October 2007 Team Visit

Submitted by: Carol Gumm

I have thought about this for a week and have come up with so many different experiences I will try to sum it up to help those who have not experienced Solace to get a snapshot picture of how it effects your life.

People will ask you if it was a life changing experience to go to Rwanda and work with Solace. I would reply that it is more subtle than that, and yet more profound. When you arrive in this foreign country it is best not to come with any preconceived notions of what it will be like. It is however a better experience if you study the history and the experiences of the people before you get there. The tragedy of the 1994 genocide is difficult to grasp, and yet when you experience the memorials and the genocide sites, it is more than a person can believe. You start to feel the devastation, and see how God was there and wept with the people of Rwanda , as the evil things happened. It is an amazing experience to see how bad it was, and yet more glorious and amazing to see how God wrapped his arms around this land, and is helping it to heal. The faith filled leadership of John Gakwandi and Ben Kayumba, will teach you as you work with them, what a true faith walk is. You will meet amazing people who have physically suffered, and as importantly, emotionally been taken to a place none of us could even start to understand. But we see them in their Solace positions helping the widows and the orphans to understand the Love of Jesus, and find a healing beyond all understanding. We see widows and orphans learning and participating in a better way to live. To participate in hugs, and God's love, to all the widows as they visit the compound for medical care, or a meeting, or whatever they needed to be there for, is beyond any explanation. To share smiles of saying that we are aware of what you went through, and we will let the world know that you are here and healing and we will try to help in whatever way we can, becomes the subtle change in your heart that you will feel before you realize it is happening. They then know that the Lord has heard their plea for help. We also then, find the affirmation that it really was the Lord calling us, for HIS glory, to go and show his unconditional love. We come home with a new perspective on how Great and Mighty the Lord is, and a new found love for the lost and hurting people of this world. The subtle change takes place and we start to recognize where God is working in our own communities to see where we can join in. He lets us see that the trip was just the beginning of a more faith filled walk with Him. We praise and thank Him for that experience

That is how profound a trip to Rwanda and Solace ministries can be.

 

  Go to: Solace Ministries-Rwanda