The morning sewing group in session

Today 15 women from our community began a month long intensive sewing class. Some are learning to use a machine for the first time and others are more advanced and already learning to make crafts from African gatenga fabric. The teacher Flora has her own business and produces quality crafts  herself. When the ladies are trained and producing their own creations we would like to find markets in the US and the UK for their products. Hopefully we will be able to post some pictures of the finished work at the end of the month. It is such a blessing to see the church buildings used to benefit the community. This is truly becoming a community center.

Turn aside once in a while

While walking to my friend Antoine's house yesterday morning, I turned aside from my stressful mindset to see the most beautiful blue flowers growing over the Carpenters wall. At that moment God 'spoke' to me that as He is the creator of this beauty, He is also in control of all His creation. Life threw some fairly stressful stuff at me yesterday but I was somehow at peace through it all. Thank you Lord for those little things that you put in our way to help us turn aside for a moment and realize that you are indeed Lord over all.

Daniel

Little Daniel was badly burned 3 months ago when he fell in a cooking fire. Last week Thursday we transferred Daniel to a small 7 day Adventist hospital which is so much closer to his parent's home. They still have to bring food every day for him and his aunt, who stays with him. It seems that the healing process and the possibility of a skin graft have been impaired by Daniel's anaemia. He is now on B Complex with iron. His midriff has healed well and it is now just his left thigh that remains to be healed. His dressing is now being changed daily. Please pray for complete healing for Daniel.

Muyange Vineyard worship team

Worship practice was fun yesterday with Florence and the team. These guys are blessed with beautiful voices and the drums and shakers add to a very authentic 'African' sound. Now that we have power at the church we would like to start saving for a simple sound system and some instruments. Four of the team showed an interest in learning guitar and we will start lessons next week.

10 people make a public confession in the living God

Much fun had by all at our baptism service in Niboye today. 10 people made a public confession of their faith in Jesus and we sensed his presence and pleasure with us. Sorry Antoine could not be there as he is sick (with malaria he thinks). We pray for his recovery and for a blessed day tomorrow as we celebrate the Kingdom life we have through our Lord, Friend and Savior Jesus.

Celebrating Passover and Kathleen's birthday

Last night we celebrated a Passover meal with some Canadian and Rwandan missionary friends. There were 17 of us in all and it was a very enjoyable evening. It was also Kathleen's birthday. Thanks for the awesome cakes Jen.

We have been celebrating Passover for the past few years and it is a great way to trace God's amazing work of redemption through his chosen people and ultimately through his Son Jesus Christ. It is hard to even begin to comprehend how much we have to be grateful for as children of our loving heavenly Father. A very happy Easter to all!

Joel arriving back from his adventure

Last Thursday while we were at a Mission cabin on Lake Kivu with some other missionary families, we heard a commotion outside our cabin and the guards were all in an uproar about something that was happening on the Lake. I went down the hill with them to the lake and heard two people shouting in the water. As I am not a very good swimmer I ran back up to our cabin and called the others to come. Joel was first to the lake and the guards, who do not swim, had carried a SeaDoo out of the shed. Joel jumped in the SeaDoo and began to paddle out to the people in the water who were about 100 meters from shore. A dug-out canoe was coming from the far shore at the same time. Joel managed to drag the woman he got to first into the SeaDoo and she was coughing up water and in shock. The dug-out reached the other person, a young girl who was also quite distressed.

It seems the ladies had gone to the weekly market in a small dug-out. The wind was up and the water a bit choppy and on the way back to their island their fully loaded boat sank. The rescue dug-out took both women on board and headed off to their island. When Joel got back in the seadoo we all felt so bad for their loss that Joel asked if he could follow them and give them some money. I gave Joel 5000 francs (about $10) and he took off after them in a kayak this time. It took him a while to catch up with them and give them the money. The women were still crying but were very grateful to the young white boy who helped prevent their day from being a complete disaster. We prayed that the women would be sympathetically received back in their village and that our donation would help to cover some of their losses.