Rwanda 2008

We will be serving on a Lets Start Talking (LST) campaign to Kigali , Rwanda from Jun 27 – July 20. LST is a Christian organization based outside of Fort Worth, TX aimed in using English conversation classes as a Bible study method in non-English speaking countries. LST has been training and sending teams all over the world for twenty-five years in more than fifty countries.

In Rwanda , we will work with local missionaries Bryan and Holly Hixson in teaming up with selected individuals who would like to improve their English conversational skills through reading the Bible. Every day we will meet with these people and help them practice their English, while using the Gospel of Luke as the textbook so that they will also read about Jesus. I understand many of these readers have a very basic understanding of God and His son Jesus and are anxious to learn much more.

Rwanda is a tiny, landlocked country in central Africa nestled between Uganda , Tanzania , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo . You might be familiar with the ethnic genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994, when almost one million Rwandese were slaughtered. This occurred as the sons and daughters of the formerly-exiled Tutsi group rebelled against the dominant ethnic group Hutus and formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The killing finally ended as the Hutu regime was overthrown in July 1994. This period of violence has long ended and Rwanda is a much safer country today, but the natives of this country have experienced much pain and suffering that is still evident today.

We are sure to interact with many that were affected by that dark period. We believe God’s peace and healing power is the only ultimate remedy for the families and survivors of this violence, and we look forward to hearing their personal stories and sharing God’s love and saving grace. In addition, I believe our team will be providing a great service to the Rwandans who would like to improve their English-speaking skills to excel in today’s global environment.

We sincerely covet your thoughts and prayers as our team prepares for this trip, and for our safety and success. Please pray for the Rwandan Christians and adults I will be reading with even before I have met them, as I know God is already working on their heart and mine. Our trip will be successful only with God’s blessings. We expect the trip to be challenging but extremely rewarding and that our faith will be strengthened. More importantly, we hope to be helpful to our new Rwandan friends by helping them learn English and studying God’s word.