I AM GOING BACK!

I have vivid memories of my last day in Rwanda, walking barefoot down the road constructed of broken stones outside the World Relief guesthouse, drinking coffee, praying, wrestling with the intense weight of wanting to take in every detail and truly not knowing how I could possibly get on the plane that evening. I had been on so many service-oriented trips before and I had never once felt so compelled to stay. In such a short period of time, Rwanda had become a place I loved, a place I somehow almost belonged, a place that God had written into the very depth of my being, and a place I knew I had to come back to – and soon.

I can only begin to describe the THUNDEROUS JOY beating within me as I prepare in eager anticipation to return to Rwanda. I believe wholeheartedly that God wrote Africa into my story and it is undoubtedly part of His best for me. From August 3 – August 18 I will be leading a team of exceptionally gifted and passionate individuals as we serve the very least of these in Bugasera and Kigali. We will be running alongside the orphaned and vulnerable, those who have been cast aside, considered unworthy, and unlovable. We will be bringing HOPE and a message of great PROMISE and PURPOSE - for all are created perfectly in His image and He has not forgotten even one.

Our first adventure will be running camp for 100 teens who are either orphans or have been deemed the most vulnerable from the district of Bugasera. There are no standard orphanages in Rwanda, so these children may be caring for younger siblings or tending to agriculture, most do not have the opportunity to get an education and many eat only one meal a day and it is likely quite meager. For one week, we get to provide the opportunity for them to be cared for – to be kids – to laugh and play and be surrounded by an abundance of love. I cannot wait to hear the uproar of hysteria as they hear a balloon pop for the first time or learn that we are throwing them a birthday party including gifts and cupcakes. I can picture them now, lined up and waiting for the African buffet, raising their eyebrows to indicate they want rice and beans or furiously shaking their heads and saying “oh-yeah” which means no in Kinyarwanda to pass on something like the pile of unidentifiable greens. Mostly I yearn to hear their voices begin to rise up as they start to sing and then feel the floor shake and tremble as their feet stomp. Eventually the room will erupt into praise and we will dance for Jesus in worship that can only be described as a taste of Heaven. For one week, these campers will be our kids. We will love them with complete abandon, holding their hands as we walk from activity to activity, listening intently to their stories of trauma and loss and praying unceasingly that God would be so very near to them for all their days to come. Their faces will be inscribed on our hearts and when we say goodbye, far too soon, we will carry them with us.

When we leave camp, our hearts will be full, but there will still be so much to accomplish. We hope to spend two days loving on children who have special needs living in an orphanage run by nuns. These children have literally been abandoned and left for dead. Our desire is to tangibly communicate love by holding and spending dedicated time with these beloved children of the King. Last year I stood in the sun and sang to a sweet girl named Monica who was seven-years-old but appeared to be an infant. These children are desperate for care. While the nuns do their best to provide for the physical needs of all those living on-site, they cannot possibly nurture each of these children on a daily basis. We may be the only touch of kindness they feel all year.

Any remaining time we have in Rwanda will be spent visiting churches, teaching Sunday School, delivering medical supplies and clothing to patients in the hospital in Kigali, and building relationships to further ministry opportunities throughout the country.

The cost for our project is approximately $4,400 per person. This includes all individual expenses plus the amount needed to cover camp. Would you consider partnering with me – would you join me in this incredible journey to touch Rwanda with the love of Christ knowing that the lives of these teens and children will literally never be the same. TO GIVE NOW, please use THIS LINK and you’ll be taken directly to my giving page: https://fcsmnstry.io/8gt/LRZ8SC. If you’d prefer to send a check, please make it payable to EvFree Fullerton and mail it to: EvFree Fullerton, Attn: Missions, 2801 Brea Blvd. Fullerton, CA 92835. You’ll want to include a separate note that it is in support of Shelly Swope & Team Rwanda. Your gift is tax deductible and will go to support the ministry of the entire team. In the unusual event that the trip is cancelled, your gift will be used for a future team sent by EvFree Fullerton.

I have seen and know the power of the cross and have also watched lives transformed by His love. I have the opportunity to GO in His name, but we are all called to be Kingdom builders. My team covets your prayers and none of this is possible without an army of witnesses holding us up through each aspect of the journey. Thank you for standing beside me and loving me in all I do. I am unspeakably grateful for your unending love, encouragement, and support.

Imana ni nziza (God is so good)!