Written by: Kayla Livingstone

All day I’ve been trying to think of just how I am going to put into words the absolutely incredible day that we had today. With it being my first time going to a village in Rwanda and especially Batima, after hearing such amazing things, I was so excited. I wish I could explain the absolute joy and love they poured on to us the second we drove in.

They welcomed us with beautiful dancing and singing songs of joy and praise because we were there. Before I even made it into the church, I had kids swarming around me, trying to touch my hair, my arms, and even my feet. I was surprised with how good their English was as every one of them proceeded to tell me their name. After many introductions and lots of dancing we did a few activities including the puppet show and a story of Jonah. We gave the kids soda packets to put into their water and it was incredible to see the joy on their faces as they shook up the bottles and the water turned different colors. I’m constantly in awe of how much joy they find in the little things. As I would look into the crowd and meet eyes with different women, they would smile so big and be so full of joy and love, you could feel it from a mile away.

While feeding the kids lunch, we ended up running out of plates so they put a lot of food on a tray for about 6 or 7 kids to share. This is the part that was most heartbreaking for me. Watching them eat as fast as possible, trying to fill up as much as they can, is a huge motivating factor to go home and fight for these children even more. It is the reason they need sponsors.

These past few days God has been teaching me to surrender; my plans, my thoughts, everything. And in my opinion, these people are the definition of surrendered. They have so little and yet they give so much. They have very few reasons to show joy and love and yet they pour it onto us like we are royalty and the only people in the world. And its not just any surface level love; it is a love so deep, so rooted, so genuine, and so kind. They are so surrendered to the will of God and where He has them. They believe for more, they pray for more, and they have hope for more, but they are so incredibly surrendered to where God has them.

I have learned more than I ever could have imagined from them. My life is forever surrendered to God and His will, to choosing joy when it feels difficult, and to loving so unconditionally people can feel it from not only across the room but for miles. God is so good. He has showed up in everything we have done. He is doing amazing things here in Rwanda and He will continue to for years and years to come.

Rwanda Mission Trip Team Blog-Day Four