Back from Rwanda

After 21 hours of traveling, we all made it home from Rwanda. What a trip! We all have so many stories to tell and photos to show. Over the next few weeks you will be able to read posts from different members of the group, and see some of their photos. But for now, here we all are:

From left to right: Jon, Sarah, Sam, Alex, Chris, Amy, Becky, Nic, John, Steve, Dan, Vicky, Karen, Joanna (Speciose's daughter who we only met that day) and the ever hard working Speciose.

Radio Suffolk

Jon Elmer and I went off to meet the lovely people at Radio Suffolk today. We were interviewed by Luke Deal, and it will go out on his show on Sunday, so if you would like to hear what we said, listen in for us or, listen again on iplayer.

The Sunday after, we hope to do a live chat from Rwanda.

On a personal note I have to say, if only all reception staff were as nice as the bloke on the Radio Suffolk desk...

Speaking of Fairtrade...

For those of you supporting us with your interest and prayers while we are in Rwanda, you may be interested to know, that not only are we going to spend time in the Hope Village, Kabuga, we are also taking a look at a coffee co-operative... a rare chance to see fair trade coffee at the other end.

This got me thinking, wouldn't it be nice if while saying a prayer for us you could be drinking fair trade Rwandan coffee... and lo and behold you can buy some from Sainsburys! Its called Union Coffee Roasters Fairtrade Rwanda Maraba Boubon

You can read all about it on the importers web site: Union Hand Roasted.

I think I might buy some when I come back :)

Fairtrade Cadburys

Yes the thing we have all been waiting for (well I have anyway) has finally arrived: Fairtrade Cadbury's Dairymilk.... I got mine in Martlesham Tescos:

Bible Study for this Summer

This time next week those of us going to Rwanda will be on a plane. I have just bought the group Bible study notes we will be using while we are out there on Eden.

I have bought extra in case any of you would like to follow these notes with us you can. Also there are more days worth than the trip so they will help you carry on... carrying on with the Bible.

So what are we reading?

First, some help from J John on the Lord's prayer. We say it every Sunday, we might even say it in the week, but how much do we really think about the prayer Jesus himself taught us? Time to find out.

And then the book of James: we are saved by the grace of God and we enter into it through faith in Jesus... but how does that work out in our lives? The book of James, practical as ever.

#3 stumbled upon

I stumbled upon an amazing news piece. I have copied it in full in this blog as it is so good, the original is HERE. there is so much hate and bigotry in our world, sometimes it makes you wonder how on earth things will change. And how on earth do you combat it? shouting never helped, angry back doesn't either. Prayer certainly does... And Clowns. I think Jesus would approve:

Photo from http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/03/clowns-kicked-kkk-asses/

Here’s an excellent example of pwnage: when the white supremacist group VNN Vanguard Nazi/KKK tried to host a hate rally in Knoxville, Tennessee, they were foiled by … clowns!
Unfortunately for [VNN] the 100th ARA (Anti Racist Action) clown block came and handed them their asses by making them appear like the asses they were.

Alex Linder the founder of VNN and the lead organizer of the rally kicked off events by rushing the clowns in a fit of rage, and was promptly arrested by 4 Knoxville police officers who dropped him to the ground when he resisted and dragged him off past the red shiny shoes of the clowns. http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/7704982.html

“White Power!” the Nazi’s shouted, “White Flour?” the clowns yelled back running in circles throwing flour in the air and raising separate letters which spelt “White Flour”.

“White Power!” the Nazi’s angrily shouted once more, “White flowers?” the clowns cheers and threw white flowers in the air and danced about merrily.

“White Power!” the Nazi’s tried once again in a doomed and somewhat funny attempt to clarify their message, “ohhhhhh!” the clowns yelled “Tight Shower!” and held a solar shower in the air and all tried to crowd under to get clean as per the Klan’s directions.

At this point several of the Nazi’s and Klan members began clutching their hearts as if they were about to have a heart attack. Their beady eyes bulged, and the veins in their tiny narrow foreheads beat in rage. One last time they screamed “White Power!”

The clown women thought they finally understood what the Klan was trying to say. “Ohhhhh…” the women clowns said. “Now we understand…”, “WIFE POWER!” they lifted the letters up in the air, grabbed the nearest male clowns and lifted them in their arms and ran about merrily chanting “WIFE POWER! WIFE POWER! WIFE POWER!”

#2 Stumbled Upon

Lots of things from nature this time, plus an interesting pass time and something serious...

Which is; isn't it bad enough that we sell majority world countries arms and debt while not paying their workers properly and making trade rules to suit ourselves, we also steal their land?

Anyway, off the soap box and onto... beards. Its nice to have a hobby, mine is blogging, theirs is.. well, beards really. Competition winning beards at that.

But my favourite in the world of stumbling today has to go to the natural world, what with amazing photos of lightning, a very regal looking breed of cat called a Norwegian Forrest cat (I want one) and the fascinating world of bees courtesy of Anna's Bee world, its a lovely day for blogging.

#1 Stumbled Upon

I have a thread in my personal blog called Stumbled Upon... thought I' share it with you guys too...

Three words came to mind on this little stumble, I will leave them to the end...

I love the Internet. there's just so much to see.

For example, a bubble in the process of bursting - I mean, how on earth did they manage to photograph that? I'm sure it would tell me on wiki.

And then of course, in the long road of sustainable living, there are a host of metaphorical B&B's where you can bump into interesting people who have travelled that bit of road before, such as the lovely people at LILI

Every now and then, the Internet stops you in your tracks and causes you to step back and take a deeper look at life. The face of a 42 year-old Cherokee Native American man did that for me. How is it we live in a world where people would rather be homeless than live on the land of their ancestors?

fascinating, informative, heart rending.

Speaking love

Doesn't really matter if we are single, or not... there are always people in our lives we love, including our friends and family. And as we all know, we give love and receive love better when we understand what the other is thinking or saying.

Which is where the following quiz comes in. The heart of all good relationships is communication. Think. Is there someone close to you who you think just doesn't get you? Could it be you are speaking different languages?

Now, some of the questions are orientated towards a boy/girlfriend, so you may have to think laterally a bit, but all the same, try the quiz and then think:

How can you communicate love better?
What signals of care and love are people showing, that you didn't notice before?

The Test

Rwanda - people going, people staying

What better way to start this blog, than with Rwanda. I am, as I suspect everyone going is... a mixture of apprehensive and very very excited. I'm looking forward to the whole experience, I'm looking forward to seeing what Jesus will do in and though our lives.

But of course many of you Fusioneers aren't going. So a word to you guys first...

We really need you. We need you to pray. We need you to thank God for all he's doing. If you would like to pray for us, keep an eye on Dan's Rwanda web pages for info on us. We would really value your prayers for

• Health

• Safety

• Homesickness

• Team spirit

• God's blessing on our work

• And the people we meet.

You could pray for us all, or pick one or two of us... either way, pray like mad!

And for all of us going, how about these Bible verses to encourage us.