This months featured story.

Posted on 03. Feb, 2011 by Africa New Life in BLOG
Tuesday, 23 November 2010-Kayonza
About six years ago, our family sponsored our first child through Africa New Life Ministries. Her name is Annet, and we began trading letters. A year later, we sponsored Violet. Both girls live in Kayonza, a small village about an hour east of the capital city of Kigali. Three years ago, we were lucky enough to visit our girls, We were only in Rwanda for a quick trip, four days on the ground, but it was time enough to drive out to Kayonza, bring some food and supplies to our girls, and give them big hugs. Violet was extremely shy, ducking her head and whispering answers to the questions we asked through our translator. Annet was less shy, giving us big hugs and smiles as our van stopped outside her simple, mud-walled, two-bedroom home.
After our trip, we continued to trade letters, and pictures. The girls seemed more real after visiting them. We knew Annet was small but energetic, and Violet was shy and polite. Months and years passed, many letters and prayers for our girls, until this Thanksgiving when our family decided to take a week-long trip to Rwanda. We would get to see our girls again! We went with a large group of 55 Americans this time. When our bus pulled up to the Africa New Life Academy in Kayonza, we were anxious to find Annet and Violet, but I knew we might have to wait until later, when the busses would take us for home visits.
My two boys wandered into the school’s auditorium as we milled about, and then Nate came running out shouting, “Mom, it’s Annet!” I went inside, and there she was, and I couldn’t speak because a big old ball of joy was stuck in my throat and tears were welling up in my eyes. She had heard we were coming, and she had been waiting for us. She recognized us! From pictures, and our last visit, she knew just who to look for. Once we found Alayna, my 15-year-old daughter, Annet took her hand and didn’t let go as we walked across the campus.
We weren’t sure where we’d find Violet. She is an orphan who lives in one of the homes on the campus, but last time we were there she was staying with extended family over the holidays. Suddenly, up walks another girl. It was Violet! She knew us, and we knew her. This time, Violet wasn’t nearly as shy. She looked us square in the eye as we spoke, and gave long, squeezy hugs to each of us.
This was no longer some long-distance sponsorship program. These were our friends, our girls, in the flesh. Violet took Alayna’s other hand, and we walked side by side across campus. There is something about the feel of a hand, the spread of a smile, that can’t be captured in letters or pictures. We were totally blessed to find that the girls we’d been sponsoring were growing up into beautiful young women.

Annet, Violet, and our daughter Alayna