In July 2012, another team from Trinity headed to Rwanda and had a packed schedule on the trip. The team helped with building a home for a woman named Speciose, and her three daughters, Florentina, Devota, and Olive. They also painted houses of past beneficiaries to help prevent water damage during the raining season and benefit the longevity of the homes overall. One of the highlights of the trip was the special ceremony in which the team presented 20 cows to vulnerable families in both Nyamagabe and Mudasomwa. Cows are a life-changing gift, as they provide fertilizer, nutritious milk, and potential revenue by selling offspring and excess milk. The funds to purchase the cows, as well as paint the houses, were raised by Team Trinity during a successful 2012 Running for Rwanda campaign. The team also conducted a training in Nyamagabe for 60 pastors called “Effective Church Ministries”, with a focus on Youth, Men’s, and Hospitality ministries. As well, building upon Trinity’s Global ALPHA Trainings (GATs) in 2010 and 2011, the team conducted a two-day GAT in Cyangugu for 55 pastors. During a day spent with World Vision staff, the team visited sponsored children, house beneficiaries, and a vocational center. A highlight was giving out pigs to the families of sponsored children as they were a real hit! The team also spent time learning about exciting developments in World Vision’s ADP projects. Throughout the trip, the team visited previous house beneficiaries, as well as learned about needs and potential new projects for investment in the Gasaka sector. Finally, a group toured a new refugee camp in Kigeme. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) camp is housing over 10,000 Congolese refugees who have had to flee their country due to an increase in violence. While the refugees have gone through unimaginable experiences, the team was greatly impacted by the joy expressed by the people in the camp, especially the children.
