Calling

"Rwanda? Why in the world would you want to go there?"  It's a hard question, but fair. One that has been asked several times.  The answer isn't as straightforward as we would like.  We knew God was placing missions on our heart and was directing us to stepping out into missions, but there wasn't a clear picture . . .until now.  

Years ago, when I visited India, I loved it, but I honestly couldn't see myself returning there, especially with a family.  The people, culture and land were beautiful, but while the experience was incredible, it wasn't where I saw myself long-term.  While in Mexico, we loved the people and it was easy to respond to the many needs.  We could see ourselves returning short-term, but again, not long-term.  

Rwanda was different.  When we were first asked to consider Africa, it was Kenya.  We were willing, but it didn't grip us like Rwanda did.  In the months leading up to our trip, we researched Rwanda and were drawn to this tiny country. Once we arrived, the land, the people and the needs impacted our hearts. It was as though the land was calling us . . .but even saying it that way doesn't give justice to the pull we sensed to be there.  

Wise counsel was given to us before leaving.  We were commissioned to first see if this was a place we could live--as a family.  Second, we were challenged to really seek out and get a better understanding of the needs within the country, specifically, in the village where we were.  Lastly, we were asked to really seek God on if WE were the ones called to meet this need.

Getting to know the country and culture and look specifically for potential challenges wasn't easy.  We wanted to see the good around us, but a decision like this couldn't be made on the "adventure and romance" of overseas missions.  We needed to look closely at realities of life in a foreign land.  The biggest difference that stood out was the extreme cultural differences.  This is Africa, not Europe, America or Canada.  I am not saying one culture is "good" or "bad", just very different.  We had to look closely and try to anticipate how our children (and ourselves) would respond in such different settings.  We also looked carefully at day to day living. Housing, foods, transportation and conveniences are very different--as well as climate, seasons and "critters".  The mission house where we stayed was very nice, but still, lukewarm showers with minimal pressure, no baths, cold water for washing dishes, power that can be unreliable, cells phones that may or may not work, different noises, etc.--these are realities in living in Rwanda.  Being 45 minutes away from the city means careful planning, working with markets and possibly empty shelves instead of what we "need".  Foods are different, diets would change.  Convenience food would be limited because of the extremely high price (3-4x higher).  Meat would become a luxury, not staple.  We talked about the distinct seasons we have here and the adjustment to sunny and hot and rainy and hot.  Thankfully, we didn't see many undesirable animals, but snakes, cockroaches, lizards and malaria mosquitos do exist.  These are very real differences we WOULD face. Would our family be up for the challenge?  Not to mention separation from friends, family and everything familiar.  In the end, we concluded that while there would be sacrifices, the opportunity and experience would be worth it.

Next we looked carefully at the needs of the area.  This is where it was challenging not to feel overwhelmed.  With 2/3's of the population living on under $1/day, the poverty was great.  Ironically, the people themselves did not appear desperate, but joyful, gentle, hardworking and dignified.  We learned so much from them!  We narrowed down specific needs and began to feel a pull towards being the ones who could meet those needs, especially when we looked at the strengths and giftings of our children and family as a whole . . .but we weren't 100% sure.

After we returned home, spoke with our family and reflected in our trip, we began to be drawn deeper towards Rwanda.  There wasn't a sense of obligation ever put on us that we HAD to go, but instead it became clearer that we needed to go.  Rwanda was calling to us, we were called to Rwanda.  As the communication increased and the specifics of what we could be involved in become more refined, there was a stirring of anticipation.   We WANTED to be there, we looked forward to what God has for us to do!  Thankfully, the clarity we sought has been refined, Rwanda is where we are to be.

In the days and weeks to come, it feels like we have mountains of details to tackle.  Thankfully, we serve a God who can move mountains and give us the strength for what is to come.

This verse I found today sums up exactly where we are at:

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Acts 20:24 NLT)

From ?? To GO!

It was the meeting to determine our next step.  Since returning from Rwanda, we needed to meet with our pastor and the director of missions to decide what we were going to do. 

Reflecting back to earlier in the year, we were first asked to consider missions in Kenya.  After our interview, we were asked to consider Rwanda. As we researched the smallest country in Africa, we felt ourselves being drawn to the land and people.  We read books, watched movies, researched and talked to people who had visited Rwanda.  

Rwanda--words can't begin to express how this beautiful country impacted us!  As we met people, interacted with the community, established friendships and gained appreciation for the land, the needs of this nation called to us.  When we left Rwanda, we wanted to return.

We realized that we have been called to Rwanda.  It goes beyond simply meeting a need, but knowing that we are the ones who could best meet that need--willingly, gladly, with joy. It's humbling, exciting, scary, unnerving and so much more.  What a journey!  

So what does this all mean?  In January of 2014, we will be taking our children (who, by that time will be 17, nearly 16, 14, 8 & 5) and committing to a two year term at the Victory Family Home of Champions property, 45 minutes south-west of the capital city of Kigali.  Here, we will be looking at building bridges--within the church, within the community and wherever God leads.  As the orphanages transition out of Rwanda, the need remains great and we don't want the precious people of Rwanda to be forgotten.  We will continue to homeschool our children, with 2 completing their secondary education. Our children will be involved with all that we do, we are called as a family.  We hope to host teams and visitors and come up with special projects that will make a difference in the community we are in.

In the next four months, we will be selling as much as we can, raising the necessary funds for airfare ($8000) and monthly support.  We will keep our house and rent it out.  Despite feeling overwhelmed by the details, we trust God will supply our needs.  Please keep us in prayer.  

Specifically:

1) Clear prioritizing as we try to find where to begin 

2) Wisdom for Kim as he trains and mentoring successors in his business 

3) Finances, that adequate support would come in 

4) Peace, that ultimately we would trust God with everything 

If you feel led to support us, no donation is too small.  By giving through Victory Church of Lethbridge and designating it for "Rwanda mission-Kim and Renae", you will get a tax receipt.  Or, if you are interested in supporting us monthly (either financially or in prayer), please contact us at kim_ren@telus.net.

Thank you

Kim & Renae

Nat, Abi, Naomi, Joel & Ethan

Abundantly excessive

She couldn't have been more than two or three, huge eyes, big smile, skirt held up by a rope, little tummy slightly distended, no shoes.  She carried a small water jug and followed her brother up the dusty path.  This little one lived right next door to the orphanage.  There must have been some arrangement made, because they could fill their water jugs from the tap on the property instead of visiting the creek shared by animal run-off, bathers and laundry.  She wasn't too interested in water, though.  A calf had been born early that morning, so she joined the group of neighbours, slowly inching her way towards me and slipping her tiny hand into mine. Giggles erupted from her when I squeezed her hand and said "hi".  After a few minutes, she scampered off to play with friends and eventually collect her water to take home.  The next day, we boarded our flight and headed back to Canada.

This little girl hasn't left my mind.  Her house was right below the mission house--a hut made out of mud bricks and a simple tin roof.  The cow often lamented over her lack of food.  Occasionally, cries from a baby could be heard.  It was a simple little yard, no extras in sight.  The hope was to have enough food for today and maybe just enough extra to pay the school fees ($2) when they came due.  In Canada, there's concern raised about living pay check to pay check, while in Rwanda, you live day by day.  

This is one house, one family in a tiny village in Rwanda.  Driving out of Kigali, we saw a village about every 5 minutes.  Hundreds tucked just off the black road and many more in the trails beyond the highway.  Each village, house and family, living with just enough for today.  As you get closer to the city, improvements can be spotted--better homes, a community well, larger schools.  

Within the city, we had the opportunity to visit a couple different markets.  The first was known as KCT (Kigali Center Tower).  It was the hub of where the mzungu (white person) would visit.  The tower was several stories high.  You went through a metal detector and had your bags inspected before entering. Several high-end stores (including an "unauthorized"Apple dealer) were in the mall.  A grocery store--Nakumat--almost comparable with Walmart covered two floors.  Here you could buy the comfort foods of home (only three to four times the price of here).  A fancy movie theatre, coffee shop and food court also graced this mall.  By our Canadian standards, simple, but very nice.  The second market was very different.  At the edge of a massive bus stop, we edged into a crowded area.  The smells were interesting as we passed a long line of butcher shops.  Under a large roofed area about the size of a hockey rink, narrow isles stretched as far as you could see.  Small divisions of about about 2 feet deep by 3 feet wide in each side of the aisle marked each shop.  It was hard to see how crowded it really was as people kept walking deeper into this market.  The shop I visited was only 2 shops in, so it was not so claustrophobic.  Kim wandered deep into the caverns of the market, fascinated by whet he saw.  Here, our white faces were a minority and we drew a bit of a crowd.  Each stall was selling whatever they could--used clothing, fabrics, gift wrapping, cell phone minutes, even a partially filled Operation Christmas Child box . . .anything to make a living.  Here, I caught a glimpse of the life in a city in Rwanda, people trying to make a living, get ahead, provide for their family.  I am sure that they paid dearly for a spot in this market, so anyone who ventured in was implored to buy from each vendor.

The country market was a bit different.  The fruits, vegetables and wares were spread out in an area that wasn't too hilly on neatly spread blankets.  Some have music or speakers, many are offering similar items, all are hoping to sell to you.  Even with the crowds, the marketplace is not chaotic.  There is an underlying gentleness and respect.  

The overall atmosphere within the country of Rwanda was one of dignity, grace and peace.  Coming in as an outsider, the needs and poverty feel overwhelming, yet among the people who live in the direst of conditions, there's a peace and contentment that few North Americans find.  

I am learning that it is not what we can teach others, it is what we choose to learn from others. 

Casting

It's been a few weeks since we set foot on Canadian soil after leaving our hearts in Rwanda.  In some ways it feels like the visit was just a dream.  The full details of what we could be doing there remain sketchy, while our hearts are there, plans are not completely in place.  We do see our family in Africa . . .but that is still in the future as details must be clarified.

Adjusting back hasn't been as stressful as I thought, but the shift in priorities and perspective has been significant.  The goal of cutting our possessions in half (from 3 years ago) had not been achieved.  Garage sale items had been set aside prior to our Rwanda trip, but the actual sale did not happen.  

Since arriving back home, the urgency to get ready has been strong.  I am finding it easier to let go of stuff that once held value or some far off purpose.  As I go through rooms, I can't help but recall the ordeal of going through my late grandmother's things.  Growing up in the depression years, she couldn't bear to throw anything away.  Among her things was a box of string labelled "string too small to use".  Wow!  Fast forward to today, where we easily live in a "throw-away" generation.  Couple that with the lack of "stuff" in Rwanda and the amazing ingenuity in repairing and making do with what they have, how do we merge the vastly different cultures? 

For me, it's been stripping away the excess accumulation of stuff from 18 years of marriage and 11 years of homeschooling (oh yes, 10 years of children's ministry, where you never know when you might need "that").  It is analyzing what will be needed after two years, what will be used for teaching our youngest 2 boys and what really has value.  Much of what we have is just "stuff" and doesn't make the cut.  While we have a long ways to go, I can already feel a difference with what has been cast off.

I have also noticed a distinct shift in priorities, more in my children than anywhere else.  I wanted to keep the doors open on as many of their activities as possible, but it is interesting to see how what was so important a few months ago no longer holds the same purpose. . .it comes down to how my 13 year put it . . ."what's the point? Is it really worth all that time and money if God is directing you elsewhere?".  Point taken, thanks Naomi:)

I am reminded of a passage in Hebrews that compares our walk with a race . . .

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)

Our hope is that when God opens the door, we will be ready for the next step, unhindered by anything that would hold us back--which is why we are wanting to cast away anything that can weigh us down. 

Our biggest prayer is that we won't be drawn back into the pressures and stresses of life here as we prepare for whatever God has in store.