Bringing Hope to Rwanda

Last year I traveled to Rwanda as part of a mission trip. I had never done anything like this before, and honestly, I didn't know what I was doing or if I even had the skills to meet people in severe poverty and offer them anything of value. But something called me. And much to my surprise, I learned that this is who I am, and doing this work is incredibly important to me. I'm headed back to Rwanda in July, and I need your help.


This is the face of my sponsored son, Jean Claude, who is a 9-year-old Rwandan boy with a big heart and a life more difficult than most of us can fathom. Last year I was honored and humbled to meet Jean Claude and spend several days with him during my stay in Rwanda. I had no idea of the impact I would make on him or the deep imprint he would leave on my heart in just a few short days. On our final day together, he spoke through our interpreter with tears in his eyes: "Tell him to not lie. He must come back." For Jean Claude, and for all of the other children of Rwanda who desperately need help and hope and love -- I must go back.



Like most people in Rwanda, Jean Claude lives in a tiny mud home (smaller than the one shown below) not much larger than a bathroom or small bedroom in a typical American home. We visited his home and brought sacks of flour, rice, and sugar -- precious gifts that were received with pure gratitude. We talked about the gifts being good and life-sustaining, but that the most important gifts are love and hope -- gifts that come from God, our true source.



I traveled with the Love 41 group, which was founded by my friend Suzette Munson to help orphans, streetkids, and widows. The trips are coordinated through Africa New Life Ministries, an international non-profit organization founded by Rwandans who have dedicated themselves to raising their country up through education and a relationship with God.



I've learned that I have a deep passion for doing this type of work. I must admit that I've spent most of my life largely unaware of the plight of others outside of my own community or country. I've always felt uneasy with the suffering in the world, but these things can sometimes seem abstract and easy to ignore from our relatively comfortable corner of the world. But now I've seen it for myself. I've looked into the eyes of real people struggling with severe hunger, disease, and a lack of hope. I now understand that regardless of where we were born, we are all brothers and sisters, and we are all interconnected. Ultimately, every child deserves a chance at life.