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Disciple Maker Kabeza

June 8, 2011 By
disciplemaker-kabeza

One of our daily prayers in Rwanda is that God would raise up more disciple makers (Luke 10:2b). We praise God for answering this prayer over and over. Here is a story about Ejide, a young man who came to Charles Kabeza (ATN‘s Director) asking to be mentored! Pray for Charles, that he would disciple Ejide to follow Jesus. Pray for Ejide as he seeks to be discipled by a Godly man.

Note from Charles Kabeza

Murphy,

I wanted to share with you a new opportunity that God has put in my way.

Last week I got a call from one young man who is a student at SFB (School of Finance and Banking). This young man is involved in the Xtra Mile Community in Nyamata.

When I met him he told me that he is involved in a Compassion International Program. That program advices them to have a mentor. From our conversation he told me that he has observed what kind of person he may learn from and he found that Karoli (Charles in Kinyarwanda) is the model person for mentoring.

His request is more than what compassion asks them to do but he wants to learn all aspects of life including spiritual.

For now I do not know well his commitment to Jesus but I will. So I wanted to share with you this as my intimate partner to promote DMM.

Please pray for me so that I can be really a good model not only a Christian by name.

Find the picture of Ejide and Kabeza.

Blessings,

Charles Kabeza

Filed Under: Featured, Prayer Answers, Prayer Needs, Rwanda

Praying for Gisenyi Disciple Makers

May 4, 2011 By
Gisenyi Disciple Makers - Christine and Vedast

Praying for Rwandan Disciple Makers!

Charles Kabeza recently visited Gisenyi, Rwanda to follow up on three disciple makers who are actively involved in starting and leading Discovery Bible Studies. Here is his report… As you read, pray for Innocent, Vedaste and Christine, that the Lord would fill them with the Spirit of Truth and Power as well as wisdom as they make disciples of Jesus. Vedaste and Christine are pictured above…

Vedaste

We had planed to meet  at a college where he introduced the DBS. I met him there and I happened to meet a couple of others who are in that team, unfortunately many of them are still in holidays. But with small number I noticed that their meetings are about reading and studying bible (Vedaste introduced to them the DBS model for studying the Bible).

Christine

Since a couple of days ago, she has been in fasting prayers, so I managed to meet her this morning. My idea was for her to meet with Vedaste and let them know each other. This morning we were so blessed to have a DBS together and remind each other what God is doing in our lives. Christine gave us her testimony how she got to know Jesus and how she commit to serve him. At the end I asked them both to work as a team that is focusing on making Jesus disciples more than promoting this religion than that other.

Innocent

Yesterday I met him, and our conversation was about the progress of putting into practice what he learned in the last DMM (Disciple Making Movements) workshop. He is still confronting with his church leaders who think that his mind is to start a new denomination, yet his desire is about making the youth into a real disciples of Jesus. Though he still invite the youth for soccer every sunday morning and through that soccer some young people changed and get baptized.

I tried to encourage him and let him know that we pray for him. Finally, I asked him to join our team to Sudan and he said that he is interested to that opportunity.

Filed Under: Featured, Missions, Murphy, Prayer, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With: , , ,

Mama Gasaro – Part Two

April 2, 2011 By
Christine Crowson

After my visit with Mama Gasaro, the woman who lives across the valley from my house, I talked with some of the orphans in Extra Miles Ministry (a ministry to genocide orphans). Extra Miles started a benevolence committee that meets weekly to help vulnerable women. Mama Gasaro is one of many women who often go to ATN (our local non-profit organization) facilities on Saturday mornings for help and counseling. I asked if one of the orphans on the benevolence committee would accompany me to visit Mama Gasaro. It was decided that Gertrude would go with me. Gertrude is a genocide orphan in her mid-twenties. She attends a university here in Kigali. She is one of seven children in her family, however, her parents and all of her siblings were killed during the genocide.

Gertrude and I set off for the 1 hour walk to Mama Gasaro’s house. We had no way to tell her we were coming, she has no telephone, and I was not entirely certain I would remember the way. I did remember and Mama Gasaro was at home when we arrived. She was distressed because her baby was sick.

The baby has a heart problem and is often sick. We talked about her immediate needs to take care of the baby. Then I asked her if she had any ideas about what she could do to change her current situation. She told us that she wanted to study hairdressing. She had already researched and found a salon where she could study for three months. I asked Gertrude if she thought this was a good idea, she said yes. Gertrude told me that if Mama Gasaro knows hairdressing, she can find a job or perhaps even work out of her home. We prayed together, gave Mama Gasaro some money to take the baby to the doctor and made a plan to go together to the salon the next week.

During the week, I saw Mama Gasaro in my neighborhood. She was there to take the baby to a clinic. We talked for a while and I asked her if she would pray for the following two days. I asked her to ask God to give her an idea of how she could also help pay for the fees to study hairdressings. Her immediate reaction to this request was not positive. She said she had no way of helping. After she calmed, I told her just to ask God and see what happens.

Today Gertrude and I walked across the valley and met Mama Gasaro near the hair salon. Together we went and talked to the owner, a woman named Mama Fredy. Mama Fredy assured me that Mama Gasaro will be able to find a job or at least some clients after she finishes studying. I paid the fee and Mama Gasaro will start tomorrow. On our way back toward the valley, Mama Gasaro told us that she had prayed in the past two day. She told us that the idea God gave her is that after she finishes studying and finds a job, she is to help others. Praise God! I wanted to cry right there on the path. That is the kind of heart we are seeking. I have learned not to get excited early but to keep praying. Time will tell if Mama Gasaro will finish studying, find a job and help others. However, today I am encouraged and feel blessed that mine and Mama Gasaro’s paths have crossed.

Filed Under: Christine, Featured, Rwanda

Mama Gasaro – Part One

March 31, 2011 By
Christine Crowson

Recently, I met a young woman named Mama Gasaro. She has two daughters, one four year old and a six month old baby. I asked if I could come to her house and visit. We made a plan to meet so she could take me to her house.

When I asked if I could visit her, I assumed she lived in our neighborhood. I was wrong. We met and she was surprised that I wanted to walk to her house. She said it was far. I soon discovered that she lives in another part of town, across the valley from my house. It took us a little more than an hour to get there. I don’t think I would have walked had I known how far away she lived but I am so glad that I did. I have lived in this city for two years and looked out at this valley from my front porch everyday. I have prayed over this valley and this city many times. However, I had never really seen it until the day I walked through it with Mama Gasaro.

During our walk, I saw life in that valley and in her part of town through her eyes. We stopped and greeted women who were hoeing in fields. We greeted two women who were collecting very dirty water from a little stream that runs through the valley. We greeted men and women walking on the road or standing in front of their houses. We passed young men drinking beer in front of small shops tucked between houses. She told me about the schools and churches we passed. We talked about life in Rwanda versus life in America. She was opening my eyes to see life around me in a different way.

We walked and walked until the city started to look like the village and then we were at her house. She lives in a small one room mud brick house. There are maybe four feet between her front door and the back wall of the house in front of hers. She told me that her husband left her when she was three months pregnant with the baby. She has no job, no land to farm, and little hope. She didn’t have to tell me that she felt despair about her future, I felt it for her. How will she provide for her daughters? What about school fees and uniforms? What will she do? We visited for a while and I made a plan to come back and visit her again.

Mama Gasaro walked me part of the way home and as we walked, I watched cars much like mine race by us. How many times have I been the one in my air conditioned car racing past people much like Mama Gasaro, not really seeing them. I decided that I need to get out of my car more often and walk with people. On another walk through the valley to visit Mama Gasaro, a genocide orphan named Gertrude, told me, “When you drive your car you are rich, when you walk, you are one of us”. We all see the world through different sets of lenses. We see through our current circumstances, our experiences and our cultural mindsets. I have prayed many times that God would open the eyes of my heart to see things more clearly. I praise and thank him for this walk through the valley that helped open my eyes.

Filed Under: Christine, Rwanda

China Adoption Update – March 2011

March 1, 2011 By
redthread

“Mom, don’t tell me that we’re going to get precious ‘next year,’ I don’t want to hear that any more,” Matthew commented as Christine was discussing our adoption with the boys. Not that Matthew doesn’t what to finally get his baby sister, but rather, stop saying “Maybe next year.” When it happens, it will happen!

Indeed, it has been a long wait and the wait isn’t over! However, we are getting closer to the day when we can bring our Chinese daughter home. Read our China Adoption Page for an overview of our Chinese Adoption Process

In February the CCAA (China’s Adoption Authority) sent referrals for dossiers logged in their system through June 9th, 2006. Our LID (Log In Date) is July 12, 2006.

In essence, we are waiting in a super duper long line. Every 25-40 days the CCAA sends adoption referrals to agencies around the world covering a specific number of days. For example, this last batch of referrals covered six days (June 3 – June 9). Most batches in the past few years only covered 2-4 days. On average, to get through one month’s LIDs it took five to seven months of referral batches?

There are 32 days of LIDs that will receive adoption referrals left ahead of us. We are day 33. So, how much longer do we have to wait? It’s anybodies guess really. If CCAA continues at the pace they maintained over the past three years (average of 4 LIDs per batch in one month’s time) then we just have to do the math and we come up with around eight more months to wait before we get a referral. Of course, this past month the CCAA surprised everyone and sent seven days of LID referrals! If you do the math on that average then it drops our waiting time down to possibly 4-5 months!

Our USCIS paperwork is set to expire for the third time on April 20, 2011. So, we are currently in the process of renewing our police reports, updating our home study and resubmitting FBI fingerprints. Pray that we will be approved again, for the 4th and hopefully last time!

The most stressful part of renewing our paper work has always been submitting our fingerprints for the FBI background check. So, as we ask for prayers that our USCIS paperwork will be re-approved for the fourth time, we specifically ask that you pray that our fingerprints will be successfully resubmitted to the FBI.

We received an email today from the USCIS office in Nairobi saying that they would resubmit our fingerprint cards from two years ago (assuming that they are still on file). This is wonderful news, if it can work out! Let us pray that their efforts will be successful! Otherwise, Christine and I may have to fly to Nairobi, Kenya, make an appointment with the USCIS office and have our fingerprints retaken.

We appreciate so much your patience with our family in this long wait. We truly hope that we will truthfully be able to say to Matthew, “Next year buddy…”

Filed Under: China Adoption, Featured, Murphy, Prayer, Prayer Needs, Rwanda

Harvest Prayer Warriors eNews 10/30/2010

October 31, 2010 By
iStock_000013841514XSmall

Rwanda Luke 10:2b Prayer Movement

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2b

Just before the Lord sent out the seventy-two disciples he told them to pray. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would raise up more disciples like themselves who would pray and then make more disciples. The workers were IN the harvest! And they still are today!

We are praying for a great revival in Rwanda. A revival where Rwandans come in contact with truth, understand it and obey it. A revival that changes Rwanda’s history, one that gives Rwanda a NEW story.

Revivals always begin in prayer. Jesus said it himself. Pray first, then go! ….

Click here to read the rest of Harvest Prayer Warriors eNews 10/30/2010, a prayer eletter from the Crowson family.

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer, Prayer Answers, Prayer Needs, Rwanda

Nubwambere Nyoye Ubushera

September 11, 2010 By
ubushera-3

Since our return to Rwanda a month ago, I have started visiting Jane every Tuesday.  Jane is an orphan and a widow and a mother of two.  She lives in a small village in the Bugasera district made up of homes built for genocide orphans and other needy people.  Half the houses were built with supplies provided by the Rwandan government.  The other houses were built by the Red Cross.  The houses built by the Red Cross are brand new little concrete homes with tin roofs and wooden doors and windows.  They all look identical and really nice.  They are currently empty, awaiting their needy occupants.  Even though the appearance of this little village is so organized and even pleasant, I sense a hollow, empty feeling while I am there.

While on furlough I was convicted to pursue a friendship with Jane and let God lead that friendship where ever He wants.  When one visits a village where everyone living there qualifies as “vulnerable”, it is easy to see countless opportunities to provide aid, to DO something to help.  However right now, I feel a nudging to listen and learn, not DO, not yet.

Last week I was reading something written by Oswald Chambers.  He was using the passage from 2 Corinthians 10 that says,

“We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods.  We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds.  With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God.  With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.”

Chambers says, “How much Christian work there is today which has never been disciplined, but has simply sprung into being by impulse!  In Our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father.”  Chambers goes on to say, “This is the day when practical work is overemphasized, and the saints who are bringing every project into captivity are criticized and told that they are not in earnest for God or for souls.”

I had never before thought about good Christian development projects while reading Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 10.  I believe Oswald Chambers is saying we need to take our ideas of good and helpful projects and make even those obedient to Christ.  I do, however, pray daily for spiritual discernment to know when God is giving the green light to begin something of a physical nature.  For now I am listening, observing and hopefully learning in Bugasera.

Now to explain the title of this post.  “Nubwambere nyoye ubushera” means ‘The first time I drank ubushera’.  Last Tuesday, while I was helping Jane prepare ubugari and sauce, she brought me a glass filled to the top with a murky, brown beverage (there’s a picture in the slideshow below).  It didn’t really have much of a smell.  She handed me the glass and told me it was ‘ubushera’, a very popular drink among Rwandans living in the village.

Ubushera is made from sorghum.  The week before we had had a discussion about this drink.  She had told me it was non-alcoholic and I supposed now she wanted me to try it for myself.  Ancille, the 21 year old genocide orphan who accompanies me to Bugasera each week, assured me that it is very delicious. Ancille took a big gulp, smiled and said, “It’s delicious!”  Jane poured herself a glass and they both looked at me expectantly.  I took a sip and I am sorry to say that I thought I might throw-up.  By the look on Jane’s and Ancille’s faces, I realized I needed to drink my whole glass and somehow enjoy it!

We were sitting behind Jane’s house which has an outstanding view of the beautiful valley across from her small village.  I looked out across the valley and pleaded with God to help me drink my ubushera in a way that honored my hostess.  I took another swallow, a little bigger this time, and tried not to make an ugly face.  Jane went back to work on our meal so I put my drink down to help some more.  Three more times I picked up my glass and before taking a swallow, I looked across the valley and pleaded with God to help me.  After my fourth prayer and my fourth swallow, one of Jane’s neighbors joined us and Ancille’s glass was refilled.  Jane joined us and we sat in a tight circle near the cooking fire chatting and drinking ubushera.  It was then that I realized the ubushera didn’t taste so bad after all.  I wasn’t going to throw-up and I would  finish my whole glass!  Not only that but I was being included by these Rwandan women in what was probably a very normal activity for them.  I wanted to dance a little jig in praise to God for helping me drink my ubushera and giving me the honor and gift of being among these beautiful women.

I look forward to many more cultural lessons and shared experiences with Rwandans like this one.  I pray that during my visits to Jane’s, God can use me to be hands and feet and arms (and sometimes a stomach) to share tangibly His love for these people.  May my heart always be open to His will and His timing in all things.  May the hollowness and emptiness in Jane’s village be exchanged for fulfillment and joy because of their obedience to Christ.

This SlideShowPro photo gallery requires the Flash Player plugin and a web browser with JavaScript enabled.

Filed Under: Christine, Featured, Rwanda Tagged With: , ,

Rwanda Election Day – Pray for Peace

August 9, 2010 By
rwanda-election-prayers

Today is Election Day in Rwanda and we ask that you say a special prayer asking the Lord of all Creation to bless this nation with peace today and in the coming weeks as the results of the election pan out. Below are a few articles on the elections for further reading…

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14347&article=32324

Over 12, 000 dedicate prayers to elections – By Bosco R. Asiimwe

GASABO – Over 12,000 believers from various religious denominations in Kigali City yesterday thronged Amahoro National Stadium to pray for today’s Presidential elections to be peaceful.

The crusade which kicked off in the afternoon till sunset was dubbed “Rwanda is in your hands Lord.”

The event was mostly characterized by prayers by several pastors, testimonies and entertainment from local church choirs such as the renowned Rehoboth Ministries, Catholic Choir, Amahoro and Hosiana of ADEPR and Adventist church, and a special entertainment from The Sisters.

Pastor Antoine Rutayisire, the senior pastor of St. Etienne who observed that bad politics plunged the country into Genocide, urged all churches to wake up and play their role in changing the mindset of Rwandans.

“It’s now our (churches) time to pave the way for a better Rwanda. Rwanda is ours always. If we sleep, it will crumble down,” Rutayisire noted, calling on all Rwandans to love and always pray for their country.

He recalled the day of April 17, 1994 when he was among those who survived in the Stadium and said “Rwanda was destroyed by Rwandans who should join hands to rebuild it.”

Bishop Faustin Bashaka observed that Rwanda has made a tremendous step in development, especially in the last seven years. Economy, good governance, education, healthcare and decentralization are among the sectors, Bashaka said have developed.

“All these and the peace and security Rwandans are enjoying was a result of good leadership and such leaders need to be rewarded…but only the lord can,” he said.

Various clergymen and women prayed that Rwanda continues to be peaceful.

Charles Murigande, the Minister of Education, who presided over the event, commended the religions’ efforts to change Rwandans.

He commended them for their partnership with the government in creating a peaceful country and to partner in having a seven year term of peace and development.

The crusade organised in partnership with Kigali City was also attended by the city Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira and the Anglican church Archbishop, Emmanuel Kolini, among others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10908087

Polls open in Rwanda’s presidential election

The BBC’s Will Ross: “They’re voting for President Kagame largely because of the security he has brought to the country”

Rwandans are voting to elect their president, with incumbent Paul Kagame expected to win by a landslide.

Mr Kagame’s supporters say he has brought both stability and steady economic growth since the country’s genocide in 1994.

His critics accuse him of suppressing opposition and undermining democracy.

This is only the second presidential election since 1994, and five million Rwandans are registered to vote.

Mr Kagame won the election in 2003 with 95% of the vote.

‘No apologies’

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Will Ross East Africa correspondent

President Kagame’s posters are plastered right across the capital Kigali and also deep in the villages. You have to hunt very hard for any posters of the challengers.

It is clear that, for now, Mr Kagame is only willing to allow a certain degree of democracy. This he sees as the only way to keep the country stable after the horrors of 1994. He may have helped foster stability and steady economic growth but Mr Kagame’s critics say a clampdown on the opposition and a general climate of oppression serve to keep him in power.

Mr Kagame faces three rivals in the election, all with links to the president’s all-powerful Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

This has led some opponents to denounce the election as a charade.

But as he completed campaigning, Mr Kagame told critics among rights groups and the international community they should “not tell us how to shape our country”.

He said of his RPF: “It is strong, it is organised, it has planned over a long time, historically it has been with the people to resolve challenging issues and therefore that results in a kind of overwhelming support. I have no regrets about it, I make no apologies.”

Mr Kagame has held massive election rallies attended by tens of thousands of supporters.

His supporters say he has strengthened agricultural output, rebuilt the country’s institutions, tackled corruption effectively and promoted women’s rights and an environmentally friendly agenda.

His rivals have only managed much smaller rallies.

Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, of the PSD, told supporters at one: “We see our policies as a continuation of those of the RPF.”

Some more vocal opponents of Mr Kagame were prevented from fielding candidates and have complained of intimidation.

However, Electoral Commission spokesman Pacifique Nduwimana said that “everything went smoothly” during the campaign, with no incidents of violence.

Voting began promptly at 0600 local time (0400 GMT) and the polls will close at 1500 (1300 GMT).

The Electoral Commission has accredited 1,394 observers, 214 of them from abroad, including from the African Union and Commonwealth.

Filed Under: Prayer Needs, Rwanda

Rwanda’s Children of Rape

July 1, 2010 By
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I came across this BBC article today and wanted to share it with you. Powerful and moving…O Lord, let your healing hand rest upon the nation of Rwanda.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8768943.stm

Filed Under: Murphy, Prayer Needs, Rwanda Tagged With:

Hello Rwanda – 2009/2010 Crowson Family Photo Album

May 22, 2010 By
hellorwanda_photo_album_featured

Our furlough is less than one week away and we are busy getting our presentations ready for  supporters, family and prayer warriors. We have so much to tell all of you!

I finished our “Hello Rwanda” Crowson Family Photo Album which will give you a glimpse into our new life and ministry in Rwanda. There are several biographical stories of some of our new Rwandan friends which we believe you will enjoy as well as updates on our vision and mission in Rwanda.

We are so grateful for so many of you who bless, support and pray for us! God is shining his light in the darkness and transforming a hurting nation. Praise be to His Name!

You can click this link to download the “Hello Rwanda – 2009/2010 Crowson Family Photo Album” in pdf format. It’s almost 14mb, so make sure you have a good internet connection. Also, it’s best displayed in Adobe Acrobat 8 or higher viewing two pages at a time side by side. Enjoy:)

Here’s an excerpt from the first page of the Photo Album…

Our family transitioned from Togo, West Africa to Rwanda, Central Africa in January, 2009 to begin a new life and ministry.

Rwanda, a country affectionately known as ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’, is a land filled with wonderful people living in an unparalleled story of recovery. The culture is colorful and the people are warm and receptive. In spite of their tragic history, Rwandans are filled with a hope and excitement about their future that will inspire every visitor.

We are thankful to God to be apart of His Transforming Work in Rwanda.

Filed Under: Christine, Featured, Murphy, Pictures, Rwanda Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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