http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,704894,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/10479882.stm
Here are two links to recent interviews with President Kagame. One is with BBC, and the other is with Spiegel, a foreign news source. They're both very interesting and I agree with some things, although I don't agree with everything in either of them. There's a lot being said and written and reported lately about the political situation in Rwanda. The 2nd free elections are coming up in less than a month on August 9, and Kagame is in a prime position to win, along with his RPF party. Everyone expects and knows he will win, but it's how he will win that is so important to the country.
Three of the main opposition parties have been arrested and thrown in prison or placed on house arrest. Others have received death threats, and/or have been unable to register their parties for some reason. Many have been arrested for vaguely collaborating with "terrorist organizations" or for denying the genocide. Now, there are only 4 other candidates, and many believe that at least 2 of them are "stooge" candidates who are with the RPF, Kagame's party. Regardless of whether or not that's true, just the fact that the more vocal opposition candidates are totally out of the race looks bad to outsiders, especially groups like Human Rights campaign. So, of course, since there are candidates who aren't being allowed to run and are being jailed or exiled, this has created a sense of fear and paranoia among many Rwandans.
There have also been assassinations and assassination attempts that some are attempting to link to the government and they have caused fear as well, leaving many to believe there are big rifts in Kagame's RPF party. One of Kagame's generals, Nyanwasa, fled to South Africa and told his story to the press of what was going on. Later, he was injured in an assassination attempt. Two other military advisors to Kagame, a Major-General and Lt-General were arrested in April. And yet another Brig-General was arrested while heading to the World Cup in June. The Chief of Staff of a high official from an oppostion party was assassinated in late June.
The Press has been weakened also during the 6 months that have led to these elections. 3 newspapers have been shutdown entirely or either banned from operating for 6 months until elections are over. The acting Editor of one of those newspapers was assassinated in his home in late June. In addition, a number of Rwandans who are activists currently living in Burundi have been arrested and extradited to Rwanda. I'm not so sure banning these newspapers is the answer. When they are allowed to publish again, they will continue to publish whatever it was they were publishing before that angered the government, and they will be banned all over again. I think it would be better to have a council talk to them and advise them on more ethical journalistic practices if there is a problem, instead of banning them and having the government look like the bad guys.
And of course, the series of grenade attacks in Kigali have created an atmosphere of paranoia among many. The first one was in February, and the most recent in May. There are several theories about who could be behind the attacks. The one that seems to have gained the most credence is that Nkunda sympathisers are to blame. Laurent Nkunda, the CNDP warlord leader, has been held under house arrest in Rwanda since January, 2009, and it was his chief of staff that was assassinated in late June.
Of course there is no evidence of government involvement in any of these events. Regardless of who is guilty though, all these events, have helped increase levels of paranoia, suspicion and fear among voters lately. Despite the denials of Kagame's party that “everything will come back to normal” after the election, suspicion is rife that there are deep rifts within the RPF.
It will certainly be interesting to see how things play out this next month. I'm glad to be back home of course, and will be praying for my "other" home this next month! Please join me!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Great Escape pics (what a wonderful week!)
Posing in front of what was once the smallest post office in the U.S.!
Our girls about to launch water balloons with this giant slingshot. Boys beware!
Happy campers!
Shaving cream fun!
Can we get out of this human knot??!?
Worship time
My precious, adorable nephew, Aiden.
Aiden and his Mom at Myrtle Beach
Me and Aiden playing in the fountain
Bathtime
Wash the naked baby off with a hose time. Check out those thighs! Dang!
Beautiful!
We were playing a game with the car, where he runs into the monkey and makes monkey roadkill. See below. Fun game!
Ellie was the accomplice.
Aiden loved plowing over the poor monkey with his ride.
Freedom
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." ~Galatians 5:1
Ben Glenn's "Victory" drawing
We are free in Christ! Free to claim His goodness, His mercy, His grace, His love wherever we find it...even if it's in unexpected places! :-)
Home
I've had a wonderful time being home these past 3 weeks! It's been great to spend time with loved ones, to hold and love on that baby, and eat some good junk food. I'll be home for another month, until August 8, and I really hope to catch up and see all of you while I'm around. I've been on the go since being back, and just now have a week or so to just rest here in K-town. I'm actually trying really hard to be still for at least a few days. I need it. I've definitely got a lot I just want to reflect on, and process, and I need quiet writing time and praying time to do that. I think I need to try to be a bit nicer to myself and be still for a bit! I've slept for 10 hours the past two nights, so that's a start! :-)
I got home June 16, and in keeping with tradition, the whole fam, along with Mom's friend, Elizabeth, hit up the What-a-Burger for a nice big, What-a-cheesburger with LTM and a big Cherry-Lemon Sundrop to wash it down. And my stomach didn't even rebel! I think it's due to the good food I've been eating since meeting those SC folks in Kigali! The next day after coming home, we hit the road to Myrtle Beach, and all the traffic and people that comes with MB this time of year. Ugh! And by the way, it's waaaay hotter here right now than Africa! Well, Rwanda at least. Kigali's elevation is like Denver, so it's pretty cool in the evenings this time of year. But this sticky-sweltering-crazy hot feeling you feel here when you walk outside....you don't feel over there...even during the hottest days of summer, even in Mombasa. The humidity here is merciless! It was great playing with my 16 month old nephew, Aiden, and splashing around in the ocean with him. He's the coolest kid ever! Just fearless! I loved watching him run head first into the waves, and they would crash over his head....he'd just laugh and squint his eyes through the salt water, and get back up for more! So much fun! We celebrated Father's Day with a nice dinner, and ate lots of shrimp too. It was good to eat some shrimp that didn't have the heads still on it! In Rwanda and Kenya, when you eat "prawns," you're eating just exactly what they look like in the ocean, head and all, except cooked a little bit. Gross!
The trip back home from MB was unexpectedly eventful. I was trying to head up to Sanford to see some friends before coming home, and I had gotten all the way past Conway, out to that little country town of Aynor, which is like the middle of nowhere, when all of a sudden my radio starts acting up. I had been singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" at the top of my lungs, when the speakers started getting all scratchy, then they faded to nothing. Dang! I was thinking...I come home for the summer, and now I don't have any music in my car, and you know I'm too simple for an Ipod. What kind of welcome back to America is this! But then, I looked at the odometer and it was rocking back and forth and then the car just stopped and wouldn't go anymore....on the side of this bridge over the Pee Dee river in the middle of nowhere Aynor. And that's when I stopped believing. I was talking to my friend Nick, and he thought it was the alternator, and when I talked to Dad, he concurred. So the tow guys had to come all the way from MB to tow me, cause there weren't any tow places open late in Conway. Ugh! But you know what, I think...no I believe that God has a way of slowing me down just when I need it the most. And often times, He has "slowed me down" with car trouble on the side of the road in some random place. But the times this has happened, I have experienced beautiful sunsets or one time it was a gorgeous rainbow that I know I would have missed if I had kept on moving down the highway. And it was the same this time...I had two hours to just sit there in my car and pray and read and watch an AMAZING sunset! I'm typically not the kind of person that listens to God the first time, or sometimes not even the second time. Sometimes He has to just literally stop me in my tracks like this for me to pay attention to Him. And it's always wonderful when I do.
So anyway, the tow guys arrived, and I quickly looked them over and decided they were safe enough to ride back with. So I jumped in the middle of the cab, with John on my left, and Jay on my right, and we had a lovely hour-long ride back to the beach, full of talks about fishing and good beer and tatoos and church and what Africa is really like, and what Jesus is really like too. I thanked God for connecting me with these guys with big hearts who were curious to know more. What started out to be an AWFUL day, slowly turned into a opportunity to see a fabulous sunset, and share my faith with two great human beings. Oh, and we really had time to get to know one another, because the tow truck got a blow-out tire on the way back, so we had to stop and fix that too! (I was starting to think I was bad luck!) But I firmly believe and know that God chooses us for each other, and nothing is a coincidence in our lives. Each meeting we have in our lives every day is ordained by Him....He already knows and He will faithfully show up if we invite him to! I eventually made it home, but will have to stop in to Sanford another day. It turned out to be $250 I sure did NOT want to spend on a car this summer, but there's a reason for it, and He is faithful!
Other than my car incident, I've enjoyed family and food! I've already crossed many restaurants off that were on my list including...(in random order)...Whataburger, Cookout, Varsity BBQ, Wendy's, Cracker Barrell, Chili's, Lee's, Chick-Fila, Bojangles, Depompas, Starbucks. And even others that weren't on my list, like Arby's and Asian Cafe and McDonalds. To complete the list I still need to hit: K&W, Stag n' Doe, Moe's, AppleBees, TGI Fridays, Panera Bread, Gary's BBQ, Townhouse and WaffleHouse too, good Mexican food (I'm not picky on the restaurant), Taco Bell, and Papa John's pizza. So if you have a hankering for any of these foods, feel free to call me up and I will join you! :-)
Last week I had the great privilege of leading 9 youth from church to the Great Escape youth conference at Western Carolina with my friend, Keith. It was awesome once again! We enjoyed jamming out to the Jeff Chandler worship band, and hearing speakers like Ben Glenn, (the chalk guy), and Jeffrey Dean. Ben Glenn is an artist and speaker who has embraced his ADHD-ness and has realized that he has been blesssed with many abilities that many "normal" people don't have. He speaks to schools, teachers, churches, and brings messages of hope, faith, and accomplishing your goals. Ben draws amazing chalk prints on canvas, and watching him do this is amazing in and of itself. Whether you have ADHD or not, I encourage you to check out his website. http://www.simpleadhdexpert.com/. You can also watch him draw on Youtube if you type in Ben Glenn. It's really something remarkable....he's not just your average artist. Again, we had a great time of fellowship, and fun on the Tuckaseegee River, and enjoying each other and God's creation, but most importantly, we were there to worship and interact with our Creator. His presence was there with us in a STRONG way, and there were many commitments made for Christ last week! As we were sharing, one girl said, "Miss Emily, I always knew Jesus loved me, but tonight I felt it." And one of our boys remarked, "When I used to talk to God, I knew in my heart he listened because I know my parents told me he listened, but tonight and this week when I've talked to Him, it's like he's sitting right there in front of me like you are and it's like he's my neighbor. I know He is listening to me know and He's talking to me too!" Amen! It gives me goosebumps to be in a place where God is really working and tearing down walls and loving on kids. It was a special week!
I began celebrating the 4th early, by taking my mom to the outdoor symphony show and fireworks on Friday. I finally got to go to church this Sunday, and hear our new preacher. It was so good to see everyone, and sing hymns like God Bless America, and My Country Tis of Thee. They really mean so much more when you live outside of this great place. I really sing every word now, unlike when I was younger, and I was just singing a song. The words are real and alive. We do live in a sweet land of liberty, and when I think back to all our forefathers established for us, I am truly thankful. We complain a lot, and our country is certainly not perfect, but we live in a land where there are so many opportunities and promises to be had for everyone, not just a select elite. And we are free to voice our opinions and spout off about stuff, and not run the risk of being arrested, or worse. And we can go to church and worship and live beside others who we disagree with, and thats ok. Too often, we take these unseen freedoms for granted. I know the economy is bad, and the oil spill is enormous and devastating, and people are out of work, but let's not forget all we have to be thankful for...all the things we are blessed with each day just cause we were born in the USA. Anyways, yesterday we enjoyed swimming at my aunt Leesa's, and I got to hang out with the baby ALL DAY cause his parents were working. We had a blast! We swam for a couple hours, then I chased him up and down the stairs, until he wore us both out.
It feels good to be home!
I got home June 16, and in keeping with tradition, the whole fam, along with Mom's friend, Elizabeth, hit up the What-a-Burger for a nice big, What-a-cheesburger with LTM and a big Cherry-Lemon Sundrop to wash it down. And my stomach didn't even rebel! I think it's due to the good food I've been eating since meeting those SC folks in Kigali! The next day after coming home, we hit the road to Myrtle Beach, and all the traffic and people that comes with MB this time of year. Ugh! And by the way, it's waaaay hotter here right now than Africa! Well, Rwanda at least. Kigali's elevation is like Denver, so it's pretty cool in the evenings this time of year. But this sticky-sweltering-crazy hot feeling you feel here when you walk outside....you don't feel over there...even during the hottest days of summer, even in Mombasa. The humidity here is merciless! It was great playing with my 16 month old nephew, Aiden, and splashing around in the ocean with him. He's the coolest kid ever! Just fearless! I loved watching him run head first into the waves, and they would crash over his head....he'd just laugh and squint his eyes through the salt water, and get back up for more! So much fun! We celebrated Father's Day with a nice dinner, and ate lots of shrimp too. It was good to eat some shrimp that didn't have the heads still on it! In Rwanda and Kenya, when you eat "prawns," you're eating just exactly what they look like in the ocean, head and all, except cooked a little bit. Gross!
The trip back home from MB was unexpectedly eventful. I was trying to head up to Sanford to see some friends before coming home, and I had gotten all the way past Conway, out to that little country town of Aynor, which is like the middle of nowhere, when all of a sudden my radio starts acting up. I had been singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" at the top of my lungs, when the speakers started getting all scratchy, then they faded to nothing. Dang! I was thinking...I come home for the summer, and now I don't have any music in my car, and you know I'm too simple for an Ipod. What kind of welcome back to America is this! But then, I looked at the odometer and it was rocking back and forth and then the car just stopped and wouldn't go anymore....on the side of this bridge over the Pee Dee river in the middle of nowhere Aynor. And that's when I stopped believing. I was talking to my friend Nick, and he thought it was the alternator, and when I talked to Dad, he concurred. So the tow guys had to come all the way from MB to tow me, cause there weren't any tow places open late in Conway. Ugh! But you know what, I think...no I believe that God has a way of slowing me down just when I need it the most. And often times, He has "slowed me down" with car trouble on the side of the road in some random place. But the times this has happened, I have experienced beautiful sunsets or one time it was a gorgeous rainbow that I know I would have missed if I had kept on moving down the highway. And it was the same this time...I had two hours to just sit there in my car and pray and read and watch an AMAZING sunset! I'm typically not the kind of person that listens to God the first time, or sometimes not even the second time. Sometimes He has to just literally stop me in my tracks like this for me to pay attention to Him. And it's always wonderful when I do.
So anyway, the tow guys arrived, and I quickly looked them over and decided they were safe enough to ride back with. So I jumped in the middle of the cab, with John on my left, and Jay on my right, and we had a lovely hour-long ride back to the beach, full of talks about fishing and good beer and tatoos and church and what Africa is really like, and what Jesus is really like too. I thanked God for connecting me with these guys with big hearts who were curious to know more. What started out to be an AWFUL day, slowly turned into a opportunity to see a fabulous sunset, and share my faith with two great human beings. Oh, and we really had time to get to know one another, because the tow truck got a blow-out tire on the way back, so we had to stop and fix that too! (I was starting to think I was bad luck!) But I firmly believe and know that God chooses us for each other, and nothing is a coincidence in our lives. Each meeting we have in our lives every day is ordained by Him....He already knows and He will faithfully show up if we invite him to! I eventually made it home, but will have to stop in to Sanford another day. It turned out to be $250 I sure did NOT want to spend on a car this summer, but there's a reason for it, and He is faithful!
Other than my car incident, I've enjoyed family and food! I've already crossed many restaurants off that were on my list including...(in random order)...Whataburger, Cookout, Varsity BBQ, Wendy's, Cracker Barrell, Chili's, Lee's, Chick-Fila, Bojangles, Depompas, Starbucks. And even others that weren't on my list, like Arby's and Asian Cafe and McDonalds. To complete the list I still need to hit: K&W, Stag n' Doe, Moe's, AppleBees, TGI Fridays, Panera Bread, Gary's BBQ, Townhouse and WaffleHouse too, good Mexican food (I'm not picky on the restaurant), Taco Bell, and Papa John's pizza. So if you have a hankering for any of these foods, feel free to call me up and I will join you! :-)
Last week I had the great privilege of leading 9 youth from church to the Great Escape youth conference at Western Carolina with my friend, Keith. It was awesome once again! We enjoyed jamming out to the Jeff Chandler worship band, and hearing speakers like Ben Glenn, (the chalk guy), and Jeffrey Dean. Ben Glenn is an artist and speaker who has embraced his ADHD-ness and has realized that he has been blesssed with many abilities that many "normal" people don't have. He speaks to schools, teachers, churches, and brings messages of hope, faith, and accomplishing your goals. Ben draws amazing chalk prints on canvas, and watching him do this is amazing in and of itself. Whether you have ADHD or not, I encourage you to check out his website. http://www.simpleadhdexpert.com/. You can also watch him draw on Youtube if you type in Ben Glenn. It's really something remarkable....he's not just your average artist. Again, we had a great time of fellowship, and fun on the Tuckaseegee River, and enjoying each other and God's creation, but most importantly, we were there to worship and interact with our Creator. His presence was there with us in a STRONG way, and there were many commitments made for Christ last week! As we were sharing, one girl said, "Miss Emily, I always knew Jesus loved me, but tonight I felt it." And one of our boys remarked, "When I used to talk to God, I knew in my heart he listened because I know my parents told me he listened, but tonight and this week when I've talked to Him, it's like he's sitting right there in front of me like you are and it's like he's my neighbor. I know He is listening to me know and He's talking to me too!" Amen! It gives me goosebumps to be in a place where God is really working and tearing down walls and loving on kids. It was a special week!
I began celebrating the 4th early, by taking my mom to the outdoor symphony show and fireworks on Friday. I finally got to go to church this Sunday, and hear our new preacher. It was so good to see everyone, and sing hymns like God Bless America, and My Country Tis of Thee. They really mean so much more when you live outside of this great place. I really sing every word now, unlike when I was younger, and I was just singing a song. The words are real and alive. We do live in a sweet land of liberty, and when I think back to all our forefathers established for us, I am truly thankful. We complain a lot, and our country is certainly not perfect, but we live in a land where there are so many opportunities and promises to be had for everyone, not just a select elite. And we are free to voice our opinions and spout off about stuff, and not run the risk of being arrested, or worse. And we can go to church and worship and live beside others who we disagree with, and thats ok. Too often, we take these unseen freedoms for granted. I know the economy is bad, and the oil spill is enormous and devastating, and people are out of work, but let's not forget all we have to be thankful for...all the things we are blessed with each day just cause we were born in the USA. Anyways, yesterday we enjoyed swimming at my aunt Leesa's, and I got to hang out with the baby ALL DAY cause his parents were working. We had a blast! We swam for a couple hours, then I chased him up and down the stairs, until he wore us both out.
It feels good to be home!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
40 Days of Prayer for Rwanda
Hey everyone! I'm back home in K-town for a while this summer, and it's been great to see folks and rest and eat some great food. I'll write about my time home in a second, but I wanted to give you the opportunity to join me in something big here. Presidential elections are coming up in Rwanda on August 9 (the day I fly back!), and we are praying that things are conducted justly and smoothly, and peace and reconciliation prevail. We know He reigns! But we also know how important prayer is at this time for Rwanda. I know He hears our prayers when we come together, agreeing as one body in Christ. If you would like to join me, and my church in Kigali in praying these next 40 days as the elections approach, I've included a prayer guide below that you may or may not choose to follow. I believe that praying God's word back to Him is very powerful (Isaiah 55:11), and I hope you will all agree with us in prayer these next 40 days! (well, really 37, cause I'm late!) :-)
Here is an example of how to pray the Scriptures on Day 2:
Dear Lord, I will shout for joy to all the earth and worship You with gladness. I will come before You with joyful songs. I will worship You with gladness and come before You with joyful songs. I know that You, the LORD, are God and it is You that has made us, and that we are Yours. We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise; I will give thanks to You and praise Your name. For You are good and Your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations.
Lord, Your word tells me that You will do whatever I ask in Your name, so that You may be glorified. It tells me that I may ask for anything in Your name, and You will do it.
Lord, Your word tells me that You will give whatever I ask for in Your name. It says that, if I ask, I will receive, and my joy will be complete.
Lord, Your word urges me to present requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for everyone—for kings and all those in authority—that I may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness.
Lord, You know that Rwanda has struggled long and hard to reach a place of peace after the desolation that took place here. I ask in Jesus’ name that You will place Your hand of protection over our land as the presidential election approaches. I implore You on behalf of the people of Rwanda to help the election results to be of Your choosing, and that the president will look to You first for wisdom and guidance. May the nation of Rwanda look to You as the One True God. May Your name be glorified in what happens here in Rwanda and in all the earth.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Suggested Scriptures to Pray
Thursday, 1 July 2010 (Day 1) (Psalm 9, Isaiah 55:11, Luke 1:37)
Friday, 2 July 2010 (Day 2) (Psalm 100, John 14:13-14, John 16:23-26, I Timothy 2:1-2)
Saturday, 3 July 2010 (Day 3) (Psalm 124, I John 4:16-18)
Sunday, 4 July 2010 (Day 4) (Psalm 86, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:6-7)
Monday, 5 July 2010 (Day 5) (Psalm 46, Proverbs 2:6-11, Psalm 32:7)
Tuesday, 6 July 2010 (Day 6) (Exodus 15:1-3, 6-7, 11, 13; Psalm 18:30-31; Revelation 3:7b-8)
Wednesday, 7 July 2010 (Day 7) (Psalm 5:1-8, 11-12; II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 46:10)
Thursday, 8 July 2010 (Day 8) (Psalm 81:8-13, Psalm 42)
Friday, 9 July 2010 (Day 9) (Psalm 27, Psalm 63)
Saturday, 10 July 2010 (Day 10) (Psalm 21:11-13, I John 4:4, Psalm 55:22)
Sunday, 11 July 2010 (Day 11) (II Thessalonians 3:1-5; Psalm 31:3-4, 8; Psalm 37:5-7, 39-40)
Monday, 12 July 2010 (Day 12) (Psalm 68:1-6, Psalm 138:7-8, Isaiah 54:7)
Tuesday, 13 July 2010 (Day 13) (Psalm 73:23-28, Psalm 143)
Wednesday, 14 July 2010 (Day 14) (Isaiah 40)
Thursday, 15 July 2010 (Day 15) (Psalm 90, Isaiah 30:18, II Chronicles 6:9a)
Friday, 16 July 2010 (Day 16) (Psalm 62:1-2; John 17:11, 14-20; Ephesians 6:10-20)
Saturday, 17 July 2010 (Day 17) (Psalm 20; Proverbs 9:10-12)
Sunday, 18 July 2010 (Day 18) (Proverbs 4:23-27; Psalm 25)
Monday, 19 July 2010 (Day 19) (Psalm 33)
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 (Day 20) (Psalm 34)
Wednesday, 21 July 2010 (Day 21) (Psalm 66)
Thursday, 22 July 2010 (Day 22) (Psalm 91)
Friday, 23 July 2010 (Day 23) (Psalm 92)
Saturday, 24 July 2010 (Day 24) (Psalm 101; Psalm 127)
Sunday, 25 July 2010 (Day 25) (Psalm 113:1-4, Isaiah 41:10, James 1:2-8)
Monday, 26 July 2010 (Day 26) (Psalm 108:1-5, Isaiah 58:12, I Peter 1:3-9)
Tuesday, 27 July 2010 (Day 27) (Psalm 95:1-7a, Romans 8:26-27, II Chronicles 7:14-15)
Wednesday, 28 July 2010 (Day 28) (Daniel 2:19b-21; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 15:13)
Thursday, 29 July 2010 (Day 29) (James 4:7-10; I Peter 2:13-17; Jeremiah 29:5-7; Job 34:18-19, 23-24, 29-30)
Friday, 30 July 2010 (Day 30) (I Peter 5:5-11, Colossians 3:12-17)
Saturday, 31 July 2010 (Day 31) (Colossians 3:23-24, Philippians 2:1-11, Ephesians 3:20-21)
Sunday, 1 August 2010 (Day 32) (Psalm 19, Philippians 2:13-16a, Jeremiah 32:27)
Monday, 2 August 2010 (Day 33) (Jeremiah 32:17-19, Psalm 14)
Tuesday, 3 August 2010 (Day 34) (Psalm 11)
Wednesday, 4 August 2010 (Day 35) (Psalm 15)
Thursday, 5 August 2010 (Day 36) (Proverbs 16:3, Matthew 9:36-38, II Corinthians 9:10-11, Galatians 6:9, Matthew 7:7-8, Joh-n 15:5-8)
Friday, 6 August 2010 (Day 37) (Psalm 16:1-9)
Saturday, 7 August 2010 (Day 38) (Psalm -17)
Sunday, 8 August 2010 (Day 39) (Psalm 18)
Monday, 9 August 2010 (Day 40) (Psalm 23)
Here is an example of how to pray the Scriptures on Day 2:
Dear Lord, I will shout for joy to all the earth and worship You with gladness. I will come before You with joyful songs. I will worship You with gladness and come before You with joyful songs. I know that You, the LORD, are God and it is You that has made us, and that we are Yours. We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise; I will give thanks to You and praise Your name. For You are good and Your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations.
Lord, Your word tells me that You will do whatever I ask in Your name, so that You may be glorified. It tells me that I may ask for anything in Your name, and You will do it.
Lord, Your word tells me that You will give whatever I ask for in Your name. It says that, if I ask, I will receive, and my joy will be complete.
Lord, Your word urges me to present requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for everyone—for kings and all those in authority—that I may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness.
Lord, You know that Rwanda has struggled long and hard to reach a place of peace after the desolation that took place here. I ask in Jesus’ name that You will place Your hand of protection over our land as the presidential election approaches. I implore You on behalf of the people of Rwanda to help the election results to be of Your choosing, and that the president will look to You first for wisdom and guidance. May the nation of Rwanda look to You as the One True God. May Your name be glorified in what happens here in Rwanda and in all the earth.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Suggested Scriptures to Pray
Thursday, 1 July 2010 (Day 1) (Psalm 9, Isaiah 55:11, Luke 1:37)
Friday, 2 July 2010 (Day 2) (Psalm 100, John 14:13-14, John 16:23-26, I Timothy 2:1-2)
Saturday, 3 July 2010 (Day 3) (Psalm 124, I John 4:16-18)
Sunday, 4 July 2010 (Day 4) (Psalm 86, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:6-7)
Monday, 5 July 2010 (Day 5) (Psalm 46, Proverbs 2:6-11, Psalm 32:7)
Tuesday, 6 July 2010 (Day 6) (Exodus 15:1-3, 6-7, 11, 13; Psalm 18:30-31; Revelation 3:7b-8)
Wednesday, 7 July 2010 (Day 7) (Psalm 5:1-8, 11-12; II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 46:10)
Thursday, 8 July 2010 (Day 8) (Psalm 81:8-13, Psalm 42)
Friday, 9 July 2010 (Day 9) (Psalm 27, Psalm 63)
Saturday, 10 July 2010 (Day 10) (Psalm 21:11-13, I John 4:4, Psalm 55:22)
Sunday, 11 July 2010 (Day 11) (II Thessalonians 3:1-5; Psalm 31:3-4, 8; Psalm 37:5-7, 39-40)
Monday, 12 July 2010 (Day 12) (Psalm 68:1-6, Psalm 138:7-8, Isaiah 54:7)
Tuesday, 13 July 2010 (Day 13) (Psalm 73:23-28, Psalm 143)
Wednesday, 14 July 2010 (Day 14) (Isaiah 40)
Thursday, 15 July 2010 (Day 15) (Psalm 90, Isaiah 30:18, II Chronicles 6:9a)
Friday, 16 July 2010 (Day 16) (Psalm 62:1-2; John 17:11, 14-20; Ephesians 6:10-20)
Saturday, 17 July 2010 (Day 17) (Psalm 20; Proverbs 9:10-12)
Sunday, 18 July 2010 (Day 18) (Proverbs 4:23-27; Psalm 25)
Monday, 19 July 2010 (Day 19) (Psalm 33)
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 (Day 20) (Psalm 34)
Wednesday, 21 July 2010 (Day 21) (Psalm 66)
Thursday, 22 July 2010 (Day 22) (Psalm 91)
Friday, 23 July 2010 (Day 23) (Psalm 92)
Saturday, 24 July 2010 (Day 24) (Psalm 101; Psalm 127)
Sunday, 25 July 2010 (Day 25) (Psalm 113:1-4, Isaiah 41:10, James 1:2-8)
Monday, 26 July 2010 (Day 26) (Psalm 108:1-5, Isaiah 58:12, I Peter 1:3-9)
Tuesday, 27 July 2010 (Day 27) (Psalm 95:1-7a, Romans 8:26-27, II Chronicles 7:14-15)
Wednesday, 28 July 2010 (Day 28) (Daniel 2:19b-21; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 15:13)
Thursday, 29 July 2010 (Day 29) (James 4:7-10; I Peter 2:13-17; Jeremiah 29:5-7; Job 34:18-19, 23-24, 29-30)
Friday, 30 July 2010 (Day 30) (I Peter 5:5-11, Colossians 3:12-17)
Saturday, 31 July 2010 (Day 31) (Colossians 3:23-24, Philippians 2:1-11, Ephesians 3:20-21)
Sunday, 1 August 2010 (Day 32) (Psalm 19, Philippians 2:13-16a, Jeremiah 32:27)
Monday, 2 August 2010 (Day 33) (Jeremiah 32:17-19, Psalm 14)
Tuesday, 3 August 2010 (Day 34) (Psalm 11)
Wednesday, 4 August 2010 (Day 35) (Psalm 15)
Thursday, 5 August 2010 (Day 36) (Proverbs 16:3, Matthew 9:36-38, II Corinthians 9:10-11, Galatians 6:9, Matthew 7:7-8, Joh-n 15:5-8)
Friday, 6 August 2010 (Day 37) (Psalm 16:1-9)
Saturday, 7 August 2010 (Day 38) (Psalm -17)
Sunday, 8 August 2010 (Day 39) (Psalm 18)
Monday, 9 August 2010 (Day 40) (Psalm 23)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Kwita Izina
I had the wonderful opportunity last weekend to attend the 6th annual "Kwita Izina" event at the Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi. Kwita Izina is a special naming ceremony for the baby gorillas that are born each year. This year the event was even more special because it coincided with the celebration of World Environment Day. The theme of this year's event was, "Many Species, One Planet, One Future." Rwanda is home to about one third of the 750 mountain gorillas left in the wild. The rest are in the same Virunga Mountain Range, a chain of volcanic mountains shared by Congo, Rwanda, DRC, and Uganda. The remaining gorillas have survived thanks to renewed conservation efforts on the local, national, and international level. Since 2005, 103 baby gorillas have been named! This year, I was privileged to hear names for eleven baby gorillas. Individuals were chosen from around the world to name the gorillas. This event has drawn visitors from all over who are dedicated to the enivornment and protecting these gorillas. This year, the honored guest was actor Don Cheadle who portrayed hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina in the film, Hotel Rwanda. Last year Jack Hanna attended, and the year before, the honored guest was Natalie Portman. It was rumored that Arnold was going to be here this year, but he didn't show. We all said it was a good thing because he would have named the baby gorilla, "Terminator." :-) It was a great day of food, fun, entertainment, meeting new folks, and honoring these baby gorillas.
Mr. President! I had a great view of him and even got to meet and shake his hand later on!
Rwandans getting a ride to the ceremony. By the way, they can fit more than this! Plus goats and chickens too!
The crowd
Traditional dancers, singers, and drummers
There were no real gorillas there, but these kids in gorilla costumes sure pleased the crowd!
Press conference with President Kagame
Don Cheadle. I listened to his press conference and he spoke very eloquently and passionately about the importance of conserving our planet. He gave some remarks on the BP oil spill as well. I have a video of him, but it was too long to upload. I'll try later on when I get back to the States.
Me and Don
Kids waiting to hear their President speak
The day ended with a long, but interesting bus ride back to Kigali in the rain. I had the pleasure of another one of those wonderful connections that God brings us. I was sitting on the bus, jam packed with people, and I noticed another mzungu towards the front. We were two. He didn't have a proper seat though....he was all squooshed up in the middle of some folks. After we made the first stop in town, people got off and this other mzungu made his way to the empty seat beside me. I was just listening to music and staring out the window, when I caught a glimpse of this guy's arm. There was a huge tatoo on his forearm of the state of North Carolina! haha! I took another look and realized it really was my state! Turns out that this guy was from Hickory, and doing research in a village for Appalachian State! So we had a nice chat about all things NC, encouraged one another, and parted ways. It's always a blessing to make connections like that so far away from home!
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