After pushing the vehicles out

Birthday Blessings

I had the absolute best birthday of my life!! (By the way, 29 and holding for those of you that are wondering. :)) Not!!!
It started with ’Happy Birthday’s’ from my 2 favorite boys, and a brilliant variety of freshly picked flowers from our garden, all beautifully arranged. Over breakfast Colton presented me with the drawing he had made for me; another one of his incredible creations, this one being the head of a lion.
Like always, we were at school before 7, and before we were even in the gate, kids were already chorusing ‘Happy Birthday Miss Rosel.’ (yes, I’m Miss, just like other married Mzungu teachers - it’s easier and faster than Mrs. The locals are Madam.) During staff devotions Isaac and Olive had some very powerful words of blessing for me. This was the high light of the day for me, because God poured so much into me.
The kids were reminding me for about 2 weeks that my birthday was coming up; they were so excited about it. I received probably 50 or more cards, and some small offerings of gifts like a little package of ‘Maria” cookies, and such. My favorite/most interesting/unique gift? A gooey, melting, sticky mess of a 2/3 eaten KitKat chocolate bar!! Now you need to understand that real chocolate bars are very rare out here, and they are stored in the meat fridges in stores to prevent them from melting. They are crazy expensive, and we never buy them. So, I had a dilemma on my hands; was I going to let all that good ‘chocolatetiness ‘ go to waste? I mean, this was the real McCoy!!!  Not just flavoured wax!! True, the thought of Carol opening the wrapper with probably unwashed hands, and consuming over half of it minutes earlier wasn’t appealing to me, but honestly!!! Chocolate! And… it was a gift…! What to do…?
Well, I did the only thing any chocolate starved chocolate lover would do… I ate it! With great enjoyment!
At break time sweet Madam Olive surprised me with a party. She truly is a wonderful friend; I love her so much.
Isaac is a very gifted artist as well, and he too drew a picture of a lion’s head for me, only this one isn’t docile like Colton’s is; this one looks lethal with his teeth bared and his head back as he lets out a fierce growl. God had spoken to Isaac a few days before my birthday about something that He wanted to impart into me, and this picture was inspired by that. I’m planning on getting the 2 pictures I received from Isaac and Colton matted and framed in Canada. I’ve received many brilliant drawings from both of them, but these two have a very special meaning.
Isaac also got me a fabulous ‘igetengi’ - which is the 3 piece outfit commonly worn by women here. It’s simply 6 yards of fabric cut into 3 equal size lengths - one for wrap around skirt, one for wrap around the wrapped around skirt or to drape over one shoulder, and the last pc is the headpiece. You wear a shirt of your choice with it. I have a number of African outfits -  gifts a lot of them. And yes, I plan on wearing my African clothes in Canada.
 In the evening Isaac and Colton and I went out for supper by ourselves - a rare occasion to go out.
We had celebrated with some of our closest friends the Sunday before my birthday, which was also a huge blessing. Olivia (wonderful you!!) suggested that we go around the table and each one say 3 things that each one loves about me, and 3 things they like about me. Wow!! If you want to really bless someone on their special day, this is great. Thankfully, Astrid wrote as people spoke, and I have 2 wonderful pages to remind me that I am loved and special.
Because of not having had internet at our house now for over 2 months, I did not get to my emails/Facebook messages for a while, but a big thank you to all who remembered me on my birthday.
It was a truly blessed day!!!

Christmas in May

We had the blessing of going up country with Drs. Aline and Euloge and Evariste to distribute Christmas Shoe Boxes.
Dr. Aline is the country director of African Revival Ministries, and as such has connections with many wonderful organizations, ‘Compassion’ being one of them.
We started the morning by going to A.R.M. headquarters and completely filling up 2 large SUV vehicles with 300 beautifully wrapped packages. We headed out to the beautiful mountains where the cooler weather greeted us mercifully. After a long, winding, and very bumpy road, we finally arrived at our destination - a Bat’wa village - situated high up in the fog and clouds and rain.
We were immediately greeted by local ‘dignitaries,’ and ushered into the tiny building that was bursting at the seams with people, waiting with anticipation. Upon our arrival, the tiny choir of about 8 people started singing as we were ushered into the building to take our seats at the front of the church. After introductions and greetings, Dr. Euloge preached. He spoke on Jesus being the best gift of all, and many people accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. After this I (Rosel) had a short message about God being their provider, not man.
At this point the adults were asked to vacate the small building to make room for the 300 children. You should have heard the noise and excitement as their eyes alighted on the huge stacks of presents at the front. We separated the boys and girls, and then further separated them by age. Our piles of presents were organized into age/gender specific piles as well. We started with the smallest ones, and worked our way up to the oldest kids. They were instructed to not open their gift until every one had received theirs.
We literally tripped over presents and bodies as we worked in our cramped quarters; finally, everyone was clutching a box of blessings to their chest.
Ready, set, OPEN!!!
Imagine children that have nothing… nothing…. tear into those shiny parcels!!! The noise of the excitement was almost deafening as they began to wave little trucks and pretty dolls and bags of candy and pencil crayons and socks and stuffed animals in the air. Radiant joy!
Our team just stood at the front and watched all these precious ones. At one point I looked at our team and I’m not sure who was beaming more, the givers or the recipients, with the exception that we just quietly took it all in.
After some time I noticed that there were children that were still clutching their unopened box to their chest, as if the pretty package was the gift itself; they didn’t understand that they had to open the present for the true gift that was inside. I knelt down and showed them that they had to rip the paper off and see what’s on the inside. This yielded much more happiness and satisfaction when they saw the contents of the package.
 How often, I wonder, do people accept Jesus just for fire insurance, and they never unwrap more of who He is, or of what He has to offer them.
Without a doubt, the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is the absolute best gift there is. But, let’s not stop there; He has so many added gifts for us, if only we pursue a vibrant relationship with Him.

Food Distribution at Sabe Village

If you’re a regular blog follower, you’ll recall some of my previous entries pertaining to Sabe Village. It houses almost 1500 people; prostitution is common to provide food for the empty bellies waiting at home. Drunkenness is also very common; can’t say I blame them. (The home made banana beer is known to cause blindness, but at least it numbs their sorrows for a few hours.) What with the life they’ve lived for many, many years, with no glimmer of hope in their lives. I mean, if they aren’t living for Jesus, why even get up in the morning??
This might sound depressing; it is. These people live in almost unthinkable conditions. Their tiny plot should house probably no more than 4 families if they would have average Canadian size yards. But there are 400 families crammed into that space. The houses are about 1 foot apart from each other. They are the size of a small washroom - perhaps 4”x6”; I don’t think any bigger. The walls are made of sticks covered with mud; the roof - any plastic garbage bag or other ‘usable’ garbage.
They have no washroom facility; you really watch your step when you walk in the village.
There is a swamp a few feet beside the outside row of huts with standing green water; perfect mosquito breeding grounds. Malaria has claimed many lives.
Till September 2010 there was no school, but Honda and Libby hired 2 local teachers, who now teach a few age groups. Not perfect, but so much better than nothing. The kids can’t go to public school because they don’t have money to buy a school uniform. A locally made uniform costs about $10.00.
The kids have no toys; none. Little boys improvise with clay bricks instead of pushing big yellow Tonka trucks around in the dirt. Or they take an empty jug and tie something on to it and drag it around.
Well, as I said earlier, I’ve written about Sabe before and some family members have sent money for the village on a number of occasions. Last week someone sent enough to buy almost 2 tonnes of food. So, last Friday afternoon, together with some of our friends we packaged 1000 kgs. of beans, 1000 kgs. of bugali flour (a staple in Burundi, made from maize, or from cassava root), 200 kgs. of salt, and 1200 bars of locally made soap.
On Saturday morning it was off to the village. Honda had already alerted the villagers about our visit the day before. He organized everything really well, and had given the women a ticket which they had to present upon receiving the food. This prevented them from going through the line more than once. (Though one in particular tried again and again to get more.)
What a joy to see how grateful these moms where. Food for the children!! For their family!! They started singing and dancing. After another prayer by Honda, the women balanced their treasure on their heads and left, all the while singing and smiling for the mzungu with the camera.
I am very happy to tell you that the UN has responded to the plight of these people, and on Monday, 2 days ago, the UN moved the entire village to higher ground.
After being flooded out again a few weeks ago, finally someone realized that something had to be done on a much larger scale than was possible for Honda and Libby.
They are now temporarily residing in 12 very long UN tarp tents, one beside the other; men on one side, women the other. This arrangement we were told is for three months till a permanent location can be found.
We found out about the impending move 2 or 3 days prior to the food distribution.
Pray that an ideal location will be secured for the village. Each family is to receive a plot about 15 meters squared. Subsistence farming on this land will provide for the people.
I’m so very thankful that these people are getting a bigger reason to get up in the morning… Who knows, perhaps the banana beer will no longer blind their eyes, physical nor spiritual….

Indescribable Love

Good Friday - in this country it goes by almost unnoticed it seems; it's business as usual for most people. Makes me sad. May we truly reflect on the indescribable love of both; the Father in giving His Son, and the Son as He paid the price to reconcile sinful man to God.
We're doing well; Colton and I are currently enjoying a 2 week Easter break. Isaac is busy as usual between CRIB, school, Chrissie's, Pastor Ray's, and others.
Next week we are planning on going to Kigali, Rwanda with a good buddy of ours. Scott, who hails from Vermont, has been in Buj. since October of last year. He is setting up an organization for drilling wells for the villages. We're driving up with him, and staying at another good friend, Olivia's (from Colorado) auntie and uncle. So thankful for God's provision.
Planning on visiting the genocide memorials....
We're starting to think more and more about all the things that we have to say bye to in just over 2 months.
I seriously can't imagine being in the west again - I don't know how we'll be able to process everything without going crazy. I mean, I know how, with God's help obviously, but it will be so awfully hard to see/do life in absolutely filthy rich Canada. Excessiveness, waste, greed... I am really dreading that. I think God's going to have to physically hold my mouth shut often times. I know the temptation could be to just try and turn that part of me off completely and go with the flow, but I know that would be like a slap in the face for every person that lives without on this continent. I'm close to tears even now as I think of the extreme contrast. What we're gonna need is balance, and right now I have no idea what that will look like. Oh Jesus help us.
We had a grenade attack with heavy shooting at a communication tower 2 blocks from our house about three weeks ago - closest that it's been to our house up to this point.
Haven't had internet at our house for about the same amount of time... with the exception of a few rare times. However, don't let that stop you from emailing us. It's so encouraging to receive emails when we are able to access them.
Happy Easter!!!! Jesus is Alive!!

Let the little children come to me. Jesus

You gotta sit down for this; mind you, you probably are.
In the last week and a half 32 children have become Christians!!!!! How sweet is that!!?? And every one of them filled with the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues!!
Of these 32, 11 are Hindu and Muslim. All the  kids are famished for the Word of God, and very eager to grow in their new found faith. They come into my room every single break time now just to pray and learn more. I have 20 + kids at a time, coming of their own volition. The Spirit of God comes on me and I start preaching. When I’m on duty on the playground, the kids gather around me and we form a circle and pray. I asked the kids to start praying that many of the Secondary kids are going to become Christians.
What an incredible sight - these youngsters earnestly calling out to God for the lost!!! Most of the kids are in grade 5 and 6.
Every soul that comes to Jesus is priceless, but I must confess that the Muslim and Hindu kids - seeing the Spirit on them - wow!!! What joy!!!  You know, these kids could undergo severe persecution at home. In extreme cases girls are killed by their dad; boys I believe are generally disowned.
There are about 10 kids that were Christians before already,  but they wanted, and received the in-filling of the Holy Spirit.
We’re praying for more children to come and experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Oh, by the way, in my previous blog about 3 or 4 weeks ago, I asked you to pray for 2 girls that both of them would receive Jesus. Prayers answered!!!! Shortly after I blogged, kids came into my room and said that one of them was scared and had cried when other kids had said the world was going to end because of the tragedies occurring in Japan. What a golden opportunity to speak truth into her. Praise Jesus!
Please pray for all the kids as they continue to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Pray for me as well, that God will continue to guide and direct me. And please pray for Isaac, Colton and myself because the spiritual warfare is not easy - the enemy is losing ground and he doesn’t like it one bit. Stand with us for a bigger harvest.

We had an all time low in temperature this week since our arrival in Buj 21 months ago. When we got up at 5:45 it was a mere 22.7 degrees!!! Brrrrr
You must have all watched footage of the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake. One of the teachers at King’s is from that city. She did not lose any loved ones personally, but knows many that did. Please continue to pray for that situation there as well.
I dreamed that I was eating farmer sausage; boy, I dream good! (at least if it was Pioneer Brand ;-)) I wish I woulda’ continued dreaming; I definitely would have enjoyed a large slice of chocolate/rum cheese cake for dessert.
There is a great increase in rebel activity in the last number of weeks. There is much violence in the province of Bubanza, which is about ½  an hour from us. This is were we went a year ago with Honda to do the crusade.
But the blood shed is also very close to our home. Not even a mile from our house there is a large, very rough neighbourhood called Kanyosha.  This is where our friend Deo (the husband of Divine who died of cancer last June), together with his 6 kids lives. A while ago we had gone for a visit to his house in the evening. A few hours later, just down the street from Deo’s house, there was a grenade attack. It killed 3 young children - siblings - and a women. The parents of the children were injured.
About a month ago, another friend Deo (Deo and Rosa - CRIB), lost a cousin in the same neighbourhood, together with 3 other men. These are just people/situations that we know of; there are many where we don’t know the details.
We often hear gunshots during the day, but it’s night time that they are the worst. At night time you don’t hear just 4 or 5 ‘pops’; sometimes it goes on and on. I lie there in the dark and imagine the people lying in a pool of blood….., and I pray. It’s hard to believe, but Isaac and Colton usually sleep through it all, except if it’s pretty close.
Please pray for this country.

New Creations in Christ

Spring is around the corner for the western world - yeah! Daylight savings begins today we were reminded by a friend over lunch today. Enjoy!!
I have the huge privilege of teaching Christian Education to 3 grades, and very often I also incorporate Christian teaching into the art lessons that I teach from grades 1 - 6.
One project that I did recently with some of my kids was making a bamboo scroll. I spent much time prayerfully selecting the verses that Jesus wanted to have me teach them. So once I had compiled them and  designed all the scroll ‘pages’ to match with the verse the kids would write on them, I started by having the kids memorize the verses in fun ways. Following that I thoroughly explained the meaning of each verse.
I get very passionate when I present the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit was so present. My heart’s desire is to see the students come to an experiential relationship with Jesus, and as I expounded on the verses, you coulda’ heard a pin drop. I ended by telling them that if they wanted to respond to what they had just heard, they could come and talk to me in my room any time during break time.
Well, in grade 3 there were 2 Muslim boys that responded with great sincerity, as well as 2 other boys that had already accepted the Lord. What I’ve learned is that sometimes kids think they have to accept Jesus again when their understanding of the gospel is deepened. I tell them that when they first opened the door of their heart to Jesus, He came in and closed the door behind Himself, and that He hasn’t gone out. This reassures them about their salvation.
Back to the 2 Muslim boys. Wow, there is hardly a greater joy than to see the Father snatch children from the clutches of satan. Isaac and I spend every morning in prayer for the kids (especially Muslim), school, etc., and to see God drawing these precious ones to Himself is so terribly exciting. I fully believe that there is not one Muslim student at The King’s School by coincidence. The parents want the English education, but God has so much more for them. I believe these 2 boys are going to influence many people for the kingdom of Jesus in the Muslim world.
I made sure that the boys understood and believe who Jesus is and what He’s done for them.The boys and myself  held hands as God’s kingdom grew by a few more chosen ones!!! What incredible joy to witness this!!
Right after we prayed and rejoiced, I told the boys that now that they were Christians, God had just given them a very special gift. I explained what speaking in tongues is, and I asked if they wanted to start using that right away, to which they eagerly responded with a ‘yes’.  I laid my hands on them, prayed, and almost immediately these boys where conversing with the Father in that heavenly language. Praise Jesus!!! Wow! Is there anything more fulfilling than that?
The following week another Muslim boy (grade 4) walked into my room. I went through the same steps as with the other boys, and him and I knelt down and this child also had his name written in the Book of Life!! He comes into my room now sometimes just to talk, and once we both just worshiped God together in tongues.
The 2 grade three boys came to The King’s School after school had started in Sept., and so they did not receive a Bible when Gideon’s distributed them last school year. I was able to bless them both with a Bible, and I love how they have special smiles for me when they see me now.
A few days later a grade 4 girl came into my room, and God performed one more miracle! This one was shy about praying in tongues. I told her that was okay, that she could do it alone at home, and that I’d love to know once she did. The very next day she excitedly came to tell me that she had!! How sweet is that!?!
I so love how kids believe and accept the Truth so readily. I think we as adults often underestimate their ability to understand and respond to Jesus. And I also think that sometimes we perhaps subconsciously think that there is a ‘junior’ Holy Spirit for children. Wrong!!! Jesus knew explicitly well what He was talking about when He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Young children tend to have an unadulterated understanding of who Jesus is, void of religion and man’s traditions. I love that!! No wonder they can hear and respond to the Father’s voice when they hear Him calling their name.
So I want to ask you, please pray for the precious souls that have given their lives to the Master.
There are 2 other girls, both Muslim, that we’re praying for. I believe that Jesus is really touching them through the conversations we have a few times a week during break time when they come to hang out with me in my room.  Please include them in your prayers, and I can hardly wait to give you the good news…..