Our last 3 team members made it back into Portland before the “Arctic Blast”- although they did have to fly through Chicago and ended up with a 6 hour delay there due to inclement weather. Before they left Rwanda they participated in a graduation ceremony for older street children who had been trained in a carpentry training program (takes place at the same facility as the feeding program for the street children). Here is Jill’s account:
“The class of 14 had been going to the carpentry school for the last 2 years. Many of them we had met last spring. You have never seen a more proud class and proud families. Of course many of them did not even have families to share the moment with so we were stand-ins in the picture taking. I really don’t think they cared as long as they had someone cheering for them. I think Mike will have lots of help when it comes to the construction on the Home of Innocence. They just love Mike! Ten Talents gave them each a bag of tools- in it was a tool belt, hammer, square, tape measure, ear plugs, 3 carpenter pencils, some got a box knife while 2 had to get a watch. The carpenters REALLY like all that they got include the attention but they deserved it with all their hard work. I took almost 300 pictures and it was just of the street program and festivities of graduation. Another team from Portland bought meat to go in their lunch along with bananas. They had sodas but ran out before everyone got one. The important thing is that everyone got fed the lunch. Then after graduation the Portland team gave out sandals to most all of the street kids.”
I wanted to show you this picture one of our team members took last spring. It was after we had found Gilbert on the streets (see that post from May). Gilbert told us that drainage ditches just like this one are where he is able to sleep (and find limited protection).
It breaks your heart to think of kids living like this- and all that goes with it- subsisting on what little food they can find, and the sickness that accompanies poor hygiene & weak bodies. But it doesn’t have to stay that way for a lot of these kids. We can help them, and we want to start as soon as we can!
As Christmas nears, please remember the children living on the streets. Our team was able to get interviews with quite a few children and we are soon going to be looking at recommendations for which children TTI can help. We would love to have you be a part of this work to make a real difference in impoverished children and families. Will you consider making a donation today to help us reach out to more children? And will you pray for these street children as well as for us? We pray for God to keep those children safe & to give them hope. And we want to follow God’s leading in the decisions we make and we are asking God to provide the funds needed for this work.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas & are truly grateful for the many blessings you have. In spite of what you may read in the newspaper or hear on the TV, we really are blessed in so many ways. And most of all- let’s remember that at Christmas we celebrate the fact that, “God so loved the world, that he sent his only son…” God became flesh- it is an amazing thing- he stepped down from his heavenly throne all because of his love for us- to reach us & redeem us. Truly something to be thankful for!
Merry Christmas & God Bless You,
Lisa
