coming to Rwanda June 2009...

Nope. It's not Pixar's latest animated feature...it's us!

Nearly 30 individuals from the Portland, OR area, Las Vegas, NV, Lewiston, ID -- and yes, even South Korea! -- plan to leave for Rwanda on June 18 for two weeks full of adventure and ministry and bananas...and perhaps a tummyache or two.

What's going to happen once we're there? Well, probably quite a lot that isn't on the itinerary, but here's some of what we are planning for:

Youth Services - a few team members will lead youth services for the two Sundays we are there. The topic? Dating and Purity! Should be lots of fun...

Ministry to Street Kids - Twice each week, street kids gather at the Dream Center where ANLM provides food, basic medical care, help with personal care, and a program that shares of God's love. We get to join in on what ANLM is doing, with team members coordinating the program portion of this time.

Food Distribution in Kageyo - Kageyo (ka-JAY-oh) is a refugee camp located on the eastern border of Rwanda. Nearly 200,000 Rwandan people have been forced out of Tanzania, and have resettled here. Which would be lovely, except that they have no food or homes or jobs or means to aqcuire any of these things. Education, health care and many other basic resources are also limited. The team plans to hand out food that will bring a little nourishment to all in the settlement.

Lots of Fun in Kayonza - Kayonza (kay-ON-zah) is a rural village about 40 miles from Kigali, and is the location of ANLM's second ministry base, complete with children's homes, a church and school. The team will be involved in sports camps, classroom visits and presentations, parties and home visits with sponsored children and children's homes, and "work parties"... which, is likely a code word for something that involves sweat and aching muscles the next morning.

And a little bit of play - In addition, we'll get to enjoy Rwanda culture -- attend Rwanda worship services as NLB, check out the many facets of ANLM's ministry, visit the genocide memorial, maybe even sneak in a trip to Akegera Game Park!