A Full Week!

I apologize that I have not been able to post blog updates before now.  Our internet connection has been spotty, at best, sometimes down for hours at a time.  The schedule has also kept us very busy!  Here is an overview of the week:

We arrived Saturday in Rwanda after many hours of travel.  The best we were able to calculate, we had approximately a 51 hour journey.  How, you ask?  It started with an expected 12 hour layover in London – which was awesome.  We decided to leave the airport and enjoy our time in LONDON!  With only a few hours our team decided to go to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards.  (I had no idea how big a display this really is.  But it was very cool to be there in person to see it.)  Next, we decided to get fish and chips at a local pub, then head to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.  It was a fun few hours.  However, this only partially explains our 51 hour trip.  Next, we also spent an unexpected 12 hours of delay in Nairobi, Kenya.  Other than being tired, it wasn’t so bad.  God allowed us to meet and get connected with some Christians (who were also delayed) with whom we had great fellowship.

On Sunday, there were 19 saved at the church were I was asked to preach.  It was a joy to start our trip in worship and fellowship with more than 1700 Rwandans.  Charles Warren, (Simplicity Board Chairman) pointed out during the service, “The Holy Spirit needs no interpreter.”

Monday, our team did some basic manual labor on the woodworking shop where orphan boys are learning the wood working trade.  We basically moved a large pile of dirt.  After working with some very old, “needing replacement” tools, Simplicity and another team member purchased four shovels and a pick.  When we brought the gift back the Rwandans were very happy.  (If we have to dig again, I’m sure we are going to be very happy as well!)

Tuesday through Friday, I taught the Pastor’s Conference on Simple Evangelism.  In some ways, this trip feels so different from others in the past.  How?  My focus while here is primarily ministry to pastors, rather than the lost.  Usually, I do a lot of evangelistic preaching and one-on-one evangelism.  But this week God has me spending most of my time serving the pastors.  I’ve enjoyed it a great deal and thank God for the blessing of training these men.

On Saturday, as we were trying to return to Kigali from a day on safari, our vehicle broke down.  As God would have it, we were only 300 feet from a repair shop!  However, we were not in a good location to catch a taxi, and I was due back in Kigali to preach on a radio broadcast at 8pm.  While waiting on some form of transportation, we soon found that we were surrounded by about 18 boys from the streets.   Seizing that opportunity, I pulled out my Evangecube and shared the gospel with the boys.  15 of the 18 prayed to receive Christ!

Following that, Emmanuel was able to secure us a taxi back into the city.  Again, according to the Father’s plan, the driver was a believer who had not intended to stop for gas at our location, but changed his mind at the last minute.  Because he did, he was able to take us into Kigali.  We were a few minutes late for the broadcast but they put me on the air as soon as we walked in the door, and I was still able to preach.

Our final Sunday in Rwanda, I preached at another large church, with about 800+ in attendance.  Once again, 19 people stood to receive Christ as Savior and Lord!  In addition, about half of those present made public recommitments of their lives to Christ.

Charles also preached on  Sunday, and there were 14 who made professions of faith.  An additional 12 or more women came to Christ through Charles’ interviews with widows through the week.

Tomorrow at 1:45 (4:45 am Pacific time), Charles and I will begin our journey home.  Once I get home I hope to send out more updates and information on our trip.  Thank you for your prayers on our behalf!

Simply Devoted,

Mike

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