Hello Rwanda!

January 17 – 20, 2012 (Day 23 – Day 26)

On Tuesday (Day 24), we woke up for an early breakfast before we had to leave for the airport. Girum met us with two taxis after breakfast and took us to Addis Ababa Airport. After we said goodbye, we went through preliminary security, checked in our bags and went through immigration. We waited in the main departure area for a bit where we found free internet service. Unfortunately, we were only there long enough for Kaitlin to post three blog posts that had been hard to do so in the city. We went through more security and went to our departure gate. All of our seats were separated and none of us were sitting together. When we stopped in Uganda to let passengers off, more than ¾ of the passengers left. We were then able to join together in groups a bit. Kaitlin and Franzi were extremely blessed to be able to switch with a family and sit in the very spacious emergency exit seats. We were picked up at the airport by Olivier and Didier, who have both been at the Harpenden base. Some of Immaculee's family was there to greet her. When we got to the YWAM Rwanda base, we were given a chance to see our rooms and meet a lot of the staff. Currently, there are three different DTS groups here. One is on outreach from Switzerland and they're here for three months, one is on their lecture phase, and there is us. There is another group on outreach that is coming at the end of the month. At 4pm, we had a base orientation with Olivier and Didier. There are lots of different ministries with YWAM Rwanda, specifically schools. There's also a turkey farm here. We had our first dinner at the Rwanda base. It was sooo good but they also give so much food. That's something that we'll have to get used to, especially after eating only two smaller meals in Ethiopia. After dinner, we all set up our mosquito nets on our beds and went to bed early.

On Wednesday (Day 25), we woke up for an early, early breakfast at 7am. We then had team time where we worshipped and prepared ourselves for the Rwandan genocide memorial that we were going to that morning. When we got to the memorial, the first section was reading different quotes or passages of the start, during, and after the genocide. There were videos with different testimonies, pictures, and item to look at or watch. Then, there were rooms with big video screens and pictures of all the victims of the genocide. Then, moving to the next section, there was a pathway with different genocides that had occurred just in the last century. There were events like the Holocaust, the Armenians, and Cambodia. The third section was dedicated to the children that died in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. We all met outside where some graves and gardens were, dedicated to the victims. It was pretty heavy and most of the team members felt emotionally drained after walking through. But it was very informative and we were all happy that we had done this first before any ministry. After we had headed back to the YWAM base for lunch, we left for the city centre to exchange money. Later in the night, a few of the team members watched the movie, 'Sometimes in April' and it was about the Rwandan genocide.

On Thursday (Day 26), the whole base had intercession for YWAM Rwanda and the country of Rwanda. Afterwards, we had team time where Laura and Immaculee washed the feet of every trainee. Richard was very sick so he wasn't there. They washed everyone's feet and then we all had communion together. We then debriefed Ethiopia and went for lunch. After lunch, we left for our first official ministry in Rwanda. We went to the homes of people who were HIV+ and we were with the Switzerland team. Both teams shared two testimonies and a short message. Immaculee helped to translate Rebecca, Franzi, and Peter's messages. The time was super good and the people who we were talking to were all very sweet and praised the Lord. After dinner, we aren't allowed to go outside the base as it's dark so we spend most of our nights sitting around the big table that we have in our room and write, journal, go on the computer, or go to sleep.

On Friday (Day 27), we all had to start preparing our testimonies (which most of us have already done) and preparing a sermon that all of us would at one point need to share. Afterwards, we had to do some work duties around the base. We learned how to clean the Rwandan way by pouring water over the floor and using mop-like squeagy and drag the water onto the grass. After that, we started to all pack our bags for the trip ahead to the countryside. We are leaving tomorrow and will be working with an orphanage and the staff that work there. After lunch, we left for the market. Most of us bought wrap around skirts, earrings, necklaces, shoes, and bags for souvenirs or gifts for people at home. After dinner, we had a special 'fun night' at the YWAM base. At first, there was a fashion contest, where men on the base came dressed out in skirts and dresses. Then, there was a huge dance party. It was so much fun and all of the team members spent a good hour dancing with the people on the base.

Some prayer requests for this week still include health. The malaria tablets that we are taking are occasionally making us feel a bit sick or dizzy. And Richard has been feeling very sick for the past few days and has missed out on the group activities so please be praying for him, especially since we are leaving for a week. And there won't be another blog post until next week because we shall be out in the country.

G'day, Immaculee's Babies

Goodbye Ethiopia!

January 13 – 16, 2012 (Day 19 to Day 22)

On Friday (Day 19), we started by praying for the day and reading some Agpia slides. We then went to the U.N. building in Addis Ababa. Girum had a friend in the building who was able to give us a tour around the new and old buildings. We went to the old building and saw the glass-stained windows that explained the history of Africa and the symbolism involved. Then we went to the room that all of the African leaders used to meet in. It was built in the 60's, but they have now built a newer conference room that we weren't allowed to go in to. After he showed us the room, we had intercession for the African leaders and the coming up meeting at the end of January. Afterwards, we moved to the new building and walked around the main lobby. There were pictures of different traditions still held by countries all over the world. After lunch, when Girum went to go pay for the hall that we're using on Sunday, Bianca, Peter and Franzi went with him to hand out more invitations. The others were waiting for the other translators to come so they could start walking the streets as well, but they never came. When the group came back, we went to the market and shopped quickly for souvenirs and gifts for back home.

On Saturday (Day 20), we went to the YWAM Ethiopia Christmas party for their King's Kids. We performed our 'Ethiopia Arise' song and did our drama, 'The Wall'. We were able to see the American DTS outreach team again and give them the sheets of paper that had our intercession notes on. We had lunch with the kids and then left at 3pm for our 'Spiritual Discussion' meeting that was starting at 4. When we got to the hall, we started with worship. One guy arrived right at 4, and we were all so excited that someone had showed up. Two more showed up half past but we waited until 5 (African time, remember) for more people to show up. We started with the drama, 'The Chair' and Franzi's testimony. We had a long discussion afterwards of different things that the skit had brought to our guests minds and our own questions. The event was to end at 6pm, so although it was time for them to go, they said that they wanted to see the second drama we had, which was 'The Wall'. Peter then did a short, to-the-point message from Acts. Peter made plans with one of the guests to meet him the next day for coffee to talk more.

On Sunday (Day 21), we went to Klaus and Ruth's church. It was called 'Beza International Church', although they always called it a movement, not a church. It was vision week so the pastor of the church went through how the church was started and the vision it had to restore Ethiopia to righteousness. There were ambassadors from Zambia, Angola, and Libya and they had short messages of their time at Beza so far. The worship was amazing! Their dancing made everyone on the team start to dance and it was very lively. They had a time set apart for all of the international visitors to stand by their flag at the front while the church prayed for their country. The only flags of the team that wasn't there was India and Rwanda. They were both hanging outside though. After church, we went for a final lunch with Klaus and Ruth at a pizza restaurant. They then invited us to have tea with them back at their house as sort of a farewell meeting. Peter, Taryn, Kaitlin and Laura had to take the taxi back because of room and invited Rebecca to join in on the cultural experience. While the others got off at the house, Peter continued on to Arat Kilo (a university area) to meet his friend from the day before. Allum brought a friend with him and Peter ended up giving Allum's friend his Bible to read all the way through. Because he was from an Orthodox church, he had never actually read through the entire Bible. Back at the house, we were able to share with Klaus and Ruth what we had been feeling God was saying about Ethiopia Arise and themselves. We had tea and cake and Ruth put on a T.V. channel to watch Joshua ministries in Nigeria.

On Monday (Day 22), we had our rest day again. Most of us spent the day packing as we were leaving for Rwanda the next day. We went to Bama (our favourite restaurant) for lunch. When the manager found out that we were leaving, she brought us dried beans and a free round of drinks for us. We also met Yosef, who was at Harpenden last year for his DTS. After our late lunch, we went to the internet café but there was no connection. So we hung around the building for a while until Immaculee and Richard caught up with us. At night, we had the number of the pizza restaurant that we went to the day before so we tried to order pizza… but there was a minimum 5 pizza order rule. In the container, all of the girls spent at least three hours talking of good baby names. Keziah (Job's daughter) became very popular when Immaculee suggested it. It was the last night in the container… but I don't think that anyone shall miss it. Even though it was very cute inside.

Cheerio, Immaculee's Babies

Third Week of Outreach

January 8 – January 12, 2012 (Day 14 – Day 18)

On Sunday (Day 14), we spent the morning preparing for the church service that would start at 6pm. While the people who were speaking prepared, the rest of us had our one-on-one’s with either Immaculee, Laura, or Richard. After a late lunch, we had a break before we would have to leave. A private bus came to pick us up from Ethiopia Arise and we picked up Girum before heading to the church. When we arrived at the church, we met with the head pastor who invited us. We told him the layout that we had come with (worship, 3 testimonies, a message) and he told us a bit about the church. There were about five churches of the same root around the country and the specific church we were at was only 3 years old. And he told us that since it was Christmas just yesterday, the service would start a bit late as to allow people time. While we were waiting, a couple with their newborn baby came in. The pastor started praying over the baby and then invited us to join. The baby had some sort of disease and was only two weeks old. We spent a long time all interceding for the boy, Emmanuel. When the church service started an hour later, there was about another half hour spent praying. Then, the choir came up and sang two worship songs. They were both very long songs and everyone on the team enjoyed the jumping up and down and dancing. Richard and Girum them went up and introduced YWAM and the team. We started worship with our Amharic song that we learned, “Alleluia”, and “My Redeemer Lives”. Afterwards, Ashley shared her testimony on anxiety and the peace that she now has, Sarah shared her testimony on how God drew close to her in a hard time, and Taryn shared a testimony on the father heart of God and that experience in her own life. Later, Richard came up to share the message on going back to our first love (Jesus) and the shalom of Ethiopia and how the church can be actively involved with moving towards peace. Because we started late, the service ended at 9pm. The taxi dropped the four people off at the bottom of their hill in Arat Kilo and drove the rest of the team back to the compound. Rebecca stayed back again today so please be praying for her still.

On Monday (Day 15), it was a rest day. Most people spent the day at the internet café or tanning outside in the awesome African sun. Laura and Kaitlin also had to pack up their stuff from Klaus and Ruth’s house to get ready to move to the compound on Tuesday. Klaus needed one of the rooms for another guest so on Tuesday there will be seven girls sleeping in the container.

On Tuesday (Day 16), Laura and Kaitlin moved their stuff into the compound and into the container. We had an earlier breakfast and then left to go to the YWAM base in the city. Taryn led worship at the staff meeting and we had intercession for several different things. We met another DTS outreach team from Wisconsin, United States. They were all girls and did a specific DTS like ours. Ours was Wilberforce but theirs was ‘Children at Risk’. We spent lunch and ice cream time with them and the leaders of the YWAM base. When we got back, Sarah was able to call her mom for a bit and Ashfaw told Immaculee and Richard that he would take the team to see some hyenas in the night. When we were all ready (except Ashley and Sarah), he told us that the road was actually dangerous for foreigners and there were lots of robbers out. So the guards of the gate see a hyena in the night, they will knock on the gate and Ashfaw will come get us.

On Wednesday (Day 17), we started the morning with evangelism. We were handing out 25 invitations for a ‘spiritual discussion’ on the Saturday. We went out in four groups, each with a translator, and each talked to and handed out three invitations.

On Thursday, we had intercession and worship. We prayed for the American DTS outreach team that we met at the YWAM base on Tuesday. We split up into teams and prayed for each person individually and as a whole team. For lunch, we were invited by a YWAM couple from India, Sami and Ruth, for lunch. They made us an amazing traditional Indian dinner and, the team agreed, it was the first amazing, filling, healthy meal that we’ve had since the Peachey’s brunch on Christmas day. In the afternoon, we finished with more evangelism and handing out more cards.

Sorry that blog posts are few and far between. It’s very difficult in Ethiopia to update the blog but hopefully, in Rwanda, there will be more internet access. Some prayer requests are for health (lots of team members have been feeling sick) and refreshment.

See ya! Immaculee’s Babies.

Christmas Time in Ethiopia!

January 3 – 7, 2012 (Day 9 – Day 13)

So week two of Ethiopia. On Monday we rested and on Tuesday (Day 9) we all met back at the compound. We started with breakfast and a prayer walk around the area. We walked in a giant circle and were asking God what he wanted us to pray for when we got back. When we got back, though, Klaus and Ruth were ready for us to help them setting up for their Christmas party next day. Some people wrapped presents while others helped get the canopy up. Everyone helped blow up all of the balloons to string them together. We also had to move a tent-metal-thing to the front. When we finished off the day, we talked about the prayer walk and prayed over specific things.

On Wednesday (Day 10), we started the day by prayed and practicing what we were going to perform for the program. The program started an hour late (to be expected, as we have all learned) and the project kids performed a short drama on the Christmas story. Afterwards, our team performed our Amharic song that we learned, the chair skit and performed another song that Taryn made specifically for Ethiopia Arise. It went along with the ‘boom-snap-clap’ that most people were learning at the DTS lecture phase. Then, Klaus and Ruth gave out all of the presents that had been donated by their church back in Germany. For lunch, we had a traditional Ethiopian meal. It was a flat-like pancake and we dipped it into spicy curry meat dishes. The kids then all got very hyper after drinking a whole thing of soda by themselves and began asking all of the team members to take down all of the balloons for them and untie them so the kids could blow them up again. We had to take everything down after the kids left and ended the day early.

On Thursday (Day 11), we had intercession all day. Kaitlin and Rebecca were sick and were in the container but everyone else was praying for the nation of Ethiopia all day.

On Friday (Day 12), we had a prayer walk around the centre of Addis Ababa. Girum led us around and we were able to talk to quite a few people about Jesus. Immaculee talked to some car washers and bought them some bananas and the team talked to another older man who was a Christian and prayed for him and his wife. He gave us a map of Africa as a gift and we bought him a chicken. After lunch, we were meant to go to a museum about Ethiopia but it was closed. Most of us went to the market while Laura and Richard stayed at Girum’s church to rest. Most of us bought scarves but Peter bought an Ethiopian hat of the national colours which makes him stand out as a tourist even more so. We then went to Girum’s church and stayed for the Christmas Eve service. The service was in Amharic so we didn’t understand any of it, but most of the pastors had spoken, different choirs sung, and the children and youth had several presentations. We left after two hours because the taxi was waiting but we were all okay with that. Apparently the service wasn’t even half over and the head pastor hadn’t spoken yet. That whole day, Rebecca was still sick so Ashley stayed back with her.

On Saturday (Day 13), it was the Ethiopian’s Christmas. We found out that we had been invited by a Pentecostal church in the city to come do the service. We prayed about it and Ashley, Sarah and Taryn will share testimonies and Richard will bring the message. Taryn and Bianca will play the guitar and keyboard for worship. The morning was spent preparing for that. After lunch, we had intercession for Ethiopia Arise and Klaus and Ruth. Rebecca was still sick so please be praying for her.

Farewell, Immaculee’s Babies

New Year's Week

December 30, 2011 – January 2, 2012 (Day 5 – Day 8)

On Friday (Day 5), we had more worship, devotionals and had intercession for the country of Ethiopia. Afterwards, we had a meeting about the church service that we will be in charge of for about 40-50 youth. Taryn will be leading worship, Franzi and Kaitlin are sharing a 5 minute testimony about joy and finding identity in Jesus, and then Peter is speaking about rising from the dust and ashes and finding joy. After lunch, the freedom prayer team met (Richard, Immaculee, Peter, Taryn & Kaitlin) and prepared for praying for the original designs of all the staff. When we started, Richard introduced the team and talked a bit about YWAM and the purpose behind the lecture and outreach phase. Ruth acted as the translator. After, Immaculee did a short lecture on Psalm 139 and how God made us with an original design. After that… the five of us prayed over each person and was able to share what we felt God was saying. It was a really encouraging time as some of the staff had been prayed over before and had a lot of things confirmed.

On Saturday (Day 6), the children’s ministry team played games like “What Time is it, Mr. Wolf?” with the ‘graduated’ kids of Ethiopia Arise.  After they left, we had worship, which Rebecca led. Instead of singing, we all wrote our own version of Psalm 136 and shared with the group. Then Peter led a devotional on Matthew 3. Then we went back to the restaurant and Klaus and Ruth came with us. At lunch, there is a T.V. playing in the restaurant and when we got there, Home Alone 2 was just starting, which made most people very happy to see Kevin McCallister again. After lunch, we prepared for the next day. Kaitlin and Franzi practiced their testimonies and then we practiced a song in Amharic to sing for worship. Although that day was New Year’s Eve, the Ethiopians celebrated the New Year on September 11. And so far it’s only 2004 for them, not 2012. Laura, Kaitlin, Peter and Taryn at least tried to go out for a celebratory macchiato but the only place close enough was only a bar.

On Sunday (Day 7), we all met at the church at 10am and waited for the service to start. What usually happens in the church is all the children from 7 to 18 go into the same auditorium, sing a song together and then just the 13 to 18 aged kids stayed behind as the others left. The church service was half an hour late but overall it went really well. As they were singing their own song, our team and Girum got into a circle and prayed over the ones who would speak and for the kids. We started by standing up and greeting each children with ‘salem’ individually and then we started with worship. Taryn and Rebecca led worship, starting with our Amharic song. We had actions to the song just in case the teens didn’t understand our accents but they didn’t really understand even with the actions. Girum had to quickly explain what we were singing and then there were a lot less blanked out looks. We sang three other songs from our song books that Peter’s dad had made us; ‘Alleluia’, ‘My Redeemer Lives’, and ‘O Happy Day’. After that, Richard explained (with Girum translating) that as we were praying for this group a couple of days ago, there were over six people who felt that ‘joy’ was to be a major theme in this service. He then introduced Franzi, who gave a testimony on thinking that we had to become good enough to be in a relationship with Jesus to realizing that we can come just as we are and that it’s a grace-based salvation, not works-based. After, Richard introduced Kaitlin, who gave a testimony on God’s love and joy in her life in the midst of depression. Then the kids had a five minute period to discuss in their small groups and come up with a few things that they personally struggle with. Afterwards, Peter came up and did a small sermon on Isaiah 52:1-3 about rising up from the dust when struggling. His three main points in helping get past a struggle is knowing our identity, our authority and our value in Christ. Since they started late, the kids were a bit restless towards the end when the main church service had ended and all of the parents came in to get their kids. Otherwise, the kids were very attentive and listening as we spoke. Because of time, we weren’t able to pray for each kid individually for the joy of the Lord like we had planned to. But we were able to spread across the room and do a general prayer out loud to all of the kids.

After the church service, we went to the restaurant ‘Lucy’s’. It was named after the earliest human body found in Ethiopia and the whole restaurant was themed around archaeological things. Later, we got a private bus to take us near the YWAM Ethiopia base for some ice cream. Taryn met a woman who worked at the same school Taryn had gone to. They had missed each other by two years but they knew a lot of the same people. Half of the people ordered ice cream, and the others ordered a pastry. Everything was suuuuper delicious and we had to listen to Black Eyed Pea’s music the whole time. When everyone had finished, the group staying in the container went back in the taxi while the other four and Girum took two separate private busses to get back. Monday is a rest day so for the most part everyone is expected to sleep, relax, and catch up on God-time and, for the girls in the container, having a chance for just alone time.

Godspeed, Immaculee’s Babies