Pastor's Letter: Rwanda

I recently received some pastor's letters! Five, to be exact, and I want to share them here with you! First up, a letter from Ndikubwimana's pastor at RW-553. The photos are from Compassion's Rural Rwanda page.

Dear Eric and Hannah,

Greetings to you in Jesus' name. We are all in good state. My name is Pastor H. Simeon. I am the pastor of Nyarubuye parish which belongs to Presbyterian Church in Rwanda associated with Mulindi Project is located in eastern province, where your sponsored child Ndikubwimana attends.

We thank you a lot for your sponsorship to Ndikubwimana. We have found that you are recognized persons in our daily life and you are people of God.

We have two hundred sponsored children; 89 of sponsored children are girls and the rest 111 are boys. On Saturday program, all children share same meal, porridge, and water in order to pay attention to their learning program on that day. They learn difference subjects which are grouped in four main Compassion objectives. These children get other different gifts including soaps, books, tops, pens and other office materials.

The project is located in high mountain, containing many stones; also there is dry season. The people of this region are coming from difference places; most of them are gardens. The children need water for using in their home as usual. Due to lack of water supply in that place, children are coming late to school. Shelters of families are not the modern one, means that children are not protected at all.

This project has come at the right time, to be an answer to many problems our children are faced with. Their parents have formed income-generation associations but their funds are less compared to the required investment.

Most of the children are learning how to get saved, and some of them are choir members; they try to read the Holy Bible, in simple terms, they are advancing in the word of God. This includes clearness, being smart, code of dressing; children are able to pass through and by this some burden of diseases are reduced. Also, those families have medical insurance which has been promoted by government of Rwanda. They have massive sensitization of public about the importance of studies, so a big number of children are now at school. School fees is paid by project; this is the most advantage that make most of children to go to school. Children learn difference languages, including English, Kinyarwanda, and also French.

Many children know how to respond to some social problems, for example prostitution, poverty, drinking and drug abuse. They know all dangers. They have integrity and respect in society.

Most of people have got jobs because they have been employment opportunities, also people's minds have been changed; a very big number is now saved. The safes have got office; materials are here. Knowledge or skills have been increased on how to bear children and how to become a future sponsor. Children have received many gifts; they drink safe water using water filter on Saturday. There are first aid kits at the project, and staff have knowledge and skills to support them. Our vision is helping children in order to achieve holistic development and in our community. We are promoting cooperatives in order to reduce poverty.

Letters received for children were two hundred and ninety letters. The noteworthy events are children who received a gift and from this he bought a cow and he is expecting milk from this cow. The relationship between children and their sponsors is considerable, because through this correspondence some children were amazed how to be loved by someone who is far from where he/she lives. Children often pray before writing to her/his sponsor.

We have requests for achieving project goals or vision; we have a child who is suffering from epilepsy, so pray for this child. Pray for our project staffs, parish and our country.

We thank you a lot for your support and prayers for Ndikubwimana, all in Jesus' name.

Sincerely,

Parish Pastor H. Simeon

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Beautiful Niyobyose from Rwanda has been waiting 252 days for a sponsor. Will you pray for her to be sponsored? Niyobyose is 7 and her birthday is July 24.

Niyobyose lives with her father and her mother. She is responsible for gardening. Her father is sometimes employed as a farmer and her mother is sometimes employed as a farmer. There are 3 children in the family.
Playing group games is Niyobyose's favorite activity. In primary school her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities. To sponsor Niyobyose, click here.