Microseeds Vision Trip Feb 2010

Boston & Houston Team Return Safely to USA

2010-02-23T06:29:00.007-06:00

Saying goodbye at Kigali Airport.

Akegara National Park

2010-02-22T01:08:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, we went on safari in Akegara National Park. We saw a variety of birds and monkeys, including baboons. We also saw zebras, giraffes, hippo, water buffalo and a variety of antelope like aribi, impala, topi, eland and water back.

Life in Eastern Rwanda

2010-02-22T00:33:00.001-06:00

More arid, softer hills, drier seasons with more strain on agriculture. Home to Akagera National Park.

2010-02-20T10:40:00.002-06:00

Today we traveled from northeastern Rwanda to Kigali. In Kigali, we spent time at the artisan's market, buying gifts. Then, we traveled to Akagera National Park in western Rwanda.

Midwives at the Kinigi Health Center

2010-02-20T00:47:00.002-06:00

So, yesterday we visited a health center. I had thought that we were going to meet 2 or 3 midwives. Well 40 midwives from the surrounding villages showed up at the health center. I was told they had walked for miles to meet the American midwife. I can't express in words how overwhelmed and touched I was. We ended up having a training session on "how to deliver a baby." It was a blessing and one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Praise God.

- Lisa A.

Volcanoes National Park

2010-02-19T15:33:00.005-06:00

Neal Davidson picks up a worm on the mountain trail (yes, this is not a snake, it is a worm!)

Visits with Rural Churches in NW Rwanda

2010-02-19T14:47:00.003-06:00

Kinigi Health Center

2010-02-19T13:58:00.003-06:00

2010-02-19T11:44:00.003-06:00

Lake Kivu

2010-02-19T10:58:00.003-06:00

Vision Finance

2010-02-19T08:17:00.001-06:00

Wednesday afternoon, we visited Vision Finance in Nyaratovu. Our partner, Bay Harbor Methodist Church and Pastor John Newsome through Microseeds contributed to both Africa Hope Microcredit and Vision Finance in 2009. We were able to meet with the branch Director and learn more about their work, including partnering with small businesses in the area.

At the Vision Finance office were several Project Rwanda bicycles which are being rented to own by a farmer's cooperative.

One man who sells cooking oil stated that his capital increased from 200K to 400K Rwandan francs in one year.

Photos include Pastor John & John F. with Vision Finance borrowers.

World Vision / Nyaratovu ADP

2010-02-19T07:10:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday, we visited a rural school established in this ADP by World Vision (WV). As part of their comprehensive development program, WV has partnered with this community on building schools, training teachers, obtaining & maintaining clean water, agricultural projects (seed selection, cultivation techniques, domestic animals for manure), HIV/AIDS education, home health aids, etc.... We enjoyed learning more about the work of WV and meeting our sponsored children.

Beautiful Rwanda / Northern Province 3

2010-02-19T06:52:00.002-06:00

2010-02-19T02:43:00.003-06:00

Beautiful Rwanda / Northern Province

2010-02-19T01:24:00.002-06:00

Scenes from Wednesday.

Project Rwanda

2010-02-18T03:27:00.007-06:00

Last night we went to visit Kimberly Coats of Project Rwanda. Kimberly is an outgoing cyclist that's left the corporate world in the USA to fulfill her passion to help the Rwandan people. Clear Creek High School (Hannah Stephens High School in League City Texas) is the first of many high schools to take on the project to better the lives of Rwandans. So far, they have raised 6,000 dollars. This means, the students have bought 60 bicycles. With the bicycles, the students provided much needed transportation for the Rwandans. With the bikes, working Rwandans can bring items, such as food, down from the rural areas to cities. When they sell their items at the market, they are then able to make a profit, which can be life changing. Clear Creek is hoping to open the eyes of other high schools across Texas, as well as the USA, to be an example of what good we can do for others. Go Wildcats! :)

Hannah Stephens
Musanze, Rwanda

Hannah Visits Kimberly Coats of Project Rwanda

2010-02-18T00:01:00.003-06:00

Musanze

2010-02-17T23:47:00.002-06:00

World Vision Nyarutovu ADP

2010-02-17T10:18:00.004-06:00

All team members sponsor a child from the Nyarutovu ADP. There are 24 ADPs in Rwanda. This ADP represents 16000 people, 4441 of which are children.

After learning extensively about World Vision's comprehensive development approach, team members visited an ADP school and met their sponsored children. These children are selected by community members for being the most vulnerable due to their level of poverty or being orphaned.

Monday & Tuesday

2010-02-17T09:13:00.002-06:00

Monday night, the team had dinner with Apostle Paul Gitwaza of the Zion Temple in Kigali. Tuesday, team members visited more borrowers in the marketplace, while others met with a local pastor or visited the Rwinwavu Hospital of Inshuti Mu Buzima (Partners in Health/Rwanda). In the evening, we traveled to the Northern Province.

HIV/AIDS association

2010-02-17T02:34:00.001-06:00

Over 40% of borrowers in Microseeds have HIV/AIDS. Pastor Rugubira founded the Bethesda HIV/AIDS Association which has cared for up to 300 affected persons.

Focus group with a few of the women

2010-02-17T00:52:00.000-06:00

Radio address

2010-02-17T00:50:00.001-06:00

Sunday night, Pastors Davidson, Newsome and Rugubira spoke on Radio UMUCYO FM 102 with a potential audience of 3 million in Rwanda, sharing the Gospel. The last 3 days have also been a flurry of formal and informal meetings between team members in the U.S. & Rwanda with each other and with potential partners. It has been a time of relationship building, planning, enthusiasm and joy as we explore how we can work together to further the scope of Microseeds and the love of Jesus.

Shoes for children

2010-02-17T00:44:00.000-06:00

Celebration

2010-02-17T00:29:00.000-06:00

Pastor John Newsome, Scott Stephens and Pastor Neal Davidson given staffs made by a Microseeds borrower. The staffs are deeply symbolic and are usually given by Pastor Rugubira to newly ordained Pastors, signifying their responsibility to care for their people and to lead them out of slavery and into the Promised Land.

Microseeds Celebration

2010-02-17T00:25:00.002-06:00

Sunday afternoon, we celebrated with the wonderful women in our program and their children. Due to the generosity of our partners at Bay Harbor Methodist Church in League City, TX and Hope Chapel in Sterling, MA over 280 children received school fees & 180 received shoes. Over the last three days we were able to visit many of the women in their homes and the marketplace. Your generosity is changing lives! Some of their stories will be shared below.

2010-02-15T09:26:00.000-06:00

2010-02-15T09:14:00.000-06:00

Harvest Christian Church

2010-02-15T08:52:00.001-06:00

The team went to Harvest Christian Church yesterday. We were graciously welcomed and had an incredible time of praise & worship! Four additional churches & two choirs were also present , specifically the Ramah, Hermon , Zarephath & Kagugu churches which are all new church plants through Pastor Theophile Rugubira. Pastor Theophile oversees 42 churches in Rwanda, 7 in DR Congo and 1 in Burundi. Later in the service, Pastor Davidson & Pastor Newsome spoke to the congregation.

Aime Uwimana

2010-02-14T01:38:00.001-06:00

Dinner last night with musician, singer & African producer of Meme Stephens' "In Africa Tonight."

Visit to 'Hotel Rwanda'

2010-02-13T16:47:00.001-06:00

Kigali Genocide Memorial

2010-02-13T08:24:00.000-06:00

Team with Pastor Rugubira in Kigali

2010-02-13T05:12:00.000-06:00

Team in Amsterdam

2010-02-12T03:34:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Rwanda 2010 Vision Trip!

2010-02-08T20:35:00.001-06:00

Follow along with 10 people from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Texas as we visit the work of microseeds.org. Microseeds.org provides small loans of $50 to widows in Rwanda.