Sent to Rwanda

I've been thinking a lot about friends recently, so I decided it was time to write. Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecc. 4:9-12 A friend is someone who knows me, likes me and trusts me. Someone who knows that I wasn't always as cool as I have become and still loves me. =)  Someone who understands that sometimes I like things a certain way and will tolerate my idiosyncrasies. Someone who knows that somedays I just need to be quiet. And most importantly understands that at the end of the day, if I have to choose between my faith and them, I will choose my Jesus. But wh...

" Jamie, I can tell you that of my five years of living here I have learned when a community is based on money, deep transformation is difficult. …There is no silver bullet ."  I am not a good listener. I try to be and I have to stay really focused and often write things down, but most of my roommates will tell you that I have troubles when it comes to listening. That is probably why I like to write things out--blog, Facebook, etc. I like to listen, but my mind just runs around crazy and I forget where I'm supposed to be paying attention. But there are often statements when people look me square in the eye and it sticks. Today, was one of those moments. I like to learn from people who have been there and done it. ( I haven't always been that way, so maybe there is hope for my listening skills!) I had the opportunity to spend just a few minutes listening to someone who basically told me today that there is no formula for discipleship, just look to the Lord an...

So it's been a while, sorry 'bout that. I have many things to say on this post, but I'm going to stay focused on one thing--saying "yes". When I was making the decision to move to Rwanda, one of my colleagues told me to get a book called, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" by Lysa Turkurst (good book, go read it). She gave ways to help make decisions. I'm going to be honest and say that I can't remember all of them, but the ones that stuck are: Is it Biblical (does it contradict Scripture)? Is is being confirmed in other ways--friends, Bible studies, lessons, etc? I remember going through that book thinking that moving to Rwanda was a BIG yes, but everyday there are little yes' that we have the opportunity to make. My friend Tara, who has done some really cool things (no41.org--check her out), says often that her organization just evolved out of a bunch of little yes'. Did we set out to start projects helping young women? No...

I have been reading some blogs about minimalism and am in a study about being more grateful. I have been thinking about my trip back to America last year and anticipate my visit this year. It is hard going back to a world that seems so familiar, but yet so foreign. Some of the things that shocked me after living here was the materialism. I think everyone can admit how wrapped up America has become in their possessions. I know I was. As I was getting ready to come here two years ago, there was a freeing process I went through of getting rid of almost everything I owned.   And then when I left Rwanda to visit America, I was in between houses, so I locked up the majority of my stuff in my office. I don’t have that many things and it’s nice. There are some differences living here—I can wear basically the same wardrobe all year around, so I don’t have to store seasonal clothes. But overall, I just don’t feel connected to things the same way I used to. I live in a country where $...

Everything in my life starts with a "du" now, even my thoughts. As we are quickly approaching one year of the first suggestion of Duhugurane and have completed the first phase of our first training group, I want to paint you a picture of what is going on over here. A little over a month ago, we were ready to launch our first training and started quietly looking for young women 18-25 years old, who were English-speaking who would be willing to pilot our ideas. We were looking quietly because we didn't want to be inundated by girls. We selected the first cohort and were ready to start. The first day of class (February 11) I arrived early, praying and hoping someone showed up. I laughed to see that there were girls there before I was, over an hour early. I'm not sure they really understood what they had signed up for, but they were there. I started the class of 25 young women by introducing what we were about to embark on and shared Hebrews 6:11-12 (NCV...

In my opinion, and of course this is my opinion because this is my blog, but I believe that the general church-going population believes that as a missionary, I am always on this mountaintop spiritual "high". That I am always seeking God because I have moved so far from home and my family. Let me dispel this rumor, this is not true. Just like in America, my spiritual walk has peaks, valleys and plateaus. There are times when I see God working and moving in such tangible ways that I sit back and worship and praise His name. I pray so fervently that I become physically tired. Our team takes time to pray every week for various things, but always seeks God's guidance and leadership over us. And there are times when I see a situation and I pray real hard and I don't see God moving and I look to the sky and ask, "Where are you? Creator of the universe, who can make all things happen and controls the movement of every star, why aren't you moving in THIS situatio...

This morning at our Christmas service at Christ's Church in Rwanda, I cried a little. I listened to Moses, our youth minister, read the story of baby Jesus and how King Herod wanted to kill him and I cried a little. I looked around the room and watched as one of our team members had quite a few family members fly in from America and I cried a little. I sat on a row with my roommate and our 3 grown up girls who live with us and I cried a little. I watched as those 3 girls praised the Savior of the world with everything they had within them and I cried a little. As a member of the choir, I sang a song about feeling Jesus in my bones and not being able to hold it in and I smiled the widest smile of the day! My life is so very different that 1 year ago, 2 years ago and goodness knows 3 years ago and we aren't even going to 4 years ago! But isn't that how it should be? Each year we can smile and know that we are different people because of a Savior who came to the w...