“I hope I get to visit her one day.”

Joseanne and I had the usually boisterous house to ourselves. Being the youngest of the 24 children living in the Asante Children’s Choir house, Joseanne did not have to walk back to school for the afternoon session so we decided the time was best spent hanging out in the girls room. She usually shared her room with seven other girls, but this time, it was just us! 

While I was getting comfortable, Joseanne went to the shelf she shared with the other girls in the house and searched for a book that she seemed intent on showing me. She lay on the bunk bed beside me and handed me a small brown photo album. 

Joseanne briefly introduced me to her mother, her father, who is no longer alive, and her brothers and sisters. Yet these pictures were few and far between as the album was filled with pictures of her sponsor, a young American girl not much older than herself. 

The pictures gave Joseanne a glimpse into another world and the difference between the two girl’s world’s couldn’t be more apparent. I wondered what Joseanne thought, seeing photos of her sponsor at Disneyland and spending time with her family who obviously love her. Yet, Joseanne’s picture album didn’t highlight the sadness she had faced in her life but rather gave her hope; her life was different because of this one sponsor. ‘I hope I get to meet her one day’, concluded Joseanne. 

I couldn’t help but wonder if Joseanne was truly happy. She said she missed her family, but when I asked if she was happy living at Asante House, without hesitation, she said yes! 

Her sponsor has been used by God to give Joseanne a large, caring and godly family to live with, an education, food and a future. But more than that, Joseanne has been gifted with a friendship from someone outside of her world who is interested in her. And I pray that they will be able to meet each other one day. Who knows, that may be sooner than she expects. 

The Asante Children’s Choir will be visiting the US this coming November, December and January.

Written by: Mishal Whyle, an AMA volunteer in Rwanda from New Zealand.

“God is the one who gave me the person to take care of me.” Sara Nyirahimana

Amongst a group of children, there is always a hair-stroker! One that will always cuddle beside you and find some way to always be within touching distance. Sara Nyirahimana is just that girl.

From the minute I arrived at Asante choir house, she was the first to play with my hair, stroke my arm while sitting beside me, or tell me how much she missed me even if I was only away for an extra hour or so. 

At thirteen years old, Sara has already faced a lifetime of sorrow that would leave many of us crippled for life or forever bitter at God. Sara lost both her parents at a very young age and lived with her grandmother and older brother in very poor village outside of Kigali until she became a sponsor child through AMA and a member of the Asante Children’s Choir. 

To me, Sara’s situation contradicted her loving attitude. I expected orphans to be shy, reserved, scared to attach and possibly angry at God for what they had faced. However, while chatting with her over homework, she proved me wrong. Sara shared that when her mother died at the age of four (having already lost her father earlier), she remembered her brother crying. And she asked him, ‘Why are you crying? Let’s go to the church and pray.’ While many of us would feel that we had been treated unfairly by God, this thought never entered Sara’s mind, and to this day she continues to praise her Father, saying ‘God is the one who gave me the person to take care of me’. 

Sara’s sponsor was sent by God to provide for her here on earth. Our Heavenly Father does not leave his children alone and helpless. More than that, Sara’s name means ‘princess – daughter of a king’ and this absolutely explains her position before the Lord.

While I sit here, I am humbled at the loving nature of Sara and her complete trust and devotion to the Lord. These are the children that remind us of the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father and these are the children I want to be surrounded by to remind me that our lives are in his hands.

Written by: Mishal Whyle, AMA Volunteer in Rwanda

“This has been a great day for me and my friends. We eat good food and had time to sing and dance remembering the birth of Jesus.” Igihozo Kellia (A sponsored child in AMA)

At the end of every year, Africa Mission Alliance (AMA) organizes Christmas parties for children in Rwanda. On 21^st and 23^rd of December 2009, AMA celebrated Christmas with 1,500 children, 600 parents/guardians, 13 teachers and all AMA staff in Rwanda. The children look forward to this event every year - it was very exciting. Many orphans in our program had the opportunity to interact with adults who take care of them and you could see smiling faces everywhere.

“It’s all about love for such events to happen. The staff of AMA have a parental love and that is why many children are benefiting a lot and enjoying their rights through AMA.” Mugabo William (Head Teacher of Faith Preparatory Academy)

On the two separate events, children entertained people in music, dance and drama. Asante Choir which is expected to be in the US this year in November to December and also in January 2011, surprised people when they danced in both traditional and modern styles.   People present could not hide their teeth when Asante choir children danced with long spears and shields portraying Rwandan culture.

Marie Claire Uwingabire, an official in charge of social affairs in Tumba Sector where AMA office is located, commended the activities of AMA. She said that AMA is “playing a pivotal role in ensuring the education of children who are the future of Rwanda.”

The two Christmas parties attracted the press and were aired on local radios in Rwanda and also featured in the newspapers. Twelve women supported by AMA received certificates after completing one year of an intensive tailoring program. The top graduates will be awarded sewing machines to begin their own businesses.

I, therefore, would like to thank everybody who made these two events possible. Special thanks go to our faithful partners in the US, Canada, UK, Malaysia and Australia who sponsor children through Africa Mission Alliance. Your love and care bring hope to many children in Rwanda. Let me also take this opportunity to wish you all, a prosperous year 2010.

William Ngabo
International Representative
Africa Mission Alliance

Written by: Kelsey Lawrence

“O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining…, Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh…, It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”

I know it is only the beginning of November and Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet, so I shouldn’t be talking about Christmas…but I am!  I have always had a firm no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving rule, but this year I am thinking about breaking it!  This year, working for AMA, has given me a new perspective and I am excitedly planning ahead for Christmas, even now.

I would like to suggest that you begin to contemplate Christmas too for the following reasons…

Firstly, I’m sure Christmas will look different this year for many families across the U.S. and around the world, because of the tough economic times we are all facing.  Perhaps the real meaning of Christmas will be more present.  Maybe there will be fewer gifts under the tree this year, but those that are purchased will no doubt have been meticulously thought about and will hopefully bring great joy to the recipient.

When I got engaged around a year ago, one of the most meaningful engagement gifts my fiance and I received was a family of chickens that was given to a family in Tanzania, Africa, on our behalf.  I was so thrilled to receive a gift that would help someone else and continue to give for years to come!

Maybe you have a friend who is impossible to buy for, a parent who has everything and doesn’t need or want anything new, or a friend that, like me, would just love to receive a gift that changes someone else’s life.  If so, please consider purchasing a gift on their behalf from AMA.  You can buy a goat for a widow or family in Rwanda for only $50.  In addition, you can purchase a sewing machine for a woman in our tailoring school to help her run her own business and change her life.  Sewing machines cost $200.

The second reason you should begin contemplating Christmas now is if you already have a child in our sponsorship program.  You can help your child and their family have an extra special Christmas this year through an extra donation for your child.  The best way to give a gift to your child, is through a monetary donation to AMA.  This money will go, in its entirety, to the child and their family to purchase items most beneficial to their current needs.  Monetary gifts also allow the child to do their own shopping, a luxury that most of them never get to have.  To do this you can mail a check to AMA or make an online donation, marked as “Special Gift.”

Also, be sure to get your Christmas letters to your children into our offices ASAP.  We have to send our Christmas correspondence in November so that it is received and translated in time for the children to receive it at Christmas!

So even though it is only early November, there are many exciting reasons to look forward to Christmas this year.  Help change a life in Rwanda this holiday season!

Rwanda is a beautiful and wild country that has many extraordinary facets.  However, veiled in the beauty of her country, Rwanda houses many dangers as well.  In the bush, wild animals, such as lions, crocodiles, snakes and hippos can be very dangerous when encountered unexpectedly.  Even in more densely populated areas, animals can sometime pose a threat to humans.  Recently, these dangers became very real for one of our sponsored children.

(Vestine Kanyange)

Vestine Kanyange is a ten year old girl who attends Hilltop Primary School in Kigali, Rwanda.  Last Wednesday, Vestine was walking home from school, like she does every day, when she crossed the path of a dangerous, poisonous snake.

Immediately, Vestine was taken to a nearby health center and administered care.  Fortunately, because she was treated so quickly, Vestine is recovering.  Because she is sponsored in the AMA program, this little girl who lives with her single, HIV positive mother, is able to have her medical bills paid for through AMA provided health insurance.  In addition, she was given even more care than normal because the AMA staff checked on her daily, to make sure that she was being provided with the best care possible.

Vestine is now home from the hospital and improving daily.  Her mother is so thankful to AMA and for the nurses at the Gihara Health Center for taking special care of Vestine.  Especially for the staff at AMA, who followed up with Vestine every step of the way, ensuring her daughters improvement.

It is times like these where you realize what a blessing sponsorship with AMA is.  There are so many children who do not have access to the special care that AMA provides.  Had this happened to one of those children, their family may not have been able to seek or pay for medical care and they would not have had the love and support of the AMA family.

Please consider sponsoring a child today!  You never know when they might desperately need the love and support only you can provide!

(Jeanette Uwimana)

In the spring of 1994 a young woman from Tumba, Rwanda had her whole life turned upside down, along with the rest of the country.  For 100 days she fought to stay alive while hundreds of thousands of her countrymen were murdered by their fellow citizens.  While this young woman was fortunate enough to survive this horrific time in Rwanda’s history, she was left without her husband, who was killed by the Hutu militia men.  After burying her husband and mourning his loss, she was surprised and grateful to find that he had left a piece of himself behind… a small, precious gift, which was growing inside her.

Eight and a half months after the death of her husband, this young woman welcomed this gift, her daughter, Jeanette Uwimana into the world.

Life after the genocide was especially hard for Jeanette and her family.  Without a husband to help provide for the family, Jeanette’s mother was forced to cultivate crops on a small piece of land.  While her mother worked hard to grow food for the family and to provide them a small income, more often than not, it did not provide enough to feed everyone in the family.

In 2004, when Jeanette was nine years old, she was registered in the Africa Mission Alliance sponsorship program.  Since then, she has grown into an incredible young woman who is not only beautiful, but extremely talented as well.  Her talents in singing and dancing brought her to be selected for the Asante Children’s Choir, where she is now performing around East Africa.  Now Jeanette lives in the choir hose where she is able to sleep in clean sheets, eat three full meals a day and improve her skills of singing and dancing.  This is a far cry from the dirt home she used to live in, where she ate only one meal a day if she was lucky and where she often fell ill due to the dirty water her family had to drink.

This young woman, who was never able to know her father and has come from very hard circumstances, is continuing to bless us with her sweet song and dance!  We are so fortunate to have her in our choir and are thankful for the precious gift of life that is Jeanette Uwimana!

You can help Jeanette continue in the choir by supporting her for $50.00 each month.  Click here to see how!

Nobody wants to take notice of the filthy homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk.  People walk right by the skinny, tired young woman begging for change on the street corner.  We are all too busy or important to take the time to stop and listen to the lowliest people of society.

The poor are often overlooked, powerless and vulnerable.  They don’t have a voice loud enough to make people listen because they are disregarded based on their looks and circumstances.  Some of these people may be brilliant scholars, talented musicians and future leaders, but life has thrown them a challenge to overcome.

One such person is Esther Uwiringiyimana.  Esther is a 13 year old girl and a member of the Asante Children’s Choir.  Esther is a tremendously talented singer and brilliant student, although a few years ago she would never have been given the opportunity to let her talents shine.

Esther used to be a dirty, malnourished child begging on the streets of Butare, Rwanda, for enough money or food to survive.  Having lost her father to HIV/AIDS, a disease her mother still lives with, Esther’s mother was left with no money, no land, an illness and no job.  Therefore, she and Esther took to the streets to search for money and food.  Esther prayed daily for just one meal to eat, but most days she went to be without eating at all.

No one bothered to look at this little child and see her potential, until one day when Africa Mission Alliance discovered her begging on the streets.  Now, having joined AMA’s sponsorship program and the Asante Children’s Choir, Esther has been given a new voice.  A voice of strength, of perseverance and of hope.  She along with 23 other children who come from some of the most lowly, poor and challenging pasts, have now collectively found a new strength together.

Let us continue to give a voice to these children by providing them with an environment in which they can shine so bright that the whole world will stop and take notice!

In this time in our economy many people and families are closely watching how they spend their money.  They are eating in more, traveling less and cutting down on extra expenses.  However, most people are still managing to pay for their necessities and many are still finding room for the little luxuries in life that we as U.S. citizens have grown accustomed to.

I am challenging you to think about what you spend your money on each month.  Even in these hard times, we Americans who only account for 6% of the worlds population, have half of the world’s wealth!

What can you get for $28.00 a month these days?  A few cups of coffee from Starbucks, one tank of gas, maybe dinner for 2?  Certainly not health care for you and your entire family!  You probably couldn’t send your kids to school for that price, or even buy their school supplies!  What about sending your kids to camp each Saturday of the month!  Probably not!

In Rwanda, $28.00 a month will provide a child and their family, not just one, but all of those things and more.  Children in our sponsorship program receive health care for themselves and up to 7 members of their family, school tuition, school supplies and they are invited to attend a Bible Club each Saturday!  It is amazing how far a dollar can go to change the life of a child in Rwanda.

For just $28.00 a month you can bring hope to a child who previously had no dream of a future.  You can change the life of an orphaned street child, by giving them the opportunity to go to school and grow up to have a job.  You can help a widow send one of her many children to school, allowing her to spend her meager earnings on food instead of her child’s tuition.

Please take time to consider how far such a small amount can go!  Can you spare $28.00 to change the life of a child forever?  The results are priceless!

Asian…girl…0-6 months old…

Ethiopian…girl…as young as possible…

In the world of adoption, people value raising a child from as early an age as possilbe.  They want the youngest child available to them, even going so far as putting a restriction on the age range that they will accept.  Many times the older children are overlooked because of their age.  They are then forced to stay in orphanages for another year, making them another year older and another year harder to adopt.

The same can be found in child sponsorship.  We see the cute faces of the toddlers and the young school aged children and immediately want to sponsor them.  We sometimes overlook the beautiful faces of the older children because we are distracted by the youthful innocence found in those of the younger children.   However, it is most often the older children that really need to be sponsored, just like the older children really need to be adopted.

One such child in the AMA sponsorship program is Patrick Mugisha.  He is a 17 year old boy studying Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology.  He is a very smart boy, who works hard in school and wants to be an entrepreneur when he grows up.  Patrick lives with his mother and two siblings.  Both of his siblings have sponsors through AMA, but he does not.  Because of his age and his more advanced studies, Patrick is in special need of a sponsor.

(Patrick Mugisha)

Patrick has a lot of potential.  He is hard working and disciplined, helping the AMA staff with other children and supervising at Saturday Bible Club.  We are so thankful to have him around.

You can help Patrick and his family today.  For just $28.00 a month you can help to cover his education, school supplies, uniform and much more!  Please help this older child find the love of a sponsor that is so often passed over someone of his age!  He will be forever grateful!

July 13, 2009

HEY EVERYONE!!

Just wanted to give you guys one more update on our trip to Rwanda.  It’s strange that today is the last day because in many ways it feels like we just got here and we are just heading to our next destination.  It’s amazing what all we have been able to experience and accomplish in the past two weeks and to be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about heading back to the U.S.  It has been a truly surreal experience and one that none of us will be able to forget.  We all have fallen in love with the children, the AMA staff, and all of Rwanda so it’s going to be very difficult to say goodbye tomorrow.

Anyway, I guess I should fill you in on what all happened today in Kigali.  We got up this morning and headed to a genocide museum and memorial near downtown.  It was definitely enlightening and an educational experience that left us emotional on many levels.  I don’t think any of us will ever be able to explain what we experienced at that museum well enough so that you can feel the weight of it all.  I really encourage all of you to check out the story of the Rwandan genocide that PBS filmed.  It was the very last thing that we watched inside the museum before walking outside where there were multiple mass graves decorated with flowers to honor the hundreds of thousands who perished here.

After the memorial we had lunch at the restaurant that we ate at right after we landed.  It was strange that we ended right where we began, but it was at this moment that I think it hit most of us that we are definitely leaving here as changed individuals.  After dinner, we headed to the markets and finished our last bits of shopping for all of you (and lets be honest…for ourselves, haha).  We left there and had a few hours of down time before our final dinner together.  The AMA staff took us to dinner at the hotel that the book and film, Hotel Rwanda, were based on.   It was an experience, once again, that I cannot explain well enough for you to really grasp it all.  I feel that we all came here with knowledge of the history of Rwanda, but experiencing Rwanda took all the education to the next level.  Having the opportunity to visit some pivotal locations and standing in places where history was made, was something I will be forever grateful for.

So now it’s time for me to get back to packing, but I want to leave you with part of a song that has been my theme song on this trip.  I pray that you will be as changed by the stories you hear from us as we have been changed by the experiences we have lived in the past few weeks.  Thank you so much for all the support and love you have passed onto us!  We will see you all soon!  :)

“Now that I have seen I am responsible.  Faith without deeds is dead.  Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let you go till you are…” - Brooke Fraser

Forever changed,
Zach Schemenaur