I returned from my most recent trip (as of when this was posted) to Rwanda in late February of 2019. One night, I found my jet-lagged, emotional self at around three in the morning, scrolling through photos and videos from my time there. As I sat on my bed, I reflected on all the people I met and their stories. I realized that, throughout the ten days I spent in Rwanda, I met someone or witnessed something that fully embodied each of the Fruits of the Spirit.
I originally posted these stories on my personal Instagram, but I have revised my words and would like to share them here. I hope the testimonies of the wonderful people I met are as inspiring and impactful to you as they are to me!
Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
What that means is that when someone has the Spirit of God living in them, they display these character traits. As we aspire to be more like Jesus, our words and actions should reflect these fruits.
The first of these traits is love. Love was simply overflowing out of every single person I came into contact with; however, this was especially true of the children. They would come running up to us with open arms, which they wrapped around us without hesitation. They would look up at us with such wonder and delight in their eyes. How could I not love them back? I aspire to show love to others in such abundance that it's like I'm literally throwing my arms around them, too.
Next is joy. Like love, joy is radiating off of every inch of the thousand hills of Rwanda. Our first home visit, which impacted me the most, was to a woman named Aline. Five years ago, she fell into a coma for months. When she woke up, she was blind. One would think that she would suffer and lose hope without her vision, but instead she did the opposite. Aline told us how joyful she is to be able to cook, clean her house, and do other chores. She chose joy over sorrow, even when times were difficult. It is so easy to give up when life takes an unexpected turn, but the joy we can find in Jesus will turn our trials into triumphs.
After joy comes peace, which was shown to me by a club at one of the local secondary schools. It's called the "Never Again" club, and its mission is to prevent future genocides, like the one Rwanda experienced in 1994, and promote peace. My team gathered with the students and had an amazing conversation related to peace in each of our countries, along with a few other political topics. This was very eye-opening to me, because I almost always avoid political conversations because the conflict makes me nervous and uncomfortable. I was pleasantly surprised that this conversation was calm, mature, productive, and peaceful. I'm very thankful to have emerged with a new perspective on a lot of things and to know that peace can be achieved in any situation.
The next Fruit of The Spirit is patience. One household we visited had numerous stories of patience to share with us. This home belonged to a married couple, Cyprion and Philamime. They have a diabetic daughter named Veneranda who, along with her husband, waited and trusted in God to allow them to have a child. God provided, and they are rejoicing. Now, her brother and his wife are struggling to have a child, so they too are learning to have patience. The entire family is learning to trust that, although it doesn't align with their ideal timing, God's timing is perfect.
I don't have any photos to prove it, but I can say kindness was very present among the patients in the hospital we visited. The hospital didn't provide food or bedding for the patients, so all additional things needed to be brought from home. Some patients had no family or friends to bring them meals or blankets. Other patients did, and they showed kindness by bringing extra or sharing what little they had with those who had nothing. I was blown away by the fact that, even when they themselves needed to be taken care of, they still found ways to be kind and take care of others. Their sickness or injury did not prevent them from being kind and generous.
Goodness was clearly demonstrated by a mother and daughter we visited. Their names were Stephanie and Lillian. They showed goodness by serving in many different areas of their church and ministering to their neighbors. They were good to those who needed a helping hand. They avoided doing wrong and, instead, contributed their time to expanding God's kingdom.
One of my favorite home visits was to a woman, also named Stephanie, who was 90 years old at the time. The walls of her home were covered with Bible verses and crosses, including two crosses my friend Claire and I had made and gifted to her on our previous trip. She models what it looks like to live a life of faithfulness. She became a follower of Christ as a teenager and is still, decades later, a devoted Christian. Not once did she stray from Him or stop having faith in Him. Stephanie remained faithful through each season of her life and it has caused her faith to continually grow.
I have visited a woman named Florida multiple times, and she lives a life of gentleness. She spends her days raising orphans, many of which are her nieces and nephews. She gently cares for them, feeds them, provides a home for them, and tries to send them to school. She is a quiet and introverted woman, but the way she treats the children speaks volumes.
The last Fruit of The Spirit is self-control, which is a very difficult thing for many people to practice. I don't have a photo of them either, but Emmanuel, Mariana, and their many children warmly welcomed us into their home. They shared with us that someone was trying to take the land they owned and lived on, so they were in the midst of a legal battle. In this situation, it would be easy to act frustrated and angry, but they constantly practiced self-control. For that reason, they were able to remain calm, despite the mess they were in.
As many of you know, I have traveled to Rwanda each February since 2017 with Junior High and High School students from my church. No two trips are the same-- each one is so meaningful and special in its own way. In eighth grade, I immediately fell in love with the country of Rwanda and the wonderful people who call it home. Since then, I have returned two additional times and am preparing to head back again this February!
I am so grateful for the support I have received in the past and the support I am already receiving now. Thank you to everyone who has prayed, donated, and contributed in other ways. It is more appreciated than you will ever know! Four consecutive years of raising such a large amount of money is a big job, but not bigger than our God!
I am beyond excited to see what God has planned for my team in just four short months. Thank you for reading!
Comments