Family (Day 4)

This post was written by Tripp Graziano

“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does

not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects

always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”

- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Our first few days in Rwanda have been eye-opening.  The first time I came to Africa, I left ready to be back in the States.  A few days into this trip, I’m already ready to come back.  The more I pray about our time here, the more I feel the Lord saying that our time in Rwanda is a gift.    

Yesterday we visited our sister church in Karangazi.  Karangazi is a community made up of houses, a Compassion International school, and the church.  There are cattle roaming everywhere (we had to dodge the patties on the field the kids play on…Eric not so successfully), people going about their daily business, kids attending school, and the occasional man or woman on a bike stopping to see what these foreigners are doing.  Rwanda is “The Land of a Thousand Hills”, and Karangazi is located at the top of one hill that is quite beautiful. 

As we arrived yesterday, we ate lunch in the church and then spoke with a few of the community leaders.  Once lunch was over we split into two teams.   Some stayed with Alan to meet with the leaders, share testimonies, and talk about the future of our partnership.   The rest of us went outside and spent time with around 100 of the children of Karangazi.  To be honest, it was one of the best days of my life.  We sat and talked with the kids for a short time and then played with them for hours in the field they use as a playground.  We played soccer, volleyball, tag, Frisbee, sang songs, wrestled, and even shared some new dance moves with each other.  After about two hours of playing we grabbed the interpreter, sat with the kids, and shared why we were with them.

1 Peter 2:4 says, “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Ultimately, the reason we are here is because Jesus has loved us.  He has placed us in his body and we have been born into a new family.  Our fellow believers here in Rwanda are just as much our brothers and sisters as those at home America.  This trip I have seen first-hand how he builds us into a spiritual house.  We have been here and we have loved each other.  Yes, it’s been American to Rwandan.  Yes, it’s been friend to friend.  But even more than that, it’s been family.  I can’t explain to you why I love someone across the world or even why they seem to love me so much.  I can tell you that I’ve felt Paul’s heart (and ultimately the Lord’s) when he was writing 1 Corinthians 13.  I can also tell you that I know where this love comes from.  And I give thanks to the living Stone, rejected by humans but chosen by God, who gave this gift of love to us.