Amahoro ava Hejuru - Kigali, Rwanda - 10 February 2010

The women of Amahoro ava Hejuru dance. “They dance because they are celebrating what Jesus has done in their lives,” Grace whispered in Debbie’s ear. It had to be a pretty loud whisper. This is not your average, run-of-the-mill swaying and swinging of hands kind of dance. This is a sing-with-all-your-might, dance-til-your-feet-will-pound-no-more kind of dance.

It was a home visit on our last day with the ladies of Amahoro ava Hejuru in Kigali, Rwanda. We’d traveled across town by bus and then up a long, winding path to Florence’s home. There was a pretty little garden proudly displayed by the front door. Everyone wore her best dress.

After a quiet, somber meal, Theresa shared a word of encouragement from II Chronicles 20:4-6 about relying on God for strength when we know everything else will fail us. She inserted “Imana yacu ashimwe cyane” like periods at the end of each sentence. My Jesus be praised very much. These simple words uttered over and over by Theresa were later proclaimed by Vestine’s loud, strong singing; Beata’s decisively swaying head; Jane’s straight, cocked arms; and Rosemary’s firmly pounding feet. Children poked their heads in and were soon invited to join, their small feet learning the steps that will one day be second nature. The dancing kicked up dust that looked to me like incense rising.

After dancing.

I could ask for no better way to end our days with the Amahoro ladies in Rwanda. Much like in Burundi, our time with them revealed both deep personal and communal struggles, as well as an unwavering commitment to seeking God’s goodness—a reality not easy to hold in tension. Kiyarwanda is a beautiful language to listen to, but one not easy to pick up. We sat with them for daily prayers and devotions, relying on Grace’s translation to participate. Grace also helped facilitate a strategic planning session, lots of work on product revisions for export, and my efforts to gather stories to share from their work there. We took lunches together—a practice begun by the ladies in Rwanda and extending to other Amani centers.

It’s clear that these ten women are friends. They enjoy and know one another well. When business is slow or the iron breaks or the power goes out, they sit to talk and pray for one another. They show me the way to shoulder one another’s burdens. And their dancing teaches me something of celebration amidst the weight of suffering.

Tea, sugar, and a pile of work.

After a week in Rwanda, we bid the Amahoro ladies farewell and headed back to Kenya for one last brief stop. The Amani Kenya ladies welcomed us warmly, and I gave thanks that we could end our time with them. They sent us off with prayers for safety, wishes for our return, and hugs that dispel any doubt of lacking affection. We packed up all ten of our bags—six suitcases and four carry-ons—with products, gifts, and lots of dirty clothes. Leaving is always hard, but as Elizabeth told us at our farewell gathering:

“We are all one family. Even though you are going far away, we know that every day we are together. We are connected as one.”

This family is big, diverse, and widespread. But we are indeed interconnected. Our trip gave us opportunity to witness this reality first-hand and participate in the linking of Amani’s family in Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, and the US. These visits are costly in time and money, but they reap tremendous benefit in building one another up in our specific callings.

Thank you for supporting this trip and the work of Amani in all of these places. May peace continue to spread in Africa, the US, and wherever you find yourself.

Amahoro ava Mw'Ijuru - Bujumbura, Burundi - 7 February 2010

Due to technical difficulties this update, which I wrote on Sunday night, isn't appearing here until mid-week.

If all you’ve seen of Amani is Nairobi, know that things feel a bit different in Bujumbura & Kigali. Amani Nairobi is vibrant and lively. A host of cultures from around Africa and the world fuse on a daily basis. Visitors frequent the shop & café. The Export Office keeps work consistent. And the 60 or so women working as trainees keep things a-buzz.

By contrast, the centers in Rwanda & Burundi are newer and face more challenges in accessing markets. The women at these small centers have to rely on one another to survive. For the past ten days, we’ve spent time with them, catching glimpses of their unique challenges and calling to peace in Burundi & Rwanda.

Jua kali sana. This Swahili phrase loosely means, “The sun is very harsh.” Bujumbura was experiencing a bit of a heat wave when we arrived with temperatures well into the 90s and some pretty intense humidity, thanks to Lake Tanganyika. But Amani’s Burundi Country Director, Goreth (pronounced “Goretti”) and her husband Evariste were such gracious hosts, and our time with them was rich. Our certain lack of Kirundi (Burundi’s national language) meant conversations with the rest of the ladies relied on my shaky Swahili or translation. We found this small group genuinely warm despite our differences. They welcomed us into their prayers and devotions, sharing with us about how Amahoro has been a lifeline to them. Their stories are powerful testimonies to the transforming power of peace.

Goreth & Evariste at their plot of land where they hope to build a home. Owning land is a source of security in Burundi, and they are grateful that Amani helped them purchase it.

During our two days at Amahoro ava Mw’Ijuru, we worked on samples of new products, made recommendations for export, and scourged Bujumbura’s fabric markets for quality cloth. We witnessed first-hand the challenge they face to grow their market in Bujumbura, and prayed together with them for customers and sales. They have some great ideas for the coming year. These are women trying to work in unity and excellence for their families, as well as the health of their nation. To them, Amahoro represents hope for Burundi. It’s clear that there’s still much to be done—at Amahoro as much as anywhere—but as the women will readily tell you: this peace is real. And it doesn’t fail.

Naomi, Esperance, & Joseline enjoy a lunch feast of rice, beans, greens, and bananas. Feasting together is an important part of welcoming visitors.

It was hard to leave the ladies in Burundi on Wednesday. Our time was short, but so sweet. We were welcomed with dancing and singing on Thursday morning at Amahoro ava Hejuru. I’ll share more later about our time with these ladies. We still have two days left with them before heading back to Nairobi.

My mom and I decided to take this past weekend to visit the shores of Lake Kivu. We stayed in Gysenyi on the lake, just a 3-hour drive from Kigali through the stunning Rwandan mountains. Our time away gave us some much-needed time to be still and rest. As we drove back this evening through rain clouds clinging to the mountains, I found myself again seeking that thin opening between broken-heartedness and inundation, where joy slips in. We have seen and felt injustice, even uncomfortably so, in our time here. I know there’s even more beyond the surface. These realities are painful and can leave you feeling powerless and overwhelmed. But I’m reminded of the gospel that tells us, “Soon shall close thy earthly mission,/Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,/Hope shall change to glad fruition,/Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.” I’m grateful that, ultimately, peace wins.

The faith of these little groups of women scattered around the world is in something far more lasting than what we see with our eyes. Despite the brokenness, we have this stronger, more unifying hope through Jesus Christ. And that’s where joy breaks in, like the sun cutting through the clouds over the dramatic Rwandan hills.