Laura's Letter, Winter 2012/13

Elevation Project Update 

As I look back at 2012, I’m amazed at how much has changed! I started this year having just decided to formally return to Youth Unlimited to manage The Elevation Project, and have ended the year as Director of The Elevation Project. I had no idea what a big change this transition would be! It’s brought huge challenges— chairing intercontinental Skype conference calls, having more knowledge of the deep challenges and hurts faced by both my Rwandan and Canadian friends and colleagues, and being responsible for backing up my ideas with the needed funding. It has also brought so much joy— working with an wonderful team of Canadians and Rwandans, meeting and learning from incredible people, and having the opportunity to share my small bit of knowledge with people who are eager to be a part of God’s healing work in this broken world.
 
More and more, I am excited and profoundly humbled to be a part of Youth Unlimited and The Elevation Project. You can read more about the specifics of what The Elevation Project is up to in the first edition of The Elevation Project Update by clicking here to download it, but I’d like to share with you one of the reasons I’m honoured to do the work that I do— I get to know some of the most amazing people! Like Blaise, a Rwandan young person that studied at Rwanda Youth for Christ in 2012, and who we worked with this summer when we travelled to Rwanda.

One of my favourite photos from our time in Rwanda of Blaise with some of the other 2012 trip participants playing a game.

Blaise is an orphan. His immediate family was killed in the genocide when he was a small boy, and the various neighbors and relatives that took him in afterwards have all, one by one, died as well. Blaise has faced so many challenges. The kind of challenges that would cause many of us to become hardened and bitter and to throw up our hands in disgust at life, and yet he is still one of the brightest, shiniest people I know! You know the kind of person I mean— someone who is able to light up a room with their smile and bring joy to almost any situation by saying a sincere, encouraging word.
 
When Blaise found out that someone from Vancouver was going to be visiting Kigali, he decided that he was going to write individualized greeting cards, in English (not his mother tongue!) for every single person from our 2012 trip team, and send them back to Vancouver with the visitor. Not only were we blessed to be able to work with Blaise this summer, but he continues to encourage us from the other side of the globe!
 
If it wasn’t for the work I do with The Elevation Project, I wouldn’t have met Blaise, and he is just one example of the many inspiring people, both Rwandan and Canadian, that I get to rub shoulders with on a regular basis. What a blessing!
 
Thank you for being a part of making The Elevation Project possible. I hope that by reading my updates, it becomes a blessing in your life as well!
 
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and all of God’s best for 2013.

** If you are interested in Year End Giving,
please click here for a giving form, or here to give online. **

Prayer Points

• For a Canadian team member and a Rwandan colleague who both have close family members fighting cancer.
• Pray that we can match up all the students on the sponsorship program with sponsors in 2013.
• For good dreams, plans, and wisdom as I Direct The Elevation Project into another year of growth & change.

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If you want to financially support The Elevation Project,

PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Laura's Letter, Fall 2012

Elevation Project Update 

The Vision of the Elevation Project is to see transformation in the lives of young Canadians and Rwandans as they grow in understanding God’s heart for His people, offering His hope for a full and abundant life. We do this by building relationships and working together to address all forms of poverty - spiritual, material, and relational. Everything we do is guided by this Vision, as we hope to be a part of God’s healing work in our world. 

This summer when we brought together a group of 47 young people (35 Rwandan, 12 Canadian) and 12 leaders (8 Canadian, 2 Rwandan, 2 American) as a part of the Elevation Project 2012 Trip, we were excited to see how God would use our time. Have a look at the following photos and quotes from some of the trip participants to get a glimpse of the transformation that being a part of the Elevation Project can bring. 

(people in the photos do not necessarily correspond to those featured in the quotes)

Not only has the Elevation Project give me new insight on the world, but I’ve grown to see that God’s heart extends further than I’ll ever be able to grasp.
~ Ros
Canadian Young Person

About God I said, “You are awesome!” God has a wonderful plan for us and His greatness in joining us with the [Canadian] team.
~ Robert
Rwandan Young Person

 

Personally, God has used the Elevation Project as a catalyst to change my paradigm in the youth work I do.... I believe that I now have a more Godly, holistic understanding of poverty [and] Shalom and how it affects every aspect of my work.
~ Dennis
Canadian Youth Worker

There is no "other," there is just us.

~ 2012 Rwanda Trip motto

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A big thank you to Charlotte Browning for all the great 2012 Trip photos! 
Click here to see more.

Elevation Project = Relationship

The name Elevation Project can be a little misleading, because what we do is not really a “project,” but a relationship. Greater Vancouver Youth Unlimited began an ongoing relationship with Rwanda Youth for Christ in 2007. We were transformed by this relationship and so we’ve invited more people into it through things like the sponsorship program, supporting the women’s program, and participating in trips. As you can tell by the quotes and photos in this letter, great things are happening in the lives of those involved in this relationship we call the Elevation Project. It’s exciting stuff! 

None of this can happen without the partnership of people like you, and as you contribute to our work together at the Elevation Project, you too become part of this relationship. It is my hope that as you read about the difference your support is making in the lives of young Canadians and Rwandans, that the Elevation Project becomes a catalyst for transformation in your own life, as well.

Thank you for all you do to make a difference in my life and in the lives of those I work with!   

** If you are interested in becoming part of my support network, either prayerfully, financially, or by volunteering, please click here to see what my Current Needs are in these areas. **

Prayer Points

• That the transformation that occurred in the lives of our 2012 trip participants would continue
• Pray that all 24 of our unsponsored students at KCS (4 current, 20 new 2013 admissions) would have sponsors by January)
• Favour, as I seek to communicate the heart of what Youth Unlimited does to potential donors & foundations in my role as Grant Writer
• Wisdom as I direct of the Elevation Project

_________________________________________________________

If you want to financially support the Elevation Project,

PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Trip Blog!

Our summer trip is just a week away and I'm super excited! We will be keeping a trip blog where you can follow along with our adventures. Check it out at http://elevate-rwanda-blog.tumblr.com/http://elevate-rwanda-blog.tumblr.com/

Laura's Letter's, Spring/Summer 2012

Elevation Project Update

There’s lots to update you on, so let’s get started!  

Trips:
Our trip in March was very busy, but very good! We were able to reconnect with friends and colleagues, get up to speed on all of the projects that we work together on, and dream for the future.

July 17th, the day that 20 of us (12 students & 8 leaders) travel to Rwanda, is quickly creeping up on us! During our time in Kigali, we will be working closely with RYFC’s School of Leadership and Discipleship as they lead a camp for primary school students. We are super excited to be able to facilitate this opportunity for Canadian and Rwandan young people to work together and look forward to seeing lives transformed!
 
Student Sponsorships:
I had a great time working together with my colleagues while in Rwanda – we’ve developed a system that makes communicating between continents a bit easier, but nothing beats actually sitting together and getting into all the ins and outs of our work. We smoothed out some glitches and had a great time planning for the future.
We still need 7 sponsors in order to cover all the students on the program, so if you are interested, please consider supporting our work in this way. You can contact me for information, or click here to download a sponsorship brochure and send it to the address shown.
 
Food for Thought:
As I mentioned in my last letter, most of the costs for this program, which ensures a daily nutritious meal to every student at Kigali Christian School, are covered by school fees and sponsorship. We are working hard to find sponsors for the 5 unsponsored students so that the lunch program is better supported, but in the meantime Vancouver Youth Unlimited is covering the deficit. As soon as we find those 5 sponsors, that money can be used to support some of the schools other needs!
 
Women’s Program:
It was wonderful to visit with our friends at the Women’s Program at RYFC! We had a great time of sharing and celebrating together. We also had a glimpse of the sewing school and it looks amazing! The women are learning valuable skills and they get the opportunity to form a cooperative at the completion of the program, which could lead to a steady source of income for many of them.

In Other News

Big Changes!
Some of you may know already that Andy Harrington is moving on from Vancouver Youth Unlimited and into the position of CEO at the Wellspring Foundation for Education. This is an exciting move for him, and it means big changes for me as Andy has played a huge role in my work with Youth Unlimited and the Elevation Project, in particular. His supervision, direction, and collaboration has been absolutely indispensable and will be greatly missed. Fortunately, Andy will still be in the area, and his work is focused on education in Rwanda, so there will surely be opportunities for collaboration in the future!
 
This change also means that I will be taking on direction of the Elevation Project in September. Please pray for wisdom as I look forward to taking on this responsibility.

Looking Forward

When I take the time to look forward, I’m amazed (and a bit overwhelmed!) by all that’s on the horizon. I’m looking forward to ongoing partnership and growth as we further explore young leadership development with Rwanda YFC & GVYU; we are looking at new ways to work together in job-skills training programs; and I’m excited about giving more opportunities for Canadian & Rwandan young people to work together in life-changing ways — and none of this is possible without the support of people, like you! Thank you for all you do to make a difference in my life and in the lives of those I work with!

If you’d like to financially support my work with the Elevation Project - either with a one-time gift towards a trip or a monthly donation – click here to download and print the form, then just fill it in and mail it to the address shown. You can also give online by going to my profile at 
www.youthunlimited.com and following the instructions there.

Thank you for all you do to make a difference in my life and in the lives of those I work with! 

Prayer Points

• That we would find sponsors for the remaining 5 students
• Favour as I seek to communicate the heart of what Youth Unlimited does to potential foundations and donors in my role as Grant Writer
• Our summer trip team as we invite them into the Elevation Project
• Good communication with our Rwandan colleagues
• Wisdom as I look forward to taking on the role of Director of the Elevation Project

_________________________________________________________

If you want to financially support the Elevation Project,

PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Laura's Letter, Winter 2012

Elevation Project Update

The last few months have been very busy for the Elevation Project! 

In January, a core group of leaders met and developed vision and mission statements, as well as a list of core  values. It was a great day of prayer, reflecting on our work, and dreaming for the future. 




Student Sponsorships: 
Our student sponsorship program has grown to 150 kids, 139 of whom have been matched with Canadian sponsors. It’s been so exciting to see the photos of the new students coming into the program at Kigali Christian School, and I can’t wait to meet them. 

We still need 11 sponsors in order to cover all students on the program, so if you are interested, please consider supporting our work in this way.

Food for Thought: 
The students are back at school and the cooks are working hard to provide them with a nutritious daily meal. Most of the costs for this program are covered by school fees, but there is currently a deficit due to the lack of sponsors for all the students on the program. While we continue to look for the 11 remaining sponsors, Vancouver Youth Unlimited has pledged to cover this deficit. The sooner we find those 11 sponsors, the better as that money could then be used in other ways!

Women’s Program:
Updates from our Rwanda colleagues have let us know that the women in the sewing school are progressing well – well enough to offer to make me a skirt when I visit in March! I’m looking forward to it, for sure!
Other groups on the compound are also learning valuable skills, like soap-making, tie dying, and event decorating. They also continue to meet for Bible–based hope training and support groups.

Trips:
In January, we selected the team for our summer trip to Rwanda. I can truly say that I feel that the team has been put together by God. I’m so excited to be working with them and getting to know them as we journey together.
I’ll also be travelling to Rwanda in March with a small group of Youth Unlimited staff. This trip will be important for us as we work on aligning ourselves with our Rwandan colleagues in the particulars of our work together. It’s also an extremely valuable relational time, building a strong foundation for us to work from.

In Other News

Grant Development:
I’ve recently taken on a new aspect of work – Grant Development – which means that I am now employed full-time with Youth Unlimited. It also means that I’m going through a huge learning curve as I learn the ins and outs of fundraising from a grant development perspective! 

Please pray for me as I begin to cultivate relationships with various foundations. That I would be able to communicate the heart of what my colleagues do and connect them with funders who share their vision.

Published:
A paper I worked on while living in Rwanda has been accepted for publication in a national undergraduate journal! Check out www.undercurrentjournal.ca for more information. 

My work is scheduled to appear in the Fall/Winter 2012 edition.

On Air:
I also recently did an interview for Fuel Radio – a new and challenging experience! You can listen to the podcast online at www.fuelradio.com.

Going to Rwanda!!

I’m excited to be travelling to Rwanda twice this year. These trips are such a vital time for us to build our relationships and work more closely together with our Rwandan colleagues. The Elevation Project is, at its heart, a relationship, and these times together are integral to this relationship.

While I am still looking to raise monthly support – I need another $1000/month to be completely self-sustained – I’d like to ask you to consider supporting this fundamental element of my job by making a special donation to help cover travel costs. 

If you’d like to support my work with the Elevation Project - either with a one-time gift towards a trip or a monthly donation – click here to download and print the form, then just fill it in and mail it to the address shown. You can also give online by going to my profile at 
www.youthunlimited.com and following the instructions there.

Thank you for all you do to make a difference in my life and in the lives of those I work with! 

Prayer Points

• That we would find sponsors for the remaining 11 students
• A safe and fruitful trip in March
• Our summer trip team as we invite them into the Elevation Project
• Good communication with our Rwandan colleagues
• The necessary finance for my expanded role at Youth Unlimited

_________________________________________________________

If you want to financially support the Elevation Project,

PLEASE CLICK HERE.