Joshua's Blog

Good morning good morning! My day has been going for quite some time now… Bryan left the morning for a tour up in the northern volcanoes to take pictures and hang out with some silver-back gorillas! I’m super excited for him, everyone who I speak to say it’s absolutely amazing… I mean you are sitting and walking side by side with gorillas less than 10 feet away from you! Maybe another year I’ll go, this year it was not possible because of finances. Anyways, so Bryan left at 4:00 this morning… which meant that I was consequently woken up and found it impossible to go back to bed! Lol… it’s nice to have spent four hours of your morning and still have it only be 8:30!

Yesterday we spent the day with Ezra, hanging out with his boys at his transition house… the boys had a blast! Bryan and I where talking after and we both observed what a drastic blessing it was for these kids to have people come just to hang out with them! I keep telling people, if you are able to hug or just sit next to somebody then there is so much work you can do here in Rwanda (let alone anywhere!) So many people have this false mindset that they need this fancy bible or doctor degree to make a difference! (Of course you can make a greater impact with that kind of training!) But it is not a prerequisite! There is so much need outside of the typical relief aid picture we see on television! Trades! Wow, you should see how the mechanics fix cars! I’m so surprised that these vehicles still roll freely, let alone drive! Every trade needs training and work done… (with maybe exception masonry, they got that pretty much down!) Bible training, music instructors, people who know how to cook! There is such a drastic need for counseling here!

Oh man! I honestly could go on for a very long time… but I think you guys get my point! Heads up… I’m giving an all-call for anybody and everybody! Pray and think about how YOU can come out here and make a difference! This is your open invitation! In future trips, I’ll provide a house… feed ya, water ya… love ya… and line up all the opportunities in the world for you to make a HUGE difference!

Sorry guys, got a few things stored up inside I had to just let a little out! But yeah! Pretty incredible being able to give somebody hope for tomorrow and the motivation to keep fighting just by your presence!

So on with the rest of the Blog! Today, while Bryan is away, I’m going to be spending the day with Joe with the street kids for lunch, then after taking him shopping! He apparently desperately needs some cloths. Claude and I have gone to the markets often enough I think I should be able to get him some cloths for a decent price (they probably still will try to rip us off, but we’ll have fun, it’ll be a big game like the markets in Mexico!)

Then tomorrow I’m going to request some specific prayers… the plan is to visit 4 of the families that Ezra’s ministry supports around supper, then later in the night (probably after midnight) Ezra is going to take us to see were the street children gather at night. We are going to bring one or two of the boys in his transition house to show us where the kids get together. This is going to be a very unique opportunity to see a side of Kigali that most never see or know about. The apparently is a very dramatic number of children who, for one reason or another, spend the night on the street. Many don’t know just how bad it is because when ever there is a major visitor in the city (like when Bush was in) the military goes around and arrests all the street children and puts them in jail. They are released after the visitor leaves. So many never actually see how bad it really is.

Please, I ask for prayer. Prayer for safety of course, but more importantly that God would use us to encourage these kids or these kids would teach us some huge lessons (or both). I always get excited when given an opportunity to experience something many others don’t, but that being said… I pray that I will have the wisdom and ability to convey and teach what ever I learn and experience. So I guess just prayer into the whole situation that God would take it all and run with it!

I think that’s all for now… oh! There probably will be very few pictures and probably no videos posted from now until I can get back to Canada… I somehow managed to break my camera! Grrr! Something wrong with the memory card slot, it won’t read the card anymore… So I’ll have to get that fixed when I get back. Too bad it didn’t happen towards the end of my time in South Africa… but I guess that’s life.

Man! I can’t end on that depressing note! Okay, Jenn, Chelsey, Shelly and Jason… you guys will be very happy to hear that I got an e-mail from Clinton… He informed me that his wife is expecting another baby! And she is due on the 31st of March! Clinton has asked me for prayer especially in this week. Mainly for the baby, but also for himself. He is taking a seven day fast of committing his daughter’s life and health to the Lord… and also to bring his own life before God. He really desires to be a very strong, Godly father for his son and now daughter. He’s repenting over the past and submitting the future… a very exciting time for anyone involved! So I just want to invite you guys (or anyone else who feels compelled) to pray for Clinton and his family.

Okay, I’m done, talk to you guys later…

Joshua