This is what it is about!

Trauma relief they call it here. Freedom from the consequences of genocide, of war, freedom from the pain of severe trauma. You may think this works mostly with adults and only after long counseling sessions. Yet the contrary is true.

Let me share with you the most amazing work I have seen God do in the 2,5 years of living in Rwanda.

Due to chaos inflicted by the former primary care giver on the children and even the Rwaza community, I had to make an urgency trip up to be with the children and spend a long weekend with them. One night as part of the weekly program, Stella, our Program Supervisor who lives full time with the Rwaza children, lead us in a simple Kinyarwandan song inviting God to touch us and meet us during the time of intercession. And HE DID!! As the children started praying simple selfless prayers the presence of the Lord touched many of us. Some of the children and myself became emotional. As the prayers became more fervent and specific many of us poured out our emotions to the Father. Than all of a sudden one of the 14 year old boys asked Stella: “Why is mama crying as she prays for us? Not even our own mothers have ever cried for us!”
Needless to say a new wave of emotion filled the room. I took the opportunity to remind them of their prayers way before we knew them, prayers for change and hope. How the Lord called us specifically to care for them and bring justice, even before we knew what was truly going on in the place and so answered their prayers. I shared how we have grown to love them like our own children as we have come to know them so well, how Jesus truly loves them and he keeps answering their prayers.

It was a message of hope that God has answered once and will answer again and of love of the Father expressed through us and Stella.

Tears started to flow freely, some children even grabbed towels to scream and cry in. The tears changed to a deep mourning and of grief, sadness just filled the tiny room we were in. It was so heartbreaking. Their grief was so heavy, their cries so intense. Sobbing children on their knees expressing the pain they carried for so long. The injustices and abuses they have experienced, I know I saw but a glimpse of the pain of it all in that moment. I cried with the children as we geared our cries to our Heavenly Father. Asking Him to intervene and to replace the pain of the bad things with His truth, to take our sadness and replace it with hope and peace, and again HE DID. Within 5 minutes all children were clapping, dancing and singing with hope and joy. We all laughed and hugged that night.
That night all children slept extremely well and all without nightmares! (has not happened before). The next morning I woke up at 5 am to the sound of the 14 year old boy interceding passionately for all the children, for the prior caregivers still living on the compound, for the Lord to give SoZo Ministries Africa land so we can build for the children and take them to a safe place. He thanked God that though many people claimed the kids in the past, no-one had ever claimed their hearts, but now he has a hope for a future of love and care!

You know these kiddos are anywhere from 2 through 14 years old. When God comes and touches people he will set them free from pain, from trauma, from nightmares and oppression. Physical healings will happen.

It is called trauma relief by those who do not understand what truly happens when they encounter a touch from the Creator of Heaven and earth.

The joy that filled that same room only minutes after it was filled with grief was a very strong reminder to me of the initial visions with which God opened our hearts and eyes for Rwanda. Reminding me, it has nothing to do with my ability or lack off. It was as if God was winking at me, letting me know; this is only the beginning of the move of My Hand through Rwanda! Get ready!

When life gets shakey.

Take the title of this blog literaly. You may have heard on the news about the earthquakes in our part of the world. Many people died and even more were injured. During our weekly bible study I received a phonecall from the Dutch Embassy, at the same time people received phonecalls from the German and South African embassy. All sending warnings to their citizens: There is a large posablility of another large earthquake or heavy after shocks. You are adviced not to be in your house between 8 pm and midnight. Fill your bathtubs in case the quake cuts of water supply to the city. Stay with your children, by the time you would be able to gather them from their rooms it may be too late.... ...Camping next to our house...

Taking it as a big adventure we pitched our tent next to our house, blew up the airmatresses and got our first aid kid, water and a few personal items in the tent. We found rocks to put behind the tires of our car to prevent our car from rolling down our steep drive way.

Though Jasmin and Yaida loved the adventure, Nani and Zoey had picked up on some of the information and cried as they feared to die. Reminding them of the promises made by the Creator of Heaven and earth himself, praying with them and singing songs, they fell asleep peacefully.

Do we try to get some sleep, do we stay up, how far do we go to get ready in case of disaster, how many times do we have pray for safety and protection, how do you prepare for the unknown?

...Zoey and Nani...

Though every little sound made us sit up straight in our tent we tried to sleep with the kids. When we woke up at the early day light we all laughed as we realized no earth quake had come.

You know you serve an amazing protecting God when...
We come to the office and receive word from a fellow missionary; at 12.20 last night another earth quake hit and Kigali was shaking for a while, about 300 people are believed to have died from it.
Yet we did not feel a thing nor was there any sign in our house of damage!!!

I am amazed at our Creator. This event caused me to fallin love with him even more than before! Another God-story to add to our book!