Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tonight four members of the St. John's community departed for a two-week trip to Rwanda. The delegation consists of Pastor Scot Sorensen, Sarah Moenter, Mary Wiberg, and Bea Favre. Before departing this afternoon, Pastor Scot said, “We are excited to visit our companion synod and our sister parish in Rwanda. Undoubtedly a highlight will be on Sunday, August 3 when the Rukira Lutheran Parish dedicates a 100 person high school dormitory – a joint project between St. John’s and the people of Rukira!”

They take with them a remarkable piece of St. John's. Candace Costa, our children's choir director, made a quilted wall hanging (pictured) depicting a fragment from the stencil design on the Sanctuary ceiling.

The delegation has promised to report in as often as possible. Their reports will be shared here, so check back frequently.

Please remember Pr. Scot, Bea, Mary, and Sarah in your prayers as well as our dear friends in Rwanda:

Heavenly Father, we praise you for the wonders and diversity of our planet. We give you thanks for the opportunity to travel, for our voyages -- whether long or short -- allow us to learn more about our brothers and sisters in Christ. We ask for your blessings on Sarah, Mary, Bea, and Pastor Scot as they journey to Rwanda. Grant them safe passage. And open their hearts to the friendships and relationships they will soon create. We also ask for your blessings on our friends in Rwanda as they prepare for our delegation's arrival. May we all know your love more deeply through the love we share with each other. In your name we pray, Amen.

Saturday, August 1, 2008

We have arrived in Kigali...but not without adventure. Our flight from Nairobi to Kigali was delayed. And, after traveling for days, the last notice we wanted to see on the Departure board was "Delayed". However, we finally did make it and it was a welcome sight to clear immigration, claim our bags and be greeted.

Waiting for us at the airport were Francis, his daughter, two friends of his daughter, another LWF worker and Robin, Pastor John's wife. They had a lovely bouquet of flowers for each of us. The flowers were a particularly welcome sight in that after a lengthy travel we were all a bit "ripe" and the flowers were a good balance.

We all piled into a converted Toyota Land Rover with bench seats running along the side walls, and a second vehicle carrying our luggage and the rest of the people... In a very short period of time we had rooms at the Alpha-Palace hotel... After cleaning up a bit we went for dinner at the attached restaurant. We walked in for dinner at 6:45 (already it was very dark...on the equator it really does get very dark, very fast after the sun set at about 6:15. We did not realize that 7 pm was REALLY early to eat dinner here in Kigali. So, the wait staff insured we were dining appropriately by serving our meal 1:45 AFTER we ordered.

In about 10 minutes Francis is coming to take us on a tour of the city, a visit to the Rwanda School Project with Robin, and then on to Rukira.

I don't know when I will have internet access again, but I will write when I have the opportunity.

Pr. Scot

Read more of Pastor Scot's reflections on the delegation's trip to Rwanda on our News page.