I’m finally finding the time to take a deep breath, relax and tell you, “Thanks!” The trip was a blur of constant work. After some settling in to home I am ready to pass on some thoughts.

The 10 days in Africa were beyond words or expression. We saw God work in so very many ways. To God be the credit for all good works.

Among the highlights of the trip was our amazing team. God made us one. I could not be more proud of this group of people. I would gladly go anywhere in the world with them. They shined the love of Jesus through everything they did on this long mission. The work was hard, the hours long and the personal price was high, yet freely and generously they labored. This is truly the Spirit of God at work. We had a team of people ready to give themselves to Christ and the Kingdom of God. I want to just offer some words of praise to God for each one.

Donna: Donna did a remarkable job at check-in at each of the clinics, quickly adjusting to African culture, organizing the interpreters and cheerfully moving the long lines. Much of her labor was under the hot sun. Donna was superb at entertaining and ministering to the kids; we should nickname her Bubbles.
Laura: What a blessing she was in many areas. She helped with check-in, escorting guests, setup, and more. Her forte was being a child magnet—just what we, and many Rwandan moms, needed at the time. She was in her element sharing Kenya-Rwandan songs and language.
Autumn: She has exceeded expectations from the beginning. Even amidst her homesick heart, Autumn sorted meds, organized guest registration systems, and packed medical equipment. All of this with a cheerful, willing spirit. She brought joy to our stressful days.
Laurice: Her “will do” attitude and deep compassion brought strength to the team. She was quick to help in any way and did a great job of moving our guests from the waiting area to triage. This was no easy task in an auditorium where hundreds of people were watching to make sure someone else didn’t go out of turn.
Ramona (I have always known her as Mona.): Mona was simply amazing. She was able to be the compassionate nurse who knew where to draw the line. Some we can help, some we cannot. Mona was discerning and professional with the greatest kindness. She had a consistent positive attitude that encouraged us all.
Victoria (I never knew she had a name other than Tori): What a remarkably secure and delightful person. She worked hard at getting guests to where they needed to be. Never once (well maybe once) did she ever lose her cheerful countenance. There is no doubt she will make an excellent Nurse Practitioner in the near future.
Jed: Jed is my hero. He stepped in with expertise that made it clear God sent him to fill out our team in just the right way. He was a delight to work with, eager to dive in and tackle the hard issues. For the most part he served as a doctor, and one who I leaned on heavily for important medical advice, especially in the dispensary.
Phyllis: What a great team leader! Phyllis shined—sometimes literally. We could not have done it without her. She assigned doctors and nurses to their stations, helped guests get the care they needed, oriented volunteers, and when we were in a terrible bind with dental care, she triaged dental guests. All this, Phyllis did with a godly smile and brisk pace.
Becky: Becky emerged a leader. She was so efficient, yet calm, at handling crisis, guests and volunteers that we made her the Dream Center Clinic leader and left her on her own Friday and Saturday. Most of all, Becky was full of a deep and sincere love. I hope we have many more missions experiences together.
Chris: Dr. Veley is my other hero. As far as physical work goes, he probably did more than anyone. When I anticipated a tired and ready to grumble dentist, he said, “You can handle anything for a week. These people need help and they have waited all day to get it.” He is an exemplary man of great faith and love for people and Jesus. I look up to Chris and look forward to many more adventures with this godly brother.
Elise: Elise is a jewel. She worked tirelessly alongside her dad as a dental assistant. As Chris said, she had instruments and product ready before he had a chance to ask for it. She, too, worked until late at night, yet with a cheerful smile. It was an honor to serve with her.
Dr. Brad: Dr. Titus simply amazes me. Although remarkably articulate with the brilliance to back it up, he is one of the most humble people I have met. In a very short time you realize his commitment is to Jesus and His Word. Making the name of Jesus known through loving care is this noted physicians life. I am humbled to be able to work with him.
Judy: Judy joined us from Washington DC. Her Jesus-filled heart beats for little children. She is a highly skilled Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner, who lives Christ to the fullest. We were honored that she chose to take her residency with us. It is indicative of her commitment to the team. This was further evidenced by her many tears as we parted. I pray God give us many more missions together.
Dr. Bailey: Dr. Bill is first an evangelist. His heart is to see people come to Jesus to be spiritually healed. He obviously is a skilled physician with a tremendous amount of experience on the field of missions and in the field of medicine. Everyone looks up to Dr. Bailey. He is a model for young men and woman wanting to know what it really means to serve Jesus. It was a tremendous honor to get to know this remarkable man of God.
Nikki: This dear sister shines in the field of medicine. Her compassion for those who were hurting and her dedication to giving them the best treatment possible made her an invaluable team member. She did triage, dressed wounds, sorted meds, served in eye-care, worked hard and kept a remarkably good attitude. She was awesome.
Jacquie: Jacquie is a remarkable young woman. She is a leader who is teachable, loveable and talented. Her job at triage was not easy. It required fast accurate decisions and adaptability. Jacquie managed those challenges with a cheerful, willing heart that comes from trusting God. This girl has a phenomenal future.
Linda Huang: Linda came through in a fantastic way. It was her dedication that landed many volunteer Doctors at the Stadium as well as translators. This was no easy task. There were hurdles throughout. She met each one in prayer and faith. She has a servant’s heart and is committed to serving Christ long-term in Kigali. We are in dept to her.
Dr. Soaps: Jan did a phenomenal job! She was our women and children’s doctor at the Stadium and we depended on her heavily. From the first moment we were introduced, it was obvious that this lady loves people and wants to serve Jesus with her whole being. Some of our toughest cases were seen by Jan and I don’t know what we would have done without her.
Dr. Pam Pyle: Pam has a heart of pure gold. Although obviously a skilled physician, her humble attitude and compassionate care led her to prayer over all her patients. Not only was she inspiring to work with, she caught a vision from God that is inspiring a greater work in Kigali. God has his hand on this precious saint.
Lani: This much-loved and very loving saint inspired us to care. She encouraged us, ministered to guests and supported her friend, Pam, with tireless devotion. Always the cheerful smile and kind words of embrace, Lani shines the love of Jesus for everyone, team-member and guest. Her contribution to the mission was invaluable and we pray for another opportunity to serve with her.
The Alabama group: Katie, Sarah, Tina, Tara, Rachael, Dana, Sherman, and Lynn. I am so sorry to not have worked closely with all of them. It was remarkable and often the topic of praise, how God brought so many from such different areas and backgrounds to serve together. They were such a delight to see in action. I sincerely hope God gives us another opportunity to serve together.
Scott: This precious saint exudes Jesus. His simple, unassuming, humble presentation of greatest story ever told rings like beautiful church bells in our ears. He never preached once. He several times a day shared his heart for the gospel with anyone who had ears to hear. I praise God for this godly man-of-God who loves the gospel so much.
Deborah: Last year, Deborah was our connection with Kigali. It was uncertain if we would ever see her or work with her again. This year she was the key to the success of Compassion Rwanda. She was our tour guide, trusted companion, advisor, shopping supervisor, medical supplies courier, money exchanger, encourager, helper, and most of all, friend. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate this cherished sister. May God return to her, her reward.
The interpreters: There were over twenty-five volunteers that we worked with closely that have taken a piece of our hearts. We long for heaven all the more so we can serve the Lord in His sanctuary together. For a short week, there really was no color, only the most beautiful people you can imagine. I miss them.
The Palau team: What wonderful partners. Melissa, Bill, Andrew, Wendy and Carrie made our trip a success. If not for Carrie we would have literally been out in the street. She secured the facilities, chairs, tables, and cleanup crew. We are deeply appreciative of all your hard work.
Our home team: A special thanks to Robert Reed and Amanda Banker for their supportive roles. They handled details without fanfare. May God richly reward them for all their work. There were so many more who worked at fundraising, serving desserts, praying, giving financially, and encouraging us personally. We love you all so very much.
The Rwandan Volunteer Doctors: This has to be a highlight of our mission’s success. As one doctor told me, “This is my dream.” Here is what Rwanda, and the world need, the church to minister the gospel of Jesus to the people who need it so desperately. These men and women who came to serve their people were the most humble, gentle loving people you could ever ask for. It is our great privilege to serve alongside such beautiful people.
Milan: I don’t know how to express my gratitude and admiration for my partner in ministry, friend in life and brother in Christ. Milan did an outstanding job. None know the full extent of the challenges we faced except Milan and I. So often we were at the point of pulling the plug and yet it was through faith and perseverance that God came through. I would not have wanted to go through it without Milan.
Linda: There is not a more humble servant. Linda worked tirelessly to create an atmosphere of love and affirmative support for each other, all the while running errands, delivering material, encouraging the weak and motivating the leaders. Maybe I am biased a little, but she was crucial to the success of this mission. The behind the scenes work remained behind the scenes and not disasters because Linda does her job so well. Yet, her greatest contribution is her faith and prayer for all of us.

I also want to share some highlights for me. You may have already heard these stories but they are precious to me so I’ll tell them again from my perspective.

The Faith of a Little Child

Linda and I were processing the day and sharing with each other how deep the hurts are in Rwanda. That morning Linda could not hold back her tears. In my embrace all she could speak beyond the heartache was, “What are we going to do?” She was being moved by the Spirit of God to Him what we are to do with all this hurt and poverty.
Naturally the poverty was a constant topic of personal thought. What is the answer? What is our role? How can we possibly make a significant difference? All those questions arose and I could not help but feel that even if we moved to Kigali it would make very little difference. Then I thought that if we lived hear long enough we would become calloused to the people’s pain and suffering. Hurting lives would be the norm. The reason we were in tears is because of the great contrast between our comfortable life in the U.S. and the deep afflictions we are witnessing.
It was just after noon when our Follow-up specialist, Douglas, approached me. I had been on the phone with him numerous times that day. There was the single mom with AIDS and two children. She was deeply hurting emotionally and in fear her children might be HIV positive. Douglas gave us the name of someone who works with AIDS patients. That day there were two cases of HIV. A young woman, also with two children, was prostituting her body to feed her children and a sister. Once in a while she could find work washing clothes and could take a break from selling herself. Douglas had a referral, all they could do is counsel her. Another lady needs an operation. A man had severe pain—likely some form of arthritis—there was nothing we could do for him.
As soon as Douglas walked up, I knew something was wrong. He is always cheerful. This time (he’s on the verge of tears) his head hangs low. His voice cracks as he forces out the words, “I can’t take this.” “It is too much.”
Douglas works in this field. If anyone would be calloused, it would be Douglas. He’s Rwandan. He lives in Kigali. He sees the hurt every day.
He points to a lady in a yellow blouse. “You see that lady . . . she has traveled over four and a half hours to get here.” “She said she didn’t come for pills. She needs a miracle.” She had thought there was going to be a faith healer at the stadium. What she got was us.
Her daughter was nine years old. The previous year the little girl was second in her class in school. She was bright and alive. Now she was loosing her ability to hear or speak. She could barely walk—often falling down. Her memory was almost gone completely. She had been to several doctors; their diagnosis was her brain is atrophied. There is nothing they can do.
Douglas turned away to avoid crying in front of me.
The poverty and hurt was made very personal and individual. It was brought to our door step and left with us to address. It was not a plight of the masses. I could she her face and hear her cry. I could almost feel her hope fall to the floor and shatter. It was clearly impacting the heart of this precious servant, Douglas. There was nothing we could do. All week I had been going to the pharmacy to purchase medicine for one thing or another, no pharmacy in the world stocks miracles. We cannot spend our money and reverse this family’s pain. We are powerless to help.
We have no resource except our faith in Christ. Could we be granted a miracle? Inside I was pleading with God. Grant us this one miracle. We can turn to none but you. Show yourself to this hurting family, Jesus. Heal the sick. Please!
We asked Douglas if we could pray for her. Douglas asked her. Her mom and I led her to Dr. Bailey’s exam room. On the way I took her hand to help her walk. She fell a couple of times. As I helped her get her feet under her and regain her balance, she would look up and grin. I wondered where she got all this joy.
We gathered to pray.
Up walked Pastor Peter from Uganda. He took charge of the prayer and prayed like a faithful Pentecostal could. He commanded Satan to leave. He spoke healing and called on the name of Jesus. Others prayed.
At the end of the prayer, this little girl turned her smiling face to Peter and spoke in very clear Kenya-Rwandan. “Good job Pastor. That was a good prayer.” You’ll recall that it was reported that she couldn’t speak, and hadn’t until that moment.
Douglas interpreted for us.
Then she moved her arm in a sweeping motion catching our eyes and smiling from ear to ear. “Thank you for praying. Keep praying for me. I trust God that I will be okay.” This was from a hurting nine-year-old.
I told Dr. Titus, “This girl is more whole than any of us here.” Her faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes though refined by fire, was proved genuine by what she suffered.
She ministered to me.
Our doctors seem to think it could be some form of encephalitis. Maybe it was caused by an infection. She will need a CT scan. They have no money for that. Some team members contributed the money; Douglas is following up with her.

God is present with the poor. From my perspective, I doubt it would it be possible for God to speak more clearly by words than He has through this demonstration of faith. God has chosen the poor, in the eyes of the world, to be rich in faith. Here was visible evidence that faith is greater than gold. What we could not buy—God freely gives. Isn’t this the message of the gospel? What we could not earn, or purchase, through all our good works and wealth, God gave through Jesus. We are richest when we are broken, broke and helpless; we are best when all we have is our faith in God.

A Saved Life—a Grateful Mom

Emma came to the Dream Center as one of the street kids. He had a swollen jaw from an abscessed tooth. He was running a fever. Becky saw the need and got him to a doctor. Dr. Pam put him on antibiotics and called me to see if we could get him in to our Dentist Dr. Chris Veley.
I sent our van to pick them up.
By the time he arrived his fever had increased and he was quite lethargic. He couldn’t eat or drink. This was one sick little boy. We made a bed in a bathroom off the vision clinic room.
The next opportunity Chris removed the abscessed tooth, increased his dose of antibiotics and gave him a Rwandan brand of Tylenol. Emma went back to his bed in the bathroom. He slept the afternoon.
At the end of the day Linda and I took a van and Diana (our interpreter) and drove Emma home. He lived thirty minutes or so from the clinic and a couple of kilometers from the Dream Center.
He lived with his mom and a number of siblings in two rooms of a tiny, mud duplex. The “living room” was six or seven feet wide and maybe nine feet long. There was a mat on the floor—a pile of material from clothes and blanket scraps. On one side of the room was a foot tall bench that would seat three small bottoms. Another bench of the same size was brought in for Linda and I to sit on. I didn’t see where the other bench came from; I think it may have been brought from the neighbor’s house. They were determined to be hospitable.
Diana shared that we were with a medical/dental team from America. Mom was very happy to see us. Then Diana, speaking Rwandan, explained that Emma had his tooth extracted. It appeared that mom asked her a clarification question. “He had his tooth pulled? It’s out?”
“Yes,” Diana said.
The mom throws her arms in the air and begins praising Jesus. She rose from sitting on the floor, went to Diana and vigorously shakes her hand, “Thank you!” She does the same with us. She is one very happy mom.
I explained, through the interpreter that her son was very sick so it is import and that she give him the medicine regularly and bring her children to the Dream Center if this happens again.
She leaps to her feet and begins dancing around in a circle praising God. She tells us she had lost another child to a tooth infection. Just this morning, she explains, she heard a preacher on the radio. He said, “I know your hurting, in pain and struggling, but today Jesus is going to heal you.” She then says, “Here you are today and my boy is healed already.” The dancing and praises continues.
We praise God with her, pray over their home, take a couple pictures and in great joy and celebration say our goodbyes.
God is present in the poverty. I don’t know why she had to lose her other child. It doesn’t make sense. God is faithful to save Emma’s life. Our God is so dependable in many ways—He is unpredictable in others.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom 11:33ff)

“I will never forget you.”

Toward the end the last day some of our team was standing outside the entrance to our stadium clinic. A young child in dirty, well worn clothes walked up with a new soccer ball in her hands and a huge grin on her face.
She looked right at me and said, “I will never forget you.”
I was instantly filled with the greatest delight, followed by an underlying fear. I thought to myself, “I never want to forget you either.” Even now, as I write this, I am struggling to remember all her facial features.
It was one of the most sincere expressions of “thank you” that we received. I had never thought we would leave a lasting impression. We will come and do our part to help and then leave. We will be replaced by another team from the U.K. or Australia, or America or another country in Africa. Yes, there will be changed lives and people healed. It will be wonderful. It will be great experience for the team and plant a seed among the local church in Kigali. All of those high ambitions for the project were well worth while. But through this child God spoke again an unexpected message.
I discovered she had accepted Christ a year or so before that. Someone took the time to bring her to church where she heard the gospel and responded in faith.
She and I rejoiced in Christ that we would spend all eternity together. We had just met for the first time—but the relationship will last forever. We will never forget each other. Her words were true! My hopes are secure! God has fixed it in heaven and on earth, “I will never forget you.”

The consequence of His ministry is eternal. What we go through for this short time is fleeting and hardly mentionable. What our Savior does is eternal, supernatural, and wonderful beyond imagination. His ministry is eternal. His promises are everlasting. We certainly will never forget. We have eternity to celebrate in our closest possible relationship with our God—and with all who trust in Christ. Hallelujah! I will never forget you!

Gary