Today I am very aware of my heart pounding hard and fast in my chest. It makes my head feel dizzy. The tears I have shed this morning I have not wiped from my face and it stings my skin. The only way I can describe my feeling is joy. The joy of building and hard work become a wall of accomplishment and I somehow feel relieved. I have always struggled with the burden of insisting on results. It is part of my nature. There are few things more rewarding then knowing the families I love so dearly are well and happy. I am also so deeply proud of the donors who never fail to support their families across the ocean. There is a shocking reaction we are experiencing in Rwanda. It is the thought that Christ followers care for those they haven't seen or met. It is the resounding message that I hear in the letters from the bush. "Who are these people that care for me and rescued me?" I am breathing in deeply and I feel a flood of fresh tears about to fall as I read some new letters that have arrived from Rwanda today from the sponsored families to their U.S. Donor. Here are just a few paragraphs from them...
From: Olive 0001
To: Anna Ricci
"Its a great joy to send this message for greeting you. With all our heart thank you so much for what you have done for us orphans. We hadn’t somebody to look after us and our lives were in danger. After getting your sponsorship every thing has changed in us. That is why this letter is for thanking you and to tell you that you have done great things. God bless you for that good action.
Dear Ricci how is your family? As orphans here in Rwanda, we ask ourselves many questions how somebody can help the people that even he doesn’t know. What kind of love!? We are not familiar with that generosity here in our country. We are sure that God alone will reward you. "
From: Frodourad 0007
To: David Ta Wei King
"This is the great moment for us to have this opportunity to send you a message, so as to thank you so much for what you have done for my family and me. Your sponsorship reaches us regularly and orderly. It has transformed our lives. Before we were about to die, but now there is the improvement in everything. We are eating well, dressing well and buying whatever we need. I tell you with all my heart that what you have done is beyond our thinking. "
From: Jean 00018
To: Brian and Sharie Behnke
"We are happy to send this letter to greet you and to tell you that your sponsorship reaches to us regularly and orderly. From it we bought many things and we are now in good situations. Our lives have been improved so much. We are no longer the poorest; on the contrary, we are now satisfying our needs day after day. We thank you for it.
My family and I are in good health (even though I am handicap for long time). We are enjoying what you have done for us. We are now in rainy season, and we are planting different seeds. As you can imagine, your support is great for us. We have used it for buying many items we needed. In our family every thing is new. We thank God for that.
My wife and I with our son and daughter love you so much, when we are together, and think about your generosity to us, we cannot understand how we were before and how we are today. There is a big difference. We say: God performed the miracles for us. Sincerely it is true, before we have nothing, but now we have many things. Finally, my family and I wish you the goodness from our Lord Jesus. "
From: Andre 00014
To: Providence
"I am pleased to have this time to write this letter for greeting you with all my family and to thank you for your aid. We tell you the truth, it was terrible at home. We had nothing, but today, we are eating well, dressing well and get every thing we need. If you should come and see what we have done from your sponsorship; you cannot imagine! It is great! So we thank you so much for your generosity to help some body like me who was nothing.
Now our lives have changed so much, there is improvement in every thing. You have done many things for us. For finishing my message, I wish you the happiness from our Lord Jesus. God bless you in your entire project and in all things you do. "
From: Alphonse 00033
To: Sarah Condiff
"How are you today? For us we are fine and the purpose of this letter is to thank you for your sponsorship that has many things in our lives. We have been transformed by your help, now we can eat, dress, get the medicines and so on…it has been a miracle for us. We thank God for your support.
The children are: Tuyishhimire Mary Rose with 8 years old, Maniraguha who is 5 years old and Merika who is 1 year old.
My family and I think always about you because of your generosity to us, we cannot forget you. We imagine how you love the persons you don’t know. The heart you have is the heart of a real Christian. God continue to be with you. "
From: Donatien 00011
To: Michael Strominger
"My family and I are pleased to send this message greeting warmly and thank you so much for your sponsorship. We receive it regularly and it has changed our living. Without it our condition of life was miserable. We thank you so much for you help.
My family and I love you so much, we were very poor but now we are buying whatever we want. It means that we depend on you. Now we are eating well and dressing well we are now beautiful because of you.
How is United State? For us we are fine and we are thanking God for what God is doing in our lives. My children are studying well they have uniforms and all school materials. It is great for me.
I think that God will continue to bless me through you. I was about to die but now I am well. I cannot express how your sponsorship has been very important to us."
...And now I ask you... How is the United State? :) Ben & I have such deep affection for the people that are supporting this mission! You are transforming the world, one family at a time! Praise God for all of your love and sacrifices... you are deeply loved, by Ben & I, God and over 1,000 people that know there is a God after all!
1 comment:
WOW!! Thanks for keeping my priorities straight as I begin my day with my children.
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