Amakuru friends and family (how are you?)

You’ve probably noticed that it has taken quite a long time for me to crank out this update. There are many reasons for this occurrence, but the biggest of these is the fact that I have been extremely busy for the last two weeks or so. In addition to this, my limited internet access and the fact that I’m really slow at doing everything have made me wait until now to sit down and fill you all in.

Here’s what the last two weeks have looked like for me. Out of 10 weekdays I spent 7 out in the village meeting with different Anglican savings and loan groups. I wish I could tell you about each one, but that would take too long and this update is going to be long enough as it is. Each day as I heard the stories of these rural farmers my heart was broken to hear of their struggle to survive and to provide a better life for their children. At the same time however, I was also blown away to hear of their faith and how they had seen God providing for them through the savings group that enabled them to survive when times have been tough. All of the groups I went to meet with were in the same region of what I believe is known as the poorest district in Rwanda, and its called Bugasera District. I met with a wide variety of groups, some that meet once a month and save 100 Frw (about 20 cents) per member per month, and one group met every week and saved around 1500 Frw (about 3 dollars) each week. The one thing that was consistent throughout all of the groups I met with and the individuals whose home’s I visited is that their savings group had made a serious impact on their lives, both spiritually and physically. For most of them, their groups didn’t receive outside capital for loans, meaning that they used only their own savings to give loans to members from the community pot and to invest in their own livelihoods. School fees are now being paid, homes are being built, treatments are being paid for, ARV drugs are being purchased (HIV+ treatments), families are eating during times of drought, and people are learning what it looks like to love their neighbor. What might be the most affecting thing about most of these groups is their testimonies of how the group has encouraged them and helped them to not feel alone. They pray for each other and study the scriptures together, and they feel a sort of collective responsibility for each of the group. One lady broke her hand, and her fellow group members (all women in this group) committed to coming and helping in her garden together as long as it took for the woman’s hand to heal. Another lady was a widow from the genocide and she had no house when she came back from the refugee camp. The government provided a tin roof, but it was the group members who showed up and paid for and constructed a decent house for this lady and her three children. That, to me, is such a testimony to the Lord working through these savings groups. These people have little to no disposable income, yet they are willing to use what they have to help each other. They are not family, but act as if they were raised in the same home. What an example to us in the west, where we have so much more than we need and yet so often find our income almost entirely spent on ourselves. I have certainly been convicted by what I’ve seen here.

The most powerful story that I’ve heard while being out in Bugasera these last two weeks is of the HIV positive group that I met with in an area called Rwinume. This group is one of the ones that saves very very little, and to be honest, they don’t function very much as a savings group. That has not stopped the group from really affecting change in each members life, however. One by one, each member told me of how the mere fact that they have a group and that they share what they have together has changed their outlook on life. They, and I quote, “know now that God doesn’t hate them because of they HIV positive,” and that “just because their earthly flesh is dying we know that we have an eternal life in heaven.” Many of them expressed that before they joined the group they felt alone and would just stay in the house, but now they have friends and feel free to walk around and live their lives. The different group members help each other when they are sick, encourage other HIV positive community members to start their own groups, go to town together to get their treatments, and even help out in each other’s gardens when they are too sick to work themselves.

This is the story of only one of the five groups that I was privileged to interview and visit, but each time I met a new group I heard how they Lord is using these groups to spread His love and care for his children, and it is has been a huge blessing and privilege. All of these things have showed me the value of these savings groups in such a place, and given me a heart to see more people have such groups to bring them closer to God, to each other, to themselves, and even to their harsh natural environment.

I am now in the process of arranging to meet with some different groups. These are micro-credit groups involved with an MFI called Urwego. An MFI is like a bank for lower income clients and in Bugasera District they practice a type of group lending methodology. This looks like a group of people each receiving a loan (without collateral) but as a group being responsible to guarantee the loans of other members if they cannot pay. Urwego is a Christian MFI and is actually 1/3 owned by HOPE International, my host organization. I have been blessed to have been given permission to meet with some of their clients and will do this in about one week. My research will seek to compare the Anglican groups to the Urwego groups as far as impact is concerned and I will give a report to both of these organizations that will hopefully provide them with helpful feedback and information.

Also, I’m having a lot of fun here. One of my roommates returned from the states, and he has been a great companion for me here. I’ve made other friends that live near my house, and have had plenty of things to occupy the little free time I find myself with.

Now for some prayer requests:

1. Pray that I would remain in the Lord and in his word.
2. Pray that I might have the opportunity to share the gospel with someone. I’ve been really convicted of not sharing my faith with others and taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves.
3. Pray for the research that I am doing. Things are starting to wind down and it is about time to start working on my big final report and presentation.
4. Pray for the training in Cyangugu (a far away district) that I will be helping with. We will be training Anglican pastors on a biblical view of poverty and microfinance, as well as how to start savings groups in their churches.
5. Pray for the Anglican Church of Rwanda as the leaders have just returned from a very important Anglican conference in Jerusalem and now have to figure out how to proceed. Pray that they would stay committed to the authority of the Scriptures and be willing to do whatever they must to stay true to the Faith.

And I think I have a pretty good top 10 list for you all:

Top Ten Taxi Decorations I have seen with my own eyes:

*the taxis here are all usually covered with strange stickers and paintings)

**if you don’t have a working knowledge of hip-hop music, some of these may mean absolutely nothing to you. Rwandan cab drivers seem to have a bit of a love affair with western rap music…..

10. Chez Jesus (on the front window, and in French means Jesus’s House)

9. Jay-Zed (not Jay-Z, but supposed to Jay-Z)

8. strange looking wasps that represent the national soccer team here (called amavubi)

7. a variation on 50 cent written 50 Sent on many of the taxis here.

6. OBAMAmania is here in Rwanda as well and there are many of his stickers plastered all over the place and the taxis are no exception.

5. “You’ll never walk alone” plastered over one taxi in bright red with the Liverpool football club insignia accompanying it. This reminds me of when Chelsea beat Liverpool earlier this year and it was awesome.

4. T-Pain but spelled in the francophone fashion, “T-Pen.” I laugh out loud every time I see this one.

3. They have the “puma” logo but it is a cheap imitation and looks more like a frog than the puma logo. This one is everywhere and on many taxis.

2. Sorry for the incessant pop/trash culture references, but #2 is a Fergie van. Not only does it say “fergalicious” it also has lots of diamonds and “glamorous” all over it.

1. Rick Ross. There is a big big bus covered in red paint with an an actual picture of Rick Ross, who is a mediocre U.S. rapper. The car is covered with his name, with $ signs and the words “cash money millionaire” spread all over it. I’d say it is Rwanda’s answer to the Cadillac Escalade.

(again sorry for the old folks who don’t have any idea about this top ten list. I’ll try to have a more audience appropriate one next time)

Thanks to you all for your prayers and communiqués.

I love you all and would love to know how I can be in prayer for any of you.