Sifora

Sifora was born in Rwanda in 1957, and in 1959, her family immigrated to the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Her husband was a businessman, and he was killed in a car automobile accident, leaving Sifora with 9 children.  Seven of her nine children were killed in the DR Congo during the civil wars of the late 1990s.  She returned to Rwanda in 1999 with only 2 daughters.  In 2005, she lost one of her daughters to illness.  Before coming to work for True Vineyard Ministries, she worked at construction sites.  It was difficult to find work every day because of her age, and it was physically demanding, requiring her to carry heavy things.  At times she was unable to find work, she was not always able to feed her family.  She believes working for TVM will help her greatly.

Right now, she lives in Susa Village with her remaining daughter, niece and grandson.  She attends Restoration Church.

Rosette

Rosette was born in 1973.  She, her husband, and their three children lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo until they returned to Rwanda in 1999.  That same year, her husband was killed by a raiding party of Rwandan rebels living in the DRC.  After the death of her husband, life was very difficult.  In 2001, she decided to return to the DRC, but while she was there she became very ill and returned to Rwanda for care.  She then learned she was HIV+.  Since then she has struggled with her illness, contracting tuberculosis and spending long stints in hospitals while her children lived separately.  At this time she is taking antiretroviral medicine, and she has been reunited with her children.  Before coming to work for True Vineyard Ministries, she was making and selling a local drink from sorghum.  Since joining the women at TVM, she has been received with joy, and she is happy that God has given her consistent work with other women because it removes her from loneliness and isolation.

Rosette attends the Seventh Day Adventist Church and lives in a government-built house in Susa Village with her three children.

Colette

Colette was born in 1967, and she lost both her parents at the age of 12.  After the deaths of her parents, she lived with her great aunt and one of her maternal uncles until she got married at the age of 17.  Her first and second born children died in infancy, but later God remembered her and gave her three children.  In 1998, her husband was killed by a raiding party of Rwandan rebels who crossed into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Afterward, her husband's family abandoned her, forcing her to move out of her house and to leave her three children with them.  She had nowhere to stay and no family to take her in.  Before coming to work for True Vineyard Ministries, she would do any work she could find, like cleaning, washing clothes, and gardening.  The work was inconsistent, and sometimes she would spend a whole day looking for jobs without finding any.  Now that she has a job at TVM, she has found a new hope and a dependable job.  She is proud to be in this community of women.

Since 1998, she has had two more children who are with her, but she is still currently homeless.  She attends Restoration Church.

Béatrice

Béatrice was born in 1977, and she got married in 1996.  In 2000, she became a widow when her husband was poisoned by a drink in Tanzania.  She has a son and a daughter, both of whom are in school.  Before she came to work at True Vineyard Ministries, she used to find work at construction sites carrying sand.  The work was inconsistent, and there were days when she was unable to feed her children.  Now that she has a consistent job and dependable income, she is happy for the work.  This job helps her keep food in the house and helps her afford clothes for her children.

She lives in a government-built house in Susa Village with her children, and she attends United Methodist Church in Musanze.

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Team 2 is here and all is well!

Advocate For Widows

God has and is blessing this ministry both at home and here in Rwanda. TVM belongs to Him and He should be glorified for the progress that has occurred over the past several months.

For those of you who may not know, the first team just returned to the States after a life changing two weeks in Rwanda working with TVM's women. This weekend some of our partners at KidKnits will be joining us as part of the second team. Ten-year old, Ellie Zika, the visionary of KidKnits will arrive with her father and grandparents to meet the women for whom Kidknits has created so many opportunities. She is an amazing young woman who has already impacted the lives of many Rwandans because of her passion to partner with True Vineyard Ministries and because she responded to the desire God placed in her heart to serve the poor.  She is the hero of many, including our newest hires; Seforia, Rosette, Beatrice and Coletta who started full-time employment last week.

Kidknits began marketing the yarn, which the widows of TVM make, several months ago. KidKnits sells knitting kits for kids, and already there is a booming demand for these interactive kits, which includes our yarn! Currently, our women cannot spin enough wool to keep up with the demand for yarn. This is a fantastic problem to have because it means we need to hire more women to spin wool. Providing this invaluable opportunity to the widow is the heart of True Vineyard Ministries. Providing women with an income means provision, growth, and health for herself and all of her many family members.   We want to see these women empowered to be Christian leaders in their own communities.  Our prayer is that through what God is doing in their lives that many other lives will be transformed by their leadership and service.

True Vineyard Ministries is hiring more women so that we can meet the demand for yarn, and consequently, more wool! KidKnits  has already confirmed that from some large retailers that the kits will be in their stores for this Christmas season. Our ministry is growing and we need to grow with the demand. We also need more sheep, and very soon more land to accommodate the growth in sheep! We have also outgrown our current office space due to the large number of women currently working.

When we hire a new woman, we commit to keep her employed full-time. A full-time salary means providing health insurance for herself and her children and paying school fees for her school aged children. TVM cannot provide this life giving salary to the women without your advocacy and generosity. This is why we need sponsorships for all of our women.  A financial commitment of $35 each month means that you will directly impact a widow in Rwanda.  When you advocate for a widow with TVM - you become an advocate for her entire family.

She will earn an above-average salary that will put food on her table and will provide very basic needs, like clothing and soap.  It also means that she can pay to keep a roof over her head and buy medicine when she is sick.  It means a life of transformation.

Please consider beginning an advocacy partnership with True Vineyard Ministries.  You will be a part of something miraculous that is happening here in Rwanda.  We especially need advocates for our newest employees.  I will be posting their profiles and stories over the next few days on our fan and group Facebook pages.

James 1:27

Blessings,
Diana

5 Days in 5 Minutes...GO!

Hey hey friends!  Mary Claire here, and I'm so excited to get to blog FINALLY!  I've now been in Rwanda a full week, and it's been a sort of atypical week (so I'm told; it's not like I've been here before), but it's been fun and educational, and I've gotten a taste of how Diana and Co. do their thing here in Rwanda.  We're a bit behind on our blogging, so I just want to start with: WE ARE ALL FINE.  Half the team left last night and should be touching down in Austin at any moment.  Now I want to pick up where Tori left off on Sunday.  Get ready for the highlights blitz:

Monday was a national holiday (Happy Independence Day, USA!  And Happy Liberation Day, Rwanda!), so the women all had the day off, and our team got a day of rest, which was much needed for some of us—David, Laura, and me especially. 

Tuesday we headed to the TVM office to hang out with the ladies and meet the four new widows newly hired by TVM.  It was my first experience with the widows, and it was a little overwhelming at first, but the ladies were so welcoming and excited to meet me that I got over that quickly.  We got there early to worship with the widows, to hear them praise Jesus in Kinyarwanda and then getting to praise Jesus in English.  Tuesday was the last day in Musanze for half of our team, so that afternoon before we left the office, all of the widows, the team, Simon, Thomas, and Evariste all prayed together and shared thoughts on our experiences over the two weeks of the trip.  It was my first opportunity to hear the widows share about how they have been impacted by TVM, how working there has changed their lives.  It was great to hear that from them on my first day, but even more than that, it was great for the four new widows to hear that on their first day of work.  Please pray for these women as they are brought into the work of TVM, are learning how to make the yarn, and are being welcomed by the other 15 women.  Since Tuesday was our last night in Musanze, we had a fiesta and invited Simon, Thomas, and Diana's friend Jock over to eat a Tex-Mex-Rwandan meal with us.  We had beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, and mango salsa burritos, and they were delicious, but it was also fun to have that time together.  Overall, a very full day, but it was also lots of fun and a good last day in Musanze for half our team.  The picture above is from that night.

Wednesday we got up early and piled into a bus with all the luggage and headed for Kigali.  That day was spent shopping for souvenirs and for the Vineyard Marketplace.  The group split in half, and Laura, Caitlin, and I got to shadow Diana as she shopped for the store.  I enjoyed seeing her interact with the different vendors and organizations from which she purchases wares for the store.  One of the coolest things about it was that by buying from these organizations, she's also supporting them in their mission.  I love knowing that by buying a handmade purse made by vulnerable Rwandan women, I'm helping create sustainable incomes for these women to provide for themselves and their families.  It's a beautiful mission that God has given Diana and TVM, and I'm humbled to be a part of the work.  That night, we had dinner at Phil and Becca Smith's house.  They made enchiladas with guacamole, and they managed to find tortilla chips in Kigali.  For 8 Texans (well, 7 and Rachel) to get to have Tex-Mex two nights in a row in Rwanda was nothing short of a miracle.  We spent some time that night worshipping together, and then we headed back to our boarding house to pack all of the Vineyard Marketplace merchandise to send home with the team.

Thursday was spent shopping a bit more and debriefing from the trip.  Tori was the victor of Diana's Rwanda scavenger hunt.  She won by a measly 5 points.  Lindsey was an honorable second.  Then it was time to pack up and head to the airport.  The team made it through security with little difficulty and then they were off.  Diana, Laura, Caitlin, and I went to dinner at a fabulous Chinese restaurant, and then we headed back to the boarding house and went to bed.

Which now brings me to today.  This morning we got up and went to World Relief HQ to join them for their morning chapel.  We sang a few songs in Kinyarwanda, and then I got to lead them in some praise songs.  It was an incredible time of worship, and as we sang Jesus Paid It All, the Rwandans jumped in in their own language.  I was reminded of how BIG our God is, and as we all stood in that room together singing one song in two languages to one God, we all experienced a bit of what heaven is going to be like.  It was one of my favorite moments so far, and again I was humbled by music and the power it has to connect us to each other and our God.  After we left World Relief, we ran a few more errands and then jumped on a bus for Kibuye on Lake Kivu for a weekend retreat.  We're going to spend the weekend getting rest.  Please pray for the four of us this weekend, that God blesses us with renewal and also that we use this time to get to know each other better.  We're strengthened through community, encouragement, and accountability, so I trust that God will use this time to make us stronger and prepare us for what's to come in the coming weeks.

This is long.  I know.  I'm horribly long-winded.  If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me.  Please keep praying for us, and please invite others to join you!  I love having friends that pray.  Prayer knows no distance.  Please pray for the team arriving home, that their stories and testimonies will carry behind them the power of Jesus and that lives will be transformed and inspired by what they have to share, and please pray for the second team that arrives in a week.  God's got some good work prepared for us.

We love you guys, we miss you, and we can't wait to share what God's going to do over the next few weeks.  Peace.
mc

Team one through security with all bags checked! They will see you in a couple of days!

Cherished Memories

Hello everyone! I hope that you are all well and able to celebrate this holiday weekend. Blogging tonight is Tori, I hope you enjoy!

Yesterday, the team headed out to the land and worked on moving more lava rocks. They moved many rocks to the perimeter of the property, allowing for more grazing area and a safer place for the sheep. Mary Claire was able to meet Velonica, Adera and Virginee, which was an exciting time for all.

David and I were fortunate enough to each embark on a Gorilla trek. I was able to meet the Ugenda Gorilla family yesterday and David traveled to meet the Susa family today. Both of us got quite a workout, David more than I due to his longer trek. We are both so grateful that we were able to have this opportunity. Being able to be so close to these creatures in their natural habitat with such peace was incredible.

Today, we were invited to attend Simon's church for an English service. It was wonderful to see Simon in his niche singing and praising God, as well as hear a great sermon by Bishop Imbanda. Mary Claire was asked to sing, which she did flawlessly and everyone loved worshipping with her. The service provided each of us with such high spirits. Afterwards, the team decided to go on a little adventure. We headed to a volcano tube and were able to explore it. Although it got our hearts pumping due to climbing and hearing bats flying above us, it was beautiful and an accomplishment once we reached the other end! The tube looks like a cave, but it has not been disturbed by the public at all. You would have no idea that it was under a road unless you knew someone who knew all aspects of Musanze. Luckily, we had Thomas to show us the way!

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. Know that we miss each of you, but are falling in love with and learning so much about this country and the people who call it home. This week is the final piece of this journey here in Rwanda for some of us, but the memories and the love won't leave our hearts. Please keep us all in your thoughts, as well as the new ladies who are joining the TVM family on Tuesday! We are all so excited to be there to welcome them on their first day. It will be a time of worship, greetings, and sadly, goodbyes for a few of us. Everyone please be safe this long weekend and enjoy your fourth of July!

Love,
Tori

P.S. Happy Birthday Casey, I love you!

New Adventures

Hello everyone! This is Lyndsey blogging today. I hope everyone reading this update is preparing for a restful weekend wherever you are. If you have read the previous blogs, you already know that we have had a truly blessed week with all of the ladies and the staff of TVM. If you haven't read them, you should!

Today was a national holiday in Rwanda so the ladies began their long weekend yesterday evening. That meant that the team was able to venture off this morning to see the enchanting Rwandan countryside around us and tour the Sorwathe Tea Factory. There really are no words to describe how amazingly beautiful this country is. Green, everywhere! The flowers, trees, hills, streams, volcanoes in the background, and all of the friendly people made the drive to the tea factory spectacular.

The Sorwathe Tea Factory was a blast! The picture is showing us in our fun outfits we had to put on for our tour. We looked hilarious! The factory was located on top of a hill surrounded by vast tea plantations. It was an incredible view. As we toured the tea factory, the team observed the entire tea process. I think I can speak for everyone, that we have a new appreciation for tea. After our tour, we enjoyed lunch outside overlooking the scenery.

Leaving the tea factory, Diana informed us that we were going somewhere else that was a "surprise". We arrived at the Virunga Lodge. Once again, the view did not disappoint. The team enjoyed some delicious African tea and relaxed while enjoying our surroundings. Altogether, today was a wonderful and peaceful evening in fellowship with one another. God truly is the ultimate Creator.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the team will be going back to the property to continue moving the volcanic rock. For the first team, our time in Musanze is quickly coming to an end. Please continue to pray that all that God intended for us to do here is brought to completion. The people here have stolen a piece of our hearts forever. Thank you for lifting us up at home, your prayers are so important. God is so good and we can see His hands in all that we do each day.

My family and friends reading: I miss and love you so much!

With all our love,

Lyndsey