Here is another video update from our team serving in Rwanda. The team got back safe and sound on Saturday, October 10.

Hi All
We spent part of the day with leaders of HIV-Aids support groups which were initiated by the Mercy ministry of Christian Life Assembly of Kigali  the local church we are working with.  I am humbled. Rwanda continues to have a strong stigma against those who suffer with the disease and it takes a highly committed church to be upfront about this and a brave person to attend let alone lead a neighbourhood group. They were singing when we arrived. If I had a coffee in my hand I could have  been convinced that I was in Heaven.

The group leaders  were upbeat and feeling good about their situation which they attribute to a couple of things: group support and faith in Christ. Their faith is simple: Before they committed to following Christ they were despondent and now they are not. I think we in the west may be making Christianity  too complicated.

Yesterday we visited the group home that Urban Bridge funding initiated and supports – powerful . Wait till you see the video and photos Jordan captured!

Here is a 6 minute video from our team currently serving in Rwanda!

The following story is taken from “CLA Mercy Ministry Update, Volume 1″;

“With financial support from Urban Bridge Church, we managed to set up our third mercy home in January this year. The new mercy home is home to Cyurinyana and her family of 9. Cyurinyana who was (still is) part of the HIV.AIDS support group, is a typical example of the destitute people who are the main beneficiaries of CLA Mercy Homes. When we decided to take her on she was very sick and unable to do anything for herself and the children. The entire family of nine was living in a one-room shack provided to her by a well wisher in the neighborhood. It’s unbelievable how nine people could fit in so tiny a room, together with all their belongings – plus it was leaky!

A combination of malnutrition and the use of strong ARV’s had very much weakened Cyurinyana and she was probably 99% of he time bed-ridden. She was extremely skinny – bonny to be more accurate and you wouldn’t expect her to live another day!

Within weeks of moving into the mercy home, her life completely turned around. She is no longer sickly, has gained some weight and is now strong enough to take care of her children.

All the children (those who had dropped out of school and those who had not yet started school due to lack of means) have all been helped to start schooling through the Mercy Ministry Education sponsorship Program.”