As I spend my last night in Rwanda before leaving to return to my family and church family in Worcester, I look back at the past week teaching and fellowship with the pastors with great joy. Investing here each year is rewarding on a level that I have a hard time putting into words. Let me try to share just share two closing thoughts from the last few days….

First, as I shared parting words with the group of pastors as the showering me with gifts after our final teaching session on Friday, the growth that I have seen in them over these last 5 years has been truly remarkable. Their understanding of God’s Word, their ability to remain faithful to the text while preaching, and the quality of their questions during the Q & A time after reaching session and the take-a-ways that they are able voice from the teaching sessions has just been so encouraging to see. God in his abundant grace has allowed us to be apart of His training up of 65 pastors over the years to be faithful students of God’s Word, faithful pastors to their people, and even more loving and caring spouses and parents in their homes. It is truly exciting and humbling that God would use the little we invest to make such and impact for His Kingdom. 

Finally, their hunger to learn and apply God’s Word challenges me in away that is humbling and convicting to me and makes me long for that passion in my own church family. Oh how I wish each and every person in our churches could come and see how people with so little, with so much they could complain about, are so joyful, pray with such power, authenticity, and frequency, and hunger to hear the truth of God’s Word passionately. I wish I could bottle it and take it home so that my whole church could be so encouraged, but also, so challenged. 

We worship with you all in spirit tomorrow as Neal and I will be preaching in two different churches in Kigali, and Christina will be singing! Please pray that God’s Word would be received with open hearts and ears, and that God would  use His people here in Rwanda to be and encouragement and blessing to our team tomorrow, just as he always does. 

Blessings to you all, Shane