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
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