Moments in time

Well Africa is filled with those moments in time where you gotta stop and shake your head to make sure it is real. I went for a walk the other day through the dirt streets of our small village. I passed many small vendors along the way, each one selling their 2 or 3 items of either banana's and pineapple's or old refurbished shoes or maybe they were deep frying something. All the while I am being yelled at from all directions, "Mzungu!" Some little kids look up at me with a smile of pure excitement, like a child seeing a monkey in the zoo for the first time and giggling at how funny it looks...that's how I usually feel and seeing as how they always want to pet my arm hair I kinda feel exactly like a monkey in a zoo. Its a lot better than the other kids who scream and run for shelter behind anything with black skin, so long as the white monster stays away. I tried overcoming this reaction one day by using candy but that just seemed to make it worse not to mention I felt like one of those strangers parents warn their kids about in Canada when they say "never take candy from a stranger kids". So I was walking down this road and it wasn't long until I could hear the laughter of children playing. I came around the corner of a mud brick home to find about 50 kids or so playing some football or (soccer) in an open lot in front of a mud house with a step. Most of the children huddled on the step watching while a few of the kids played a "heated game" consisting of a small plastic soccer ball and 2 small bricks propped up to make a small net. The game stopped abruptly when I showed up and I felt like King Kong in New york, they all just kinda lost interest in their "heated" game and starred up at me, some of the smaller children ran for cover and then slowly they walked up and held out a hand. I pointed to their ball and it wasn't long and I was on a team and running around in mudded feet kicking around this plastic ball with my new friends. The crowd on the step got a little bit bigger and many of the parents were now watching from a bit of a distance. I eventually managed so tear away from the kids and said I'd come back. Some of the parents came over to me and said "thank you for playing with our children, please come back and bring your friends...thank you so much" and I did get my friends, my two mzungu buddies and the next day we went back. This time we prayed that God might provide someone to translate for us, well as the game got going I sat on the step with the fans and amidst my arms getting pet from the kids huddled around me I met an older girl who had great English. I soon asked if she would translate so that we could share a story and she was more than willing. It wasn't long and we had the 50-60 kids all singing songs about Jesus and listening to a story about Jesus calming the storm. As we walked away the second day I really had to do another retake and I couldn't believe the moment in time that I was in. One of those moments where you can tell the whole world how much you love your God because He is more than faithful. Daniel

Uganda Pictures

*** EDITED TO ADD***

Sorry, I am Keli and I accidentally put Rwanda as the title of the blog post. When Dan sent me the pictures I mistakenly put the wrong place. Sorry for confusing anyone ...

The faces of Africa have been beautiful and warming. We have felt like kings living here and have not had a lack of things to do. I am in awe of the faithfulness of God and the way that He has led our every step. Arriving to Africa was an intimidating mystery to us but since our feet have touched this red soil we have been nothing but blessed. Spending our days amongst the laughter of children and swimming in the green water of Rwanda has been nothing less than fulfilling. We've made friends of all ages and from all cultures. I already feel that tug on my heart that so many feel when they touch the soils of this great continent. I see and feel a love and joy for life that is not found in materials but only in faces around them. The Bishop of the parish in Gahini where we have worked said to us the other day, "Western people take such good care of the body that they forget to take care of their soul, here in Africa people take such good care of the soul that they forget about taking care of the body" It is very true in so many ways but I am not here to criticize my country, I am here to soak in the culture of Rwanda and let it change who I am today and who I will become tomorrow. I have never talked to a person who come home from Africa disappointed or unchanged and it so easy to understand why. It only takes few days here and my heart feels changed, challenged and renewed. Rwanda has been a joy to experience. A country of a bloody history now sitting in a great peace, a president who loves God

and revival on the doorstep. I am blessed to be here, to be challenged be these beautiful faces and to enjoy the laughter and joy of life that comes only from human relationship. Daniel

oh, and as usual I am trying to be culturally aware in my appearance and fit in as much as I can.

Big smiles

1^These guys with us all were doing so much at the conference here in Gahini Rawanda. Next to me (Kenton) is Micheal Morrelli who has preached to hundreds of thousands all around the world sharing the gospel. We got the chance to hang out with him lots and we were even able to get him out in the middle of the lake with the leaky row boat with us. Between Jordan and Daniel, is Bishop Alexis. His was the only name we knew coming here, and he fully took us in and got us helping out with the children. We have been able to see more of his vision for this area, and the impact that can be made here. To the far right is a man with style. He was involved with a choir from Tanzania, that had heaps of talent. 2^What a precious child. And that baby is pretty cute too. 3^When we get home ask to see these pictures... we have too many to put on here, but the amount of people that came to this conference was so huge! 4^ Each morning we had teams that would go out into a village, and teach Bible stories, sing songs, and play games with the children. There were 6 different teams and the numbers of kids per village varied from 150-800 kids. 5^After each day with the kids we would come back to Gahini and spend time around the centre. We could spend time with the people there and play in the park area, or in the lake.

Africa

Entering into Africa was a whole new world yet again. We flew into Uganda and the airport was a small strip of land that was being developed. We were picked up from the airport and treated like gold by the missionaries here. It was just a short stay in Uganda, and then we caught a bus to Rwanda for a conference in Gahini. As we arrived in Gahini we were expecting to be working with a small church and just a tiny youth conference. But as it turned out this conference was bringing people from around the world to help out. There are representatives from Saddleback church in California, from Washington DC, from Australia, from the UK, from all over Africa and we three from Canada! Many of the volunteers from the West have been working with the different kids ministries in the surrounding villages. My first day going and speaking with the kids was absolutely incredible. I got to share about Jesus Christ and how He loves and cares for us, and wants to be in relationship with us with over eight hundred kids! Then just today I was speaking in front of another three to four hundred kids in another village! It has just been such an incredible honour and privilege to be sharing Christs love and praying over these young children. God is doing so much here, it stops one in their tracks and you realize just what a great King we serve! During the days there are thousands of men and women showing up to hear speakers from around the world share with them about Jesus. We have had the privilege of getting to know one of the main speakers Michael Morrelli who has done evangelistic type events all over the world. This is the 22nd country he has been to, which was cool to hear because it is our 22nd country on this trip that we have been able to experience. He has been a huge encouragement to us and just inspired us to keep on sharing what God is doing around the world and in our lives everyday as He provides and leads us. The people here in Gahini have truly welcomed us as if we were ambassadors of Canada. They have given us a fantastic place to stay, three huge meals a day, drivers to take us around and just really gone all out to make us feel special. And for three guys backpacking around the world who just happened to luck out and be here at this time for this event it has been even more incredible! And a true testimony that God is leading our every step, day by day. We are so excited for what else God will do during this time in Africa. Its a country of amazing people and a wildness to it that keeps one intrigued and excited. We were told that there was an electricity in the air when one came to Africa and it is true, here your hair stands on end if you stick around! Lehmann