We haven’t had much rain since we’ve been here, but we are getting a lot today! We have had thunder and lightening off & on since this afternoon- it’s pretty awesome! However, the rain did prevent us from visiting the kids at the Kanombe Home tonight. I don’t think I can describe the side street that leads to the Kanombe Home to you, but let me just say it is packed dirt, very steep, and completely full of deep ruts. Last time we visited there the house mom was able to walk that street faster than we were able to drive it! So we could not visit there because our van would get stuck in the mud for sure.

This morning we were with the kids at the feeding program. We had a really great time with them today. This was our third time being there and we could feel the kids being more relaxed with us, as well as KaLia & Nate feeling much more comfortable as well. (KaLia had a crowd around her as she knotted together strings of grass and then later was just being her silly self.) As we walked around the kids would just run straight up to us & grab our hands, sometimes having to hold two childrens hands with one of our hands. Several of these kids have managed to etch themselves into our hearts, just by being with us, walking with us, holding our hand, and looking into our eyes. We shared in their church service today as well. The pastor shared the testimony of one boy who last week had been near death, but now was regaining his strength and able to be with them today. Darcee and Jerid shared their testimonies today with the kids. After Jerid shared the pastor decided that the group needed to give him a new name in Ikinyarwanda (their language) this was to honor him for blessing them. The pastor took suggestions from the group and then the kids voted on which they wanted his name to be. The winning name ended up being Umugisha, which means blessing. Then we all stood up and held hands together to pray. They also asked our friend, Ngoga, to play the drum during prayer (and Nate had to help too of course). This is the first time I have prayed to the beat of an African drum. Our prayer time was powerful. The pastor told them it was time to talk to God, to cry out, to repent, to rejoice, whatever they needed to do. All these kids were crying out at the same time, and we got to join in with them. I could feel the presence of God in that time. As the prayer was drawing to a close, the pastor lead them all with hands raised and voices crying out, “YESU!” (Jesus!) “‘GWINO!” (Come!) Earlier the pastor had shared with us how the government does not want these kids on the street, so they round them up & take them to a different place, but this place is not good for them. So they hide in the bushes and run back here. We are praying for these kids, especially the ones who have made recent decisions to follow Christ. We are praying that they would be able to take that faith with them, wherever they go, no matter the struggles they face that they would know that their Heavenly Father cares about them.

We got some great news today (no, not our luggage). Last week we had stopped by the Assembly of God compound in Kigali- just because we were driving by & so the team could see it (most of us are from Assembly of God churches). The one missionary who was there was a woman named Candace. She had been very sick and was kept in the states, and only in the last month had actually been able to come join her husband here in Rwanda. She also shared with us about her two children who were diagnosed with MS, heavy on her momma heart. We felt prompted to gather around her and pray for her & her children. Today she called to say that her daughter and son had been to a revival meeting in Florida and her daughter was healed and her son is not completely healed but doing much better! Praise God! We definitely felt that was God’s direction that brought us to Candace’s door that day, at that time.

Tomorrow we will go to the Acres of Hope. We also plan to go in the afternoon to visit the street children where they live. We are still working on the luggage situation…

Thank you everyone for your prayers. I shared in devotions this morning about the boy who had the few loaves and fish, yet Jesus multiplied it to feed 5,000. In the same way, what we have may seem small to us, and we may be tempted to hang onto it. But it’s not about us, or what we have, it’s about Him! We keep our eyes on Jesus & let him make miracles happen!

God Bless You,
Lisa