imana 2014:

Rwandan church leaders who met in Kigali on the 2nd April 2014 decided that Rwanda Shima Imana this year should serve as a platform to analyse and exchange the plausible role and responsibility of the Church in the history of Rwanda. With the aim of creating a new mindset among church leaders and believers, and to revive the Church’s unique contribution and mandate of fostering a better tomorrow and creating a new and excellent legacy in Rwanda.

To deepen this discussion, the Church leaders went for a retreat in Musanze district, from the 9th to 11th April 2014. The resolution from the retreat was summed up in what was called: “The Musanze Declaration” which took both the good and shocking performance of the Church in the history of Rwanda. From Musanze, Church leaders decided to work hard and create "a new desired legacy".

"Rwanda, Shima Imana!" 2014 was a moment for people to meditate on the past, learn from the history, condemn the dreadful acts committed and repair what is possible to fix. It was also a moment to mobilise Rwandans to thank God for the progress made in the country and in the Church so far, and together envision the legacy we want to leave for our children and the next generations.

Such a beautiful team!!!

It was a great couple of days for all of our team, and we really enjoyed the atmosphere at the stadiums and the preaching and worship!! Would definitely recommend to anybody that is in Kigali around this time next year.

Picture of the Day 24/08/2014

Today we visited CLA - Christian Life Assembly - Church, we had such a lovely time singing some English/American worship songs and listening to Pastor Gary preach about fulfilling our missions in life.

Christian Life Assembly Church

Mission Out Reach - Sunday 3rd August

Last Sunday on the 3rd of August we were invited by the AEE staff members to join them at a church in the GASABO district for a form of joint service/conference. For this event we were lucky enough to be ask to contribute and help lead the Sunday school.

The story that we decided that we would tell the children was 'Joseph the Dreamer'. We gave the teachings to roughly sixty children aged between eight and twelve years old. The way in which we led that group was by giving a simplified version of the story complete with a set of actions and memory words in which we got the children to repeat and perform.

The children loved the actions and memory words and really seemed to engage with the leader of the teachings which was our team member Henry. They picked up the actions really quickly and were able to remember the key plot points of the story when asked.

Henry leading the children through the story of 'Joseph the Dreamer'.

The Story of 'Joseph the Dreamer':

There once was a young man named Joseph and his father was called Jacob. They lived together with Joseph's eleven brothers in the town of Canaan. Jacob gave his son Joseph a coat made of special colours, because of this Joseph's brothers became exceptionally jealous.

One day Joseph had a dream about bunches of grain that him and his brothers had picked, whereby his brother's bunches of grain all stood up and bowed down to his. He also had another dream about the sun, moon and stars where yet again his father and brothers bowed down to him. This infuriated his brothers even more.

A few days later Joseph went to go find his brothers in the field they were working in. His brothers had been plotting to kill him, however they sold Joseph to a group of travelers going to Egypt. To convince their father that Joseph had been killed they dipped his robe of many colours in animal blood and took it to him. This made Jacob incredibly upset and he wept for many days.

However the Lord had blessed Joseph, as Potiphar his master had put him in charge of everything that he owned in his house. However Potiphar's wife was not happy about this, and therefore lied to Potiphar in order to get Joseph thrown into jail.

Nevertheless the Lord remained with Joseph. Two of Pharaoh's workers were sent into jail with Joseph and each of them had a dream - they explained their dreams to Joseph. Joseph told one of the workers that he would be getting out of jail soon and to tell Pharaoh about him. But once the worker was let out of jail he forgot about Joseph and so Joseph spent a further two years bound.

After two years Pharaoh had a dream that no one in his kingdom could explain. The worker remembered Joseph and bought him to Pharaoh. Joseph explained to Pharaoh that it was God that helped him to understand dreams. He explained that Pharaoh's dream about seven fat cows and seven thin cows was actually a warning from God about seven plentiful years followed by seven years of famine. 

Pharaoh asked Joseph for advice, in response Joseph told him that God had already shown him what he had to do. God's advice was for Pharaoh to save food in the seven prosperous years so that they would have plenty in the seven years of famine. So that it what Pharaoh did.

Seven years passed and people from all around came to buy food, some of the people that came were Joseph's brothers. Although Joseph recognised them, they did not recognise him. Just as Joseph had originally dreamed all of his brothers bowed down to him.

Joseph arranged to have meetings with his brothers in which he revealed his true self and told his brothers not to be scared. Further he told them not to be worried or angry with themselves for selling him, as it was Gods plan for his life -  and through this he has managed to save many peoples lives.

Joseph's brothers and father all came to live with him in Egypt and they all had plenty to eat.

We are aware that this is quite a simplified version of the actual Bible story, but we wanted to talk to our audience in terms that they could understand and to keep their attention by not making it too complicated. 

Incorporating the actions into the story really grabbed the children's attention and after we had finished the Sunday school leaders asked if we would be able to teach them in how to create such actions and stories. It is amazing that they liked our ideas and we can't wait to see what they themselves do!

After we had shared the story and the messages from the story, we were treated to a singing and dancing performance from some of the children. 

Once Sunday school was over we played the classic game of 'Stuck in the Mud' which was so much fun, and so exciting to get to interact with the children - despite some of them not understanding that once you were caught you had to stand still!!

The event carried on throughout the whole day and moved venues from the local church to a field nearby. Here we were able to join in with some of the local/traditional dancing. Which was absolutely amazing, it was such a warm and welcoming environment and the sense of community spirit and bonding was so intense. The dancing was a one of experience and it was such a pleasure to be able to join in.

One of the choirs performing a dance.

Included in the event was singing from numerous choirs, and a sermon from our very own AEE staff member - NAMARA. It continued through a time of prayer and people coming to Christ for the first time by laying their lives before Jesus - which was such a beautiful event to witness. The AEE staff members informed us the next morning that through the event eighteen people had been bought to God which is fantastic and a real blessing to have been a part of.

Throughout the entire day the children were incredibly keen to play games and interact with us. One of the most favourite things that we did was pulling faces! The children found it hilarious and so did we!!

Everyone pulling their best faces!!!

It was a real blessing and privilege to had been invited to be a part of this celebration and we are incredibly grateful to the staff of AEE for asking us, and also the members of the church and the community for accepting us and making us feel so welcome. It was one of the best experiences we have had since being here (which is a tough call because we have had so many wonderful times!!). It is a day I am sure that none of us will forget for a very long time to come.

Picture of the Day 07/08/2014

Today we went back to KIMIHURURA farm to help out with the watering, whilst having a cute little jamming sesh.

Team Kigali Family Choir - we think so!!