Rwanda Outreach

Rwanda outreach Solace Ministry October 2010

Day 1 - Sunday 03/10/2010
Arrived at the airport with Remi Banjoko, Nkem and Steward Anderson.
Later on in the day, a community from Rwanda came to Solace Ministries to donate part of their crop harvest to the widows and orphans at Solace ministry. Solace Ministries was established in 1995 as a way to comfort widows and orphans who had endured the great tragedies of the 1994 genocide, the deliberate and systematic destruction in which over 1 million people were murdered.

Day 2 - The Kigali Memorial 04/10/2010
We visited the Kigali Memorial Centre. The memorial centre has a detailed history of Rwanda and the genocide. There were exhibits of weapons used and a mass grave with remains of the victims. There were also video testimonies of the survivors. It was a very moving experience.

Day 3 – Trip to Kaduha 05/10/2010
Kaduha is a remote village situated on the mountain top. A region in the southern province of Rwanda which was terribly affected by the 1994 genocide in which over 200,000 people are believed to have perished in the community.

About a year ago, Jesus House gave a donation to Solace Ministries to provide live stock for the people of Kaduha. A pig was purchased for every family in the village and two cows were also bought. The aim of the purchase was community development to enable the members of the community begin to recover financial from the 1994 genocide.

Prior to this purchase, each family was said to have been surviving on the equivalent of £2 a month. After this donation, the household income rose to about £17 and would potentially triple over the next year.

These animals are considered as wealth especially the pigs as each pig gives birth to approximately 10 piglets each of which would be sold for £10. The cows purchased had also already given birth at the time we visited.



Bras without Borders, Rwanda

The Bras without Borders is an initiative of Esthers (the Women Ministry of Jesus House). The project sees the distribution of bras and underwear to women in regions where Jesus House is engaged in various Millennium development projects.

There was a big reception held in honour of Jesus House, where there was a lot of dancing and excitement.
Nkem made a speech on behalf of Esthers’ Ministry prior to the handing out of the underwear to the women.
The excitement was beyond belief and the women felt so much love.
There was also the official presentation of the pigs and cows from Jesus House to the community of Kaduha.

Day 4 - 06/10/2010
The day was spent thanking God for all His mercies. We visited a lot of children being sponsored by Solace Ministries.