Stories from Rwanda


WHEN WE WASHED EACH OTHER'S FEET DURING OUR WEDDING CEREMONY 2 YEARS AGO, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE BELIEVED YOU IF YOU TOLD ME WE WOULD SOON BE SHARING THAT EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER COUPLES IN RWANDA. WHEN SERVING JESUS AND SERVING YOUR SPOUSE COLLIDE, IT IS SUCH A SURREAL MOMENT. GOD SOMETIMES ASKS YOU TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NERVE RACKING AND COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.. LIKE SPEAKING ON MARRIAGE WHEN YOU'VE ONLY BEEN MARRIED FOR 2 YEARS AND FEEL TOTALLY UNEQUIPPED. BUT, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO SAY YES ANYWAYS! GOD DOESN'T PROMISE THE COURAGE WILL BE THERE BEFORE THE TASK, BUT SOMETIMES THE COURAGE COMES AFTER YOU'VE BEEN OBEDIENT AND COMPLETED THE TASK HE HAS ASKED YOU TO. IT'S WORTH IT. HE IS WORTH IT. AND SEEING THE SMILES OF EACH COUPLE AS JACOB AND I DEMONSTRATED WHAT JESUS DEMONSTRATED FOR US, WELL THAT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT!! -CARA

 

 

"WHAT A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE. SITTING BACK WATCHING A NEW FRIEND SIFT THROUGH IMAGES OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE IN 1994.
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SHE WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD WHEN HER COUNTRY WAS EFFECTED BY SUCH A TRAGIC EVENT. I CAN'T BEGIN TO IMAGINE THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS FELT AS SHE WALKED THROUGH THE MEMORIALS WITH US TODAY. IF YOU ARE UNAWARE OF THE DETAILS OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE, I CHALLENGE YOU TO RESEARCH IT AND EDUCATE YOURSELF.
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I PRAY WE NEVER GET TO CAUGHT UP IN OUR OWN LIVES TO WHERE WE MISS OUT ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR PRESENT." - ERIN TYSON

 



JOY. PURE JOY. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN DESCRIBE HOW I FEEL SINGING WITH AND DISCIPLING THESE YOUNG MEN. THE LORD HAS SO APPARENTLY PLACED PASSION IN THEIR HEARTS FOR MUSIC AND THIS SHOWS THROUGH IN THEIR ARDENT WORSHIP. THE RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER IS TRULY ONE OF DIVINE NATURE AS THEY ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE. THEY ARE SO EAGER TO IMPROVE THEIR GOD GIVEN TALENT SO THAT THEY CAN DO IT TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY WITH A COMMON PURPOSE .. HONORING CHRIST WITH FERVOR IN SONG. THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME A SONG IN THE KINYARWANDAN LANGUAGE THAT IS CALLED "URI MWIZA". THIS PHRASE MEANS "YOU ARE GOOD" AND THE REST OF THE SONG PROCLAIMS THAT, INDEED, JESUS IS GOOD. I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE HEARTS OF THESE YOUNG MEN AND PRAISE JESUS FOR GIVING ME SUCH A SWEET GLIMPSE OF HOW HE LOVES US.

WITH LOVE FROM RWANDA,

JESSICA PAIR