“Good News” from Rwanda

July 8, 2010

As many of you know, several members of our youth group are currently in Rwanda as members of the Sierra Pacific Synod Youth Committee’s trip “Faith Acting in Love.”  Kristina Garabedian and Alison Quinn travled as leaders along with Jennifer Little, Kyle Teague and Emma Wheeler (youth from Hope).  Those of you who have been remembering our young people and keeping them in your prayers can (if you’re a Facebook person), check out their “page” HERE and see more messages, photos, etc.  They are almost done with their time in Rwanda and Alison wrote, “we are preparing for the return flight home …and we definitely feel the love from people’s prayers at home and our trip has been unbelievable!!!!”

They have been having an amazing trip, but you don’t have to take my word for it, here’s what our youth had to say, in responses to some questions.

KYLE TEAGUE

Why do you think God had you travel all the way around the world to Rwanda?  ou don’t have to go very far from home to see God’s presence, but why did God have us travel all the way around the world to Rwanda?

My response to this question would be that God sent me on this journey to rekindle our connection.  Before I left for Rwanda I had a feeling of being disconnected from God and feeling lost.  However, my experience in Africa has sparked a new connection that I feel as close to God as I ever have.  I can see his presence every day from the people we meet and the places we see, and everywhere we go.  The most important thing i can take from this experience is that I am blessed.  Blesed not because I have more wealth or material items than others, but because I have a God that loves me and will always be with me.  The Bible quote that has been spinning around in my head for the last couple days is Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.”  This quote means more to me than it ever has, for it is as if God is speaking directly to me and telling me he is right by my side.

Photo of Kyle listening to Robin, principal of the Rwamagana Lutheran School.

JENNIFER LITTLE

What does it mean to be the “Body of Christ” ?

I think it means looking past our differences to see how much we have in common.  While in Rwanda we had a chance to worship with youth from the Rwamagana Lutheran School, we sang together in English and Swahili which was really powerful for me and an awesome example of the body of Christ.  We should be one body due to the love our God gives us, not to keep to ourselves, but to share with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  The Rwandan culture really emphasizes the meaning of hospitality which I believe is necessary to live a Christian life.  They have been so welcoming and loving here in the way everyone welcomed us like we were family.  I feel that God is so alive and well here, it’s amazing.  The people of Rwanda are working to grow the church here in the same way we are striving for that in America.  This shows that God is bigger than the distance from America to Africa and I feel that by coming here I have re-experienced the meaning of “one body in Christ” and I am so grateful for it.  During the church service Pastor Prince shared a though that I found very powerful when he said, “once you become a Christian you become a citizen of the world, anywhere you go you will have a home and a family in God’s house.”  I think this sums up the meaning of being the body of Christ.

EMMA WHEELER

What is the “good news” that God has placed in your heart?

God has placed so much good news in my heart through the people here in Rwanda.  The people here are amazingly hospitable and welcoming!

Every time we visit somewhere - Jean Chaffee’s school, Vincent’s house, Rwamaga Lutheran School (RLS), and our host families, we were welcomed like we were family!  We were told to greet our families for them back at home and a girl named Esther at RLS declared us to be sisters and that I should tell my sisters back home that she is their new sister.  This compassion has shown me the light of God and I want to bring their hospitality as God’s good news to the world.

It’s amazing what God has to teach us - through people half-way around the world and through our own children.  Let’s continue to pray for their safe return, that God will give them the courage to share what they have learned, and God will give us the humility to learn from their stories and be led by the voice of God.

<><Pastor Adam Knudson

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