Nine families have safe drinking water!

We had a great day Monday delivering filters to these precious women!  We made an hour trek out to Muhanga to visit some friends we made a couple of weeks ago.  When we first met and spent time with them, we immediately wanted to help them out in some way.  

We brought along water filters for each family as well as Kinyarwanda Bibles.  

Although unnecessary but greatly appreciated, they gifted us with a beautiful handmade weaved purse and some eggs.  

Thanks to Linda, Joyce, Kandace, Heather, Stuart Heights Church, DeAnne and Kevin for contributions towards these as well as KICS students/teachers for buying (and consuming) Reese's desserts prepared by Aiden. 

If anyone is interested in providing safe drinking water, we'll be happy to deliver a filter/filters on your behalf.  They are $47.00/filter.  We also hope to start bringing rabbits so they can enjoy some meat.  If interested you can contact me: ericwendychina@yahoo.com or message me on facebook. 

"Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’”  John 4:13

Lately...

We've been able to deliver 3 water filters to date and have 9 more that we hope to distribute this weekend.  Friends from the US donated money and Aiden continues to bake and sell desserts at school to earn money for them.  

Our water has been extra nasty lately (see below). Bathing in this just feels a tad pointless (we can't easily filter water for bathing and washing clothes/dishes--just our drinking and cooking water). 

This is a photo just outside the entry gate to our home (see below).  Do you notice anything unsafe about the scene below?  Neither did I, at first anyway. However, a longtime missionary informed us that the unswept foliage near our gate, in contrast to other gates, is a clear signal to thieves that we don't have a guard. Guards not only guard the gates but also clean the gate area. Although Kigali is one of the safest cities in Africa, we do need to be wise in relation to crimes of opportunity. We do have neighborhood security, and now we keep this area looking better.

Once a week the 5th graders get together with their Kindergarten reading buddies.  It always makes me smile to see Pierce enjoying a book with them. He looks pretty chill hanging with his gals.

Because the weather is so great here, we enjoy eating outside a good bit (not to mention less crumbs from numerous boys to clean up).  We had a couple of friends over one afternoon and enjoyed breakfast burritos outdoors.

Aiden's awesome new African shirt from the market.  I love it!

Headed out to grab groceries.

Malaria, parasites, worms...oh my.  Here's our latest pharmacy run to make sure we're stocked up just in case these illnesses come our way.

Last but certainly not least......

We have a vehicle!! Thanks to all who donated funds for our family to purchase this car. Praise God for this ginormous blessing! This car seats all 7 of us while also handling the rough roads of Africa. We long to bless and minister to others as we serve here------now with wheels!

Thanks again ya'll!!!!!!!! Woohoooo!

The Desire to be a Faithful Channel

Today Eric was sharing with me from a book called Freedom of Simplicity, by Richard Foster.  Here's an excerpt that he read: 

"Wealth is a dangerous thing. The entire biblical tradition underscores that truth. Therefore, I know that the proposal which I will now make is a risky one, but one which is also deeply rooted in Scripture.  There are those who are called to the ministry of money. 

The gift of giving is a vital and valid spiritual gift, and essential to it is the task of using money for the common good.  It is a much-needed ministry among us.  Simplicity always calls us to a simple lifestyle, but it does not always call us to a reduction in income.  God calls some of us to increase our income in order to use it for the good of all.  Again, I emphasize the danger of this ministry.  We are dealing with dynamite.  Wealth is not for spiritual neophytes; they will be destroyed by it.  It is entirely possible to become disqualified from this high holy work".

This reminded us so much of those who support our work here.  It also reminds us of how we support others here via others supporting us.  Make sense? We aim to have a humble willingness to be an unhindered channel of HIS resources given to us through our supporters.

The same day I received the following email from a longtime friend (she is referencing the efforts of her 13 year old daughter):  

 
"We are sending a check from *****.  During the months of December and January, God blessed her and made the money grow for your family's efforts in Rwanda.  She babysat, pulled weeds, made bracelets and gave all of her gift money and all other income."  

I LOVE this precious example of sacrifice, hard-work, and a beautiful and willing heart to serve through the ministry of money.  Now we will in turn be a faithful channel of this resource for our King of Kings.