Our Unique Tree

 Six Unique Things About Our Christmas Tree

Instead of decorating our Christmas tree with expensive, delicate ornaments, we like to decorate with simple, fun and even goofy things.  The kids always get a kick out of it, and the tree just feels like home.

#1 - We have rock stars on our tree!

 

 #2 - Kissing Fish???

 

#3 - A monkey wearing shades and eating a banana

 

 #4 - Not sure if this is a self-portrait of my kids, 

or if they were trying to put Mick Jagger

on the tree. :-)

 

#5 - Electric Guitars on our tree

 

#6 - Shyaka, our sponsored child from Rwanda

Rwanda Smile

The smile tells the whole story! 
Shyaka, my sponsored child.  (Photo by Natalie Green)

Update from Rwanda

Africa New Life Ministries (ANLM.org) is such a wonderful organization. It's been about 8 months since I started sponsoring this young man in Rwanda.  Shyaka is a precious example of the great need to sponsor children.  I wrote about Shyaka in a previous post (click here to read), so be sure to read that if you haven't already.

Natalie Green, with ANLM,  is leading two different missionary teams to Rwanda this month.  She was directly responsible for choosing Shyaka for me and my kids to sponsor.  She has become a dear friend over this last year, and has kept me up to date with so many different ways to help.  She has just arrived in Rwanda and will be there for about a month this time.

Natalie just sent me a message on facebook.  She said "Guess who I found assisting the leaders distribute new shoes at "Center Day" my first 10 minutes at our main property?! Healthy and joyful...and quite the leader--thanks to your sponsorship! He was promoted to grade SIX! I ran to him and gave him a giant hug. And I told him I would see him many times this month. He will be at the Kigali Sponsored Child Party this Wednesday and I will give him the gift y'all sent him then!"

Natalie Green and Shyaka

I'm so excited!  We sent several gifts for Shyaka with the team.  Things like a deflated soccer ball that the team can pump up, colored pencils, hot wheel cars, and a bit of candy too. :-)  Sounds like Wednesday they'll be having a special party for all the sponsored children, and will present gifts at that time.

It such a good feeling to know that people are actively touching and improving his life.  Not just his life, but thousands of other children as well.  If you'd like information on sponsoring a child, just let me know and I can get you in touch with Natalie and ANLM.

Love Never Fails

Today I dropped a letter in the mail to my sponsored child in Rwanda, Africa.  I keep a picture of him on my refrigerator as a reminder of my responsibility, and the need to do more.  I thought I might share a bit more about my child, and the wonderful organization that is helping to make a difference in his life.

Shyaka is a young boy who is suffering due to the recent loss of his parents.  Though he now lives with his Uncle's family, he is extremely poor, hungry and was rarely able to attend school.  My friend Natalie, who works with Africa New Life Ministries, met Shyaka during her last visit to Rwanda in February 2010.  When I had expressed an interest in sponsoring a child, she immediately knew that Shyaka was the boy for us.  Natalie shared the following with me...

"Steve, 

Thank you so much for loving on Shyaka through ANLM.  I truly hope that one day you meet him face to face in Rwanda! 

I cannot get him off of my mind.  That child broke my heart.  I know that Shyaka's hurt was palpable and intense from the loss of his parents.  ANLM is committed to getting him trauma/grief counseling.  My heart broke for Shyaka....in fact, I left the room crying after I spent time with him the second time.  I had to compose myself and then go back into the room.  He was clearly hungry (I gave him food out of my bag that I bought at the market that day) and he had outgrown his shoes.  The closed toe ends of his shoes had been sliced open so his toes could poke out due to his growth.  It was truly heart breaking.  You can pray for his health/hunger, pray for emotional well-being/counseling....and pray that he would find GREAT HOPE for his future and comfort in our Lord Jesus."

Since then, I have had the privileged of learning so much more about the organization that Natalie works with.  Africa New Life Ministries started in 2001 with about 30 sponsored children, and since then it has grown to more than 2,000 sponsored children, a full primary school, five orphanages, two churches, and many other ministries.  Sponsorship provides for education, clothing, school supplies, basic health needs, social and spiritual development.

If you would like to learn more about sponsoring a child, I would strongly encourage you to contact Natalie or visit the Africa New Life Ministries web site.  Natalie not only manages the sponsorship of children, but she coordinates seasonal mission trips to Rwanda.

Here's her contact information...

     Natalie.E.Green@gmail.com
     http://www.anlm.org