Sunday Services Bring Singing.

Sorry for the missed blog on Sunday, 5/25.

Due to internet difficulties we weren't able to publish one. But here is the recap of the day:

Today the groups split up again to head to different churches for Sunday morning service.

The S.W. team headed to a church where the pastor works on reconciliation after the genocide – his entire family, siblings and parents, were killed in the genocide. He said that during the genocide he resided in Uganda, but he returned to Rwanda afterwards. He felt led to work in the prisons as a chaplain, even though it was difficult to work with the people who had killed his family.

The Y.S. and G.M. teams headed to a church in one of the nearby villages. There they sang for a crowd of 900 people then they did Sunday school with about 300 children. 

Tommy and Paul were even able to get in a game of football in the rain with the children.

The Religion team headed to the local church of Phoebe, our guide.

Several different choirs treated us to performances before we headed off to teach children’s church. 

Nick taught a lesson on David and Goliath complete with hand gestures and then we met a group from a bible society that had

 provided the children with their material for children’s church.

After church, we were able to spend time with the pastor and discovered that his seven children and wife had been killed in the genocide, and that people in his own church had tried to have him killed as well. Every year he holds a memorial service for them though he has no hope of ever finding their bodies since their killers threw them into the river. He has since been married but hasn’t been able to have a child yet with his current wife though they pray daily for one.

We also were able to meet a group that helps the local poor. They have built homes and also provide food and services to those who are in the hospital. Everything that they do comes from their own pockets – they pay dues every month to help continue their giving.

Tonight the G.M. and Religion teams were treated to a special treat by Phoebe’s friend, Jean Paul Samputu. Jean Paul is a traditional African musician who has won several awards worldwide. He also has local children perform with him who he has taken off the street and taught how to dance traditional African dances. They also taught us a few of their moves and we had a great time dancing along to the music. The organization is called Mizero - Children of Rwanda.