I can barely type through my tears

Mukaraganda before GFR in 2003

I feel such profound sadness today. I found out that my dearest Mukaraganda is gone. Edissa is her "baptized" name.

Edissa... what can I say? I will miss you so much. You are the reason I came to Rwanda and you are the reason I stay. The tears I cry are mixed with emotions of profound sadness and joy. I know I will see you again and we will be able to speak openly of our experiences together. We will speak the same language and no barriers will stand between us. The first time I saw you I cried. I wept at the photo I saw of you all bones and no hope. I took you into my heart and determined to give you a better life. When I met you by surprise my first trip into the village, you honored me by calling me your hero. The last time I saw you was the first time I witnessed your smile. You were truly joyful and happy once again... your life was stolen from you in the genocide when your whole family was murdered.

Even your husband was taken. All you had left was a few sweet grandchildren. There seemed no end to your grief. Just as you were going to starve, we found you my sweetest Edissa and life began for you once again. OH SORROW... OH SADNESS that you didn't have long to enjoy your new life. But my only consolation is knowing that your grandchildren have a new future. They live on! They miss you so much but have a new guardian, their sponsor Denise White.

I make a promise to you Edissa... as long as I live your family will go on. They will live their life knowing that God rescued them and has a purpose for them. They will know that there is hope even after war and hunger. Thank you for giving me this opportunity Edissa. Thank you for giving me a purpose to go on. Thank you for driving an urgency into my mission... more must be helped before it is too late. I am so glad that you saw new hope. I will miss you Edissa. I will never forget you.

Here is an exerpt of a letter from Jeannette

who is the grandchild of Edissa which was written last week:

We would like to tell you to that you did great things for us, and now we are living alone. We don’t feel it so much because we have you, you are everything for me and for my brother. We are still living because of your generosity and love you had and you still have for us. We bought many things for us because of your support, we bought the materials for home, we have 2 sheep, and we received the Cow from Global Family Rescue. We tried to build the house with the money you are sending us (we need the cements, doors, windows and other materials to finish it properly).

Today I am trying to learn how to sew after knowing it; I will be able to organize my life in the future. That is why I need my own sewing machine. My brother is also learning how to drive, after getting the license for driving it will help him to find the job of driving.

We love you so much and we are still alright because we have you like our parents and guardian. Keep praying for us so that God will continue to help us. We would like to have wisdom from God so that we will be able to manage our life in coming days when the sponsorship will stop. And we are for sure that Global Family Rescue will continue to watch over us and advice us in everything we will do.

Sponsor a family today... Email Melody Pahlow at melody.pahlow@globalfamilyrescue.org

Here is a beautiful video!

This video clip was sent to me by Desiree Guzman, a Team Leader for one of our mission trips this summer. It is a beautiful representation of what Ben and I have believed for a long time.... when someone has a need, SHOW UP!

I love what Pastor Straton is doing in Rwanda. His philosophy regarding compassion is that we are responsible to be there for people in need, not only to send money or gifts. People need us to be present in their pain and see them up close. We are Christ's ambassadors and we have an opportunity to share the burden of the hurting!

Click on this link to hear Pastor Straton's heart felt story!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SUJOcRU-_w

A wonderful letter from Xaveline

Xaveline and her son Alphonse

I was so blown away by a recent letter we received from one of our sponsored families. Here is an exerpt from it:

Xaveline writes:

"You know, during the Christmas day, my children and I ate the meat , rice, vegetable and we bought some juice, I prepared myself the meal for my children. When we were eating, my son said "YOU KNOW MOMMY, THIS IS THE GREAT FEAST. NOW WE CAN REMEMBER JUST NOW OUR SPONSOR; WE ARE EATING THE GOOD MEAL BECAUSE OF THEM AND WITHOUT THEM WE COULD NOT FIND THE FOOD LIKE THIS ONE. MY DAUGHTER THEN ADDS THAT SHE IS BECOME FAT BECAUSE OF THE GOOD PEOPLE FROM USA.” They were so happy for intervention from you. I appreciate that and I know how much you are very important to us. Thank you for everything."

I want to send a personal thank you out to all of the donors that are changing the face of Rwanda. THANK YOU! You are answers to their prayers!