Monday - February 8, 2010
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Where's Taylor? Last updated on 11/09/2009 | Filed in What Has Been Done  This summer, we get to see through the eyes of one of our students what God is doing in Rwanda. From June 3 to August 26, Taylor Shockley is going to be in Rwanda serving the church in that nation as an intern with World Relief. For more information check out her blog - www.tay-loree.blogspot.com WEEKLY UPDATE August 31 - Week 14 I'm back from Rwanda and it was great! Travel home was smooth. I landed in Newark with all of my bags on Wednesday the 26th and left for school on Thursday the 27th. I am starting my senior year at Endicott College in Beverly, MA as an RA - it's looking to be a busy year. Thank you for all of your prayers and support for my time in Africa - but don't stop! I need continual prayer that I can culturally readjust to life here in the States, especially at university. I will see all of you women at the Advent Breakfast on December 5th where Becca Smith will be speaking! August 11 - Week 11 The Black Rock team has come and gone. While they were here we did home construction, home visits to vulnerable, and ran a half-day camp for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC's). It was a great time of serving, building friendships, and seeing God and work. Now I am in Goma, D.R. Congo providing training to the WR Congo staff on newsletters. It is a great experience to help the other staff as well as see another part of Africa. It is very different here in Congo, and I am excited to go into the main part of town later today to see what the rest of Goma is like. July 30 - Week 9 I am quickly closing in on my time here in Rwanda. My next two weeks are filled with trips around the country and to the Congo. When I arrive back in Kigali, I will have less then two weeks until my return. CRAZY! The team from Black Rock arrives tomorrow and the whirlwind begins. July 24 - Week 8 Sorry it has been so long - Life in Rwanda has been very busy! I have only been in the office 3 days in the last 3 weeks. The other days I have been on the road and planning for events/trips for the rest of them! The last time I gave an update was the day before the African Child's Day. Since then, we have had that day, a Day of Service and Day of Prayer, I have traveled to Nyamasheke again (see blog for location), and hosted a team from the Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, California. I have to say, I am exhausted, but in a good way. A lot has been accomplished and God has shown up BIG. The team from Black Rock arrives on August 1 so I need to rest this week and prepare for them. More details about all of the events listed above can be found on my blog. July 8 - Week 6 This week has been a busy week. I have been out of the office at least half of each day in Masaka ( a sector right out of Kigali) planning for the African Child's Day celebration, that World Relief is supporting alongside the government and local volunteers, as well as the WRR Staff Day of Service. The African Child's Day was today and hundreds of children and parents were there supporting the fight against child abuse. It was a fun time of games, skits, and poems. Tomorrow will be the Staff Day of Service when we will help with repairs on a home of a very poor family that the local inter-faith committee appointed, working in the banana fields of two widows who were also appointed, and visiting a village of orphans. It will be a fun time of service, all 80 staff members will join from around the country, as we serve alongside our local partner churches in Masaka. June 29 - Week 4 Last week was a week of traveling. I went to a village called Rwamagana on Tuesday to look at a school where a team will be helping our field staff run a camp for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) that World Relief supports through school fees, health insurance, and psycho-social support. On Thursday and Friday I went as far away from Kigali in Rwanda as possible to Cyangugu, in the far reaches of the southwest province. There I had the pleasure to meet with a panel of pastors from the area with another WR staff member to discuss what programs the churches were working on currently and what the churches saw as needs for the most vulnerable in their communities. I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to see a new and beautiful part of this country, but also to learn about the life struggles of those there as well. To see pictures from my trip and learn more about my week to come you can go to my blog. June 19 - Week 3 Things are continuing to go well here in Rwanda as I continue to get settled in and learn the ropes. I am able to navigate the city pretty well now -by motos! - but am a little wary after I watched an accident happen the other day. It has been amazing to see God at work in such a different culture with such different needs. Those here often wonder how we can be Christians in America when we have so few (comparatively) physical needs such as food, water, clothes, etc. to depend on him for. I have enjoyed getting to know those who I work with and beginning to build relationships and fellowship with those around me. I am also working with someone that those at Walnut Hill may remember, Cyprien Nkiriyumwami, who spoke in 2004 for the 10th Anniversary of the Genocide. We are working closely in planning the trips of the U.S. churches coming to serve. This coming week I will be traveling to the two sites where the churches will be later in the summer. I will be on the road from Tuesday morning until Friday afternoon. Prayers for safe travels would be greatly appreciated! Also, thank you for everyone who has been praying so far. I have really felt the Lord's protective hand on me in my entire transition to life here - it has been pretty seamless. June 11 - Week 2 It has been a busy week with the team from Mars Hill. We have been out in the field in the sector of Masaka installing rain catch systems and water filters in churches, schools, and homes of the most vulnerable and of community leaders. The team flies out tomorrow, but many of them do not want to leave. They love their work and are truly the center of the Water Project here in Rwanda. For me, the team leaving means time in the office, which I have had none of. I am excited to start working with the staff and taking hold of my tasks for the summer. You can be praying for me as I continue to transition into my roles for the summer. June 6 - Week 1 I have arrived! I hit the ground running and spent my first day out on the field. It is great to be staying with the Smiths & Iranzi. There are only four of us staying with them right now compared to the nine last week. The house will continue to empty out until a team comes in the next weeks. This coming week I will spend Monday - Thursday on the field and be in the office for the first day on Friday. I have updated my blog with more specifics (and pictures!) of my day out on the field. Check it out! [ Church in Action Home ] [ What Has Been Done ] |