New Colors, Team, Katie, Counseling...and Jack F. Kennedy?????


It’s September and definitely time for an update on True Vineyard Ministries! It’s been a crazy wonderful summer with lots to report!
Our summer team traveled to Rwanda in early July and it is an understatement to say we were busy! We hit the ground running and worked along side the women to develop new products out of their beautiful new colors of Rwandan, Merino yarn. We were really excited to be arriving behind a visit from Nancy Zeller, of Long Ridge Farm, who spent several days with the ladies, teaching them how to dye with lots of new natural dye extracts. Be sure and check out our Facebook page to see some of the beautiful new shades…that are quickly turning into wonderful knit hats for fall!
True Vineyard has been so blessed by our full-time volunteer, Katie Scrafford, who has lived and worked with our women in Rwanda for almost one year! It has been a fast year…but “WOW” has she helped grow TVM to something great in Rwanda!  Meeting Katie was a truly a divine connection. She actually lived and worked on Long Ridge Farm in New Hampshire as a SHEPHEDRESS several years ago. Katie received her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University in 2011.  For the past several months, Katie has worked closely with our Country Director, Simon, in developing a lay-counselor training program. This program trains and equips other leaders to administer counseling to those who have experienced trauma. While our team was in Rwanda in July, we celebrated the first graduates of the new program and participated in their certificate ceremony. How wonderful to know that there are now hundreds of people being counseled through their traumatic pasts because of Katie’s heart for those who are in such great need. There are no words to express the organization’s gratitude to Katie and Simon for the work they have poured into this new program. How awesome it was to witness the fruits of their labor.
Now for the update on Gihunga Center... Although we believed we would have been well into the construction of Phase I of the new center, we are currently (and anxiously) waiting on final approvals from the Rwandan government.  Just as everything was ready to begin, the Rwandan Development Board issued a new mandate, requiring all NGO’s (Non-governmental Organizations) operating in Rwanda (like True Vineyard), to “re-register”.  We are currently in that process and are also proceeding with application for a “special building permit” from the local government sector. Unfortunately, the best thing for us to do is wait until we have gone through one or both of these processes. We want to be absolutely certain that our center is legally built, with all approvals in place. We promise to keep you informed as we make progress!
By now you are probably wondering what could the 50th Anniversary of the assignation of JFK possibly have to do with True Vineyard Ministries' work in Rwanda…  We are thrilled to announce a GRAND-SCALE fundraising event coming to San Marcos, Texas this fall, Remembering Camelot Through the Lens of Jacques Lowe, the private collection of Frank Harvey. Mark your calendars for November 16th  and 17th and in the words of Frank Harvey “get ready to witness history”. Please watch our promotional video and then visit our event site at www.rememberingcamelot.com to learn more!
Many blessings-
Diana Wiley
Executive Director