| Contact Us: Site Map: Login: Home |
 |
trinity's rwanda mission Trinity's
2005
The 2005 team built a portion of two houses. Through generous donations, the Trinity family paid for the construction of both houses. The connection with those we worked along side was priceless -- the laughter, the sharing of moments and expressions without words. Humor surely does cross cultures!
As we worked on these houses, the children in the area would come to watch us. During breaks we played games with them, laughed with them and loved them. What more can we do with and for them?
2006
This team not only built two houses, but portions of the team spent several mornings leading learning experiences in local schools. Cindy Palicka, Trinity's Children's Ministry Director, worked to create a culturally adapted program. Local World Vision staff helped with the translation needs.
As was the case with the previous trip, this team had a special day to spend quality time with our sponsored children. As we were kicking around soccer balls, we couldn't help but notice we were being watched. There were hundreds of kids lined up along a fence close by, obviously desiring to be on the inside of the fence. These children were not sponsored children. God laid it on our hearts to get as many of those kids “over the fence” as we possibly could.
Upon our return, we launched an “Over the Fence” campaign through which we generated over 400 new child sponsorships, to add to the 350+ we had previously generated.
2007
In 2007 we sent two teams to Rwanda—one for building purposes (similar to the previous teams) and one for exploring new opportunities to more deeply invest in the people we have grown to love. This exploratory team discovered ministry opportunities in the areas of health care, gender-based violence, micro-finance, vocational training and agricultural development, just to name a few. These opportunities have sparked expanded vision for involvement in Rwanda.
2008
This year we sent a building team in February and in May our Pastor will return to take part in leading a pastor’s training conference for several hundred Rwandan pastors who are in desperate need of being equipped for the ministry that God has called them to.
We are also endeavoring to generate an additional 1000 child sponsorships through an initiative we are calling “Run for Rwanda”. We have a team of at least 15 runners who have committed to train for and run the Chicago Marathon. Supporting these runners will be “advocates”. The role of the advocate is to reach out to their sphere of influence in efforts to secure child sponsorships for each runner.
2009
Trinity had the opportunity to make the goal of a medically focused trip a reality. During our February trip, seventeen team members spent two weeks in Rwanda focusing efforts on meeting basic medical needs and educating Rwandans on healthcare issues while being a physical representation of the Love of Christ.
Trinity Baptist Church’s Rwanda mission program is about building relationships, houses, trust, partnerships, and love. It is about playing games, singing, praying, providing children’s ministries, learning, teaching, and addressing medical needs, all within the context of the house building sites. When we come to build houses with the Rwandese, everyone is transformed, saints step forward, and we see true honesty and love abound. At its essence, it is all LOVING as Jesus Loved, and RECEIVING love as Jesus loved.
There are moments we share laughter; there are moments we share tears. And often those moments comingle in a way that can only be described as “holy”. On each trip we visit genocide memorials and hear individuals’ heart-wrenching stories of losing their families. But we also hear of their hope and all that they are doing to work toward true forgiveness and reconciliation, none of which can happen apart from God’s grace.
If you would like more information or to participate in Trinity's Rwanda Mission, please contact Samantha Blair, Deacon of Rwanda Missions via email at sammy.blair@gmail.com.
|
