Street kids of Rwanda

This is a man named Enric Sifa.  His story is amazing.  He is Rwandan and a survivor of the genocide of 1994 that killed nearly 1 million people in a matter of 100 days.  In the terror, his father was killed.  So at the age of 9, Enric and his brother ran.  They escaped to live in a hole in the forest where they heard, smelled and saw the images, sounds and stench of death.  After weeks of hiding and desiring death, they finally escaped and found a refugee camp where they miraculously were re-united with their mother.  Can you imagine???  Then, sadly, a man in leadership who wanted their home, forcefully took it from them.  When the mother went to court to fight for her rights, the man had her beaten which eventually led to her death.  Enric and his brother were forced to find life on the streets.  Sadly, this is common in Rwanda. It was not a good life.  There were days Enric tried to find a place to die alone.  On the streets no one knew his name.  One day after being beaten up for having snuck into a private concert, Enric decided to go elsewhere to satiate his love for music.  God led him to a church.  There he found his music and his name.  God captured his heart.  Eventually he became a part of God's family as well as Africa New Life Ministries anlm.org sponsored children program.  As his sponsors found out his love for music, they sent him a guitar.  (What a fabulous idea!)  And Enric and all of his God given ability put it to use for God's glory.  He even ended up winning Rwandan Idol!  Now he is in Oregon finishing High School though he is somewhere near 22.  Listen to his songs and find others on You Tube.  


He came to our church 2 Sundays ago and I haven't yet had the words to write what I am experiencing in my heart.  The founder of Africa New Life Ministries was also there.  He is also a pastor in Kigali, Rwanda.  Jon and I were able to have a couple of short conversations with Charles and Florence and to learn more about them, their heart, and the culture of our baby girl.  I guess it's like a sonogram.  Hearing our babies heart beat for the first time.  And what they are doing is amazing.  They are giving nameless children, wandering in the streets with nothing to live for, a purpose higher than the education, clothes and food they receive.  They find eternity.  


And I get to be a part of that!!??!!??  Me, a little ol' mom, not finished yet with the diaper stage (and God willing prolonging that someday "soon"), can still reach out to the world with the gospel of Christ and living compassion.


We are sponsoring 2 kiddos.  One who is deaf and one who has Cerebral Malaria.  They are both teenagers and living in EXTREME poverty.  My God loves them and has a name for them.  He knows their loves and their aches.  He hurts with them and He calls out to them.  I'm not certain they will run to Christ, but I wonder at the chance I have to be a little embrace of Christ to them.


My hope is to meet them in person whenever we make it to Rwanda.  My hope is that they are still alive.  But if my hopes don't come true, my greater hope still is to dance with them on the streets of gold.  (My guess is that they'll have just a little bit more rhythm than me).