Grace and peace from across the ocean! It’s been a minute so it’s time for a bit of a longer update than usual...please reply to this email with your thoughts if you make it to the end!
As some of you know (because you may have witnessed or participated in John’s Great Voyage to the Americas) John recently visited the US for about 3 weeks, and it was a huge answer to prayers. Before John left, the cumulative stress of life and ministry here had built up significantly, and we were praying that his time in the US, while packed with speaking engagements and multi-state stops, would be a refreshing break. He started out the trip with a visit to our friends in Alabama where he spoke at a missions conference, and even stayed with one of our former intern’s family! This time in Alabama filled John’s cup with encouragement; as he shared about the work and the struggles we have been facing, he was constantly reminded that we are not alone, that people are praying for us (some daily!) and are deeply interested and invested in the work God is doing here. He kept commenting how friendly everyone is, which was a reminder that this was one of his first times experiencing true southern hospitality!
Soon after he went to our home base in Maryland, and what a joyous reunion this was with our home church. Spending time with friends and family that showed their deep care and concern for us as people, not simply as field workers, was a meaningful refresher of God’s unconditional love. Another truly miraculous answer to prayer was that Rachel and the kids had ZERO crazy things happen with John away; the cars worked, no one got malaria or even a cold, and there was minimal weeping. So thank you all for praying over this time, John has safely returned with suitcases stuffed with American goodies and a renewed spirit, and Rachel is ready for a nap (and a pop tart).
While our newsletters often focus on our life and happenings here, this one will attempt to share a bit more about the people we interact with on a daily basis, and hopefully give some insight into why we feel deeply called to stay in Kigali, as long as God wills. This is something we have struggled to navigate, as we feel other people’s stories are not ours to tell, and trust is hard won in this country.
That being said, here are just a few of the stories we have heard since we moved here. If you know anything about Rwanda, you probably know about the genocide that occured nearly 32 years ago. While this was a conflict that was brewing for a long time, on April 7, 1994, things came to a head and one tribe, the Hutus, began a brutal massacre that targeted members of another tribe, the Tutsis. The horrors of this time continue to affect the daily lives of every person that lives in Rwanda, whether born here or not.
At the gym Rachel works out at, one friend shared how her mother was the youngest of a large family, and somehow she was a witness to the murders of every single one of her siblings, while she herself survived. The impact of this trauma affects her and her children in too many ways to describe. During the genocide, many people ran to churches, and instead of being places of refuge, many houses of prayer became houses of blood, as “shepherds” turned on or turned in the very flock they were meant to protect. This has created a deep suspicion and level of “church hurt” that leaves many people wary of Christianity, or even God on the whole.
Another friend shared that their family was on the “wrong side” of the genocide; as someone decended from the Hutu tribe, the shame this person carries affects how they navigate every moment. They wonder how many opportunities and career advancements have been denied as there are real boundaries to the heights one can go, depending on the blood in your veins.
Everyone is “Rwandan” now, there are (ostensibly) no more tribes or lines, but under this unified banner there are more than a few cracks. Trust is extremely hard to build, as only 30 years ago neighbors were slaughtering neighbors. While some might say that things are restrictive here or too tightly monitored, most will shake their heads and remind us that things are the way they are to prevent that horrific history from repeating itself. These are just a few of the factors that make building relationships so difficult, and yet when those walls come down, it is apparent how people are longing for true connection and hope.
Another issue that we see is the need for the true gospel, and for discipleship. In the ministry Rachel works with, empowering marginalized women, she hears the wildest stories on a daily basis. One of the ladies there was sharing a story of how a “prophet” came to her house, to give her a “word from God” that contained absolutely no truth but only sexual harassment. She was laughing as she animatedly acted out her tale, and didn’t understand why everyone was horrified on her behalf; that’s how commonplace this is. Many churches have closed their doors, and in their stead “prayer rooms” popped up; you can go to these places to receive a similarly abusive experience. Afterward, you will likely be reminded to give a gift to the “man of god”, after all, God promises to multiply the blessings of those who give generously. For some, this is the only interaction they have with the bible and its teachings.
For others, while they may avoid these “prayer rooms”, they live their lives in fear of witchcraft. Some of the women we work with have expressed anxiety around success, as this will make them a target for curses to be put on them and their families. Similarly, when there is an illness going on, most are reluctant to go to the hospital; instead they seek to find a way to break the curse that is causing the sickness. In the communities we work with, there is a massive amount of contention among the women, jealousy and backstabbing are a way of life as they desperately try to provide for their children. Many are single mothers, or one of many “wives” a man has made empty promises to.
Kigali is a beautiful city, the cleanest in Africa. The thousand hills sing in the sun, as crops sprout and goats hop along the inclines, but underneath the polished tiles and polite smiles, there are deeply rooted threads of isolation, heartbreak, trauma, and doubts of God’s presence and goodness. There are churches, yes, but most do not share the hope of our risen Savior and the peace and freedom He died to give. Please join us in praying that God would fill this place with His Holy Spirit, and that He would use us in some small way to bless the people we see each day.
Thank you for your support as we labor on, without it we would not still be here!
With SO much love from Kigali,
John & Rachel + crew
