Rwanda — Week 1 🇷🇼

Our first week in Rwanda has been so sweet! We’ve had the opportunity to meet our ministry hosts and the women we’ll be serving and teaching English. Everyone we’ve met has been so open and welcoming, and it’s been incredible to see how hungry people are for the love of God.

We’ve also been able to walk the streets of Kigali, telling the people we meet about Jesus and praying for them. One example of how I’ve seen the Holy Spirit go before us was when we went grocery shopping as a team. A couple of our squad members felt led to pray for other shoppers, and each person they prayed for was so encouraged and excited about what we were doing.

One of the women Vitianne prayed over couldn’t speak English, but you could tell by her face and the sincere hug she gave Vitianne that she was deeply touched. Even without sharing a language, it was beautiful to see how she received the love of Jesus through Vitianne’s words and actions.

It’s been amazing to see God moving already through these simple opportunities to connect with people.

On Tuesday, we spent time ministering to people on our walk and doing laundry with the women we’ll be serving at Hope Homes Rwanda. I can’t believe how much we’ve already experienced in just a few days!

On Wednesday, we visited two memorials dedicated to remembering those who were slaughtered during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Learning the graphic truth of what happened in Rwanda was incredibly heavy. Witnessing these memorials firsthand, in places where people actually lost their lives, helped us gain a greater understanding of what Rwanda has faced as a whole.

The genocide, in which approximately one million people were killed, happened only 32 years ago. Even if the people we minister to did not experience it firsthand, many come from families who carry the generational trauma and lasting effects of that history. It was a sobering reminder of the importance of remembering those who were lost and approaching the people we serve with compassion and understanding.

On Thursday, we began our ministry with the women at Hope Homes Rwanda. They are part of a tailoring school designed to equip them with practical skills they can use to start a business and support themselves and their families. The ministry selects 12 of the most needy women who apply and gives them the opportunity to learn these skills.

For the next couple of weeks, we’ll be leading morning devotionals with them and teaching them English as they prepare for graduation. We’re so excited to get to know them better, learn from them, and see how God works through this time together.

A handful of our squad members have been sick, including myself, so please pray for quick healing and that the sickness would not spread across the squad. We’d also appreciate prayer for steady rest and good health as we continue adjusting to life here.

Prayer Requests

• A break in sickness and the schemes of the enemy in our squad. Pray for healing, protection, unity, and renewed strength.

• The people we’ve been able to minister to on the streets. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in their hearts and draw them closer to Jesus.

• The women at the tailoring school. Pray that we would be able to show them the love of God the Father through our words, actions, and time with them.

Specific prayer requests from the women:

• Healing for a grandfather who is in the hospital and another woman’s grandmother.

• A husband who is in jail.

• A six-year-old daughter’s schooling and protection over an unborn baby.

• Consistent childcare for a mother who has no one reliable to leave her baby with while she attends school.

• Provision and wisdom concerning family debts.

• The strength and grace to forgive those who have caused them hurt.

We’re so thankful for the Lord’s faithfulness and for the opportunity to be here. Please keep praying for us as we serve the people of Rwanda and share the love of Jesus!

With hope and love,

Hannah