Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Franciose
I know many of you have been waiting for an update on our team currently serving in Rwanda. It continues to be an eye-opening experience full of blessings for the team and those we are in contact with. I can say, without a doubt that Christ’s love has resonated here among us. For the past few days, part of the team has been working at the university serving patients with Lymphedema and part of us have been at the bakery. In my conversations with Tonya Huston, who is leading the medical project, I realized I could in no way vocalize the things she was telling me. As a result, I’ve asked Tonya to write the blog tonight. I will post another blog a little bit later to give an update at the bakery. Here is Tonya’s story of a young patient, Franciose, who is 17 years old.
Imagine looking into the eyes of a young, beautiful woman and all you see is despair and shame. These are the eyes of Franciose. A young woman with no hope for a future…. no hope for marriage…. no hope for children…. no hope to earn a living unless she begs on the streets. No hope for Franciose comes from a condition called Lymphedema. Pictures can say one thousand words and I only have to tell you that the picture of Franciose’s feet will say it all. Justin Stromberg and I have been blessed to serve her and more than 50 others in Ruhengeri, Rwanda with this condition. Hope comes from knowledge of what caused their condition and how to treat it. Franciose has learned how to care for her feet, how to stimulate flow of her lymphatic system and how to bandage herself to provide compression to reduce the swelling, which will ultimately improve her skin condition. Through the healing ministry of Christ and sharing God’s love, we want to bring hope to those who have none…. hope and light to Franciose and the others who suffer from this debilitating and disfiguring condition.
Thank you for your prayers and support
Imagine looking into the eyes of a young, beautiful woman and all you see is despair and shame. These are the eyes of Franciose. A young woman with no hope for a future…. no hope for marriage…. no hope for children…. no hope to earn a living unless she begs on the streets. No hope for Franciose comes from a condition called Lymphedema. Pictures can say one thousand words and I only have to tell you that the picture of Franciose’s feet will say it all. Justin Stromberg and I have been blessed to serve her and more than 50 others in Ruhengeri, Rwanda with this condition. Hope comes from knowledge of what caused their condition and how to treat it. Franciose has learned how to care for her feet, how to stimulate flow of her lymphatic system and how to bandage herself to provide compression to reduce the swelling, which will ultimately improve her skin condition. Through the healing ministry of Christ and sharing God’s love, we want to bring hope to those who have none…. hope and light to Franciose and the others who suffer from this debilitating and disfiguring condition.
Thank you for your prayers and support
Friday, October 16, 2009
Gifts
Sometimes God makes it very clear to me that we are all wired with different gifts. Today was no exception.
We arrived at the local university early this morning to begin receiving patients with a disease commonly known as Elephantiasis or Lymphedema. I don’t think any of us were truly prepared for what we faced. What was initially going to be a medical mission for 16 identified patients very quickly became a safe haven for 35 of the region’s most obvious outcasts...with more expected over the next few days. It's called the African grapevine.
Today I witnessed two therapists wash the feet of people that I, in all honesty, initially had difficulty approaching. That’s when I realized, once again, that God has equipped all of us with gifts. I was honored to be working alongside such a knowledgeable team of specialists and was amazed at their willingness to do what I could not.
From people with lost hope, smiles quickly emerged. Just the fact that someone was taking some individual time with them was so encouraging. It was challenging for everyone - but we made it through and the team worked together like clockwork. The patients will start returning tomorrow for intensive training on how to reduce the symptoms of this incurable but treatable disease. Please continue praying for continued courage for the patients and team.
Blessings,
Diana
P.S. I hesitated to post a picture but I don’t think anyone could imagine this unless they saw it for themselves. The photos are not meant to exploit anyone but for those in the western world to realize how much we need prayer here and how blessed they truly are.
We arrived at the local university early this morning to begin receiving patients with a disease commonly known as Elephantiasis or Lymphedema. I don’t think any of us were truly prepared for what we faced. What was initially going to be a medical mission for 16 identified patients very quickly became a safe haven for 35 of the region’s most obvious outcasts...with more expected over the next few days. It's called the African grapevine.
Today I witnessed two therapists wash the feet of people that I, in all honesty, initially had difficulty approaching. That’s when I realized, once again, that God has equipped all of us with gifts. I was honored to be working alongside such a knowledgeable team of specialists and was amazed at their willingness to do what I could not.
From people with lost hope, smiles quickly emerged. Just the fact that someone was taking some individual time with them was so encouraging. It was challenging for everyone - but we made it through and the team worked together like clockwork. The patients will start returning tomorrow for intensive training on how to reduce the symptoms of this incurable but treatable disease. Please continue praying for continued courage for the patients and team.
Blessings,
Diana
P.S. I hesitated to post a picture but I don’t think anyone could imagine this unless they saw it for themselves. The photos are not meant to exploit anyone but for those in the western world to realize how much we need prayer here and how blessed they truly are.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Safe Arrival
Just a quick note let everyone know that the team has arrived safely into Kigali! It was a very long trip, with two overnight flights and we are very happy to be here…finally. A note to Michele’s parents and friends: Her bus also arrived safely from Uganda and all is well!
This afternoon the team will be visiting the National Genocide Memorial and after a restful night we will be traveling by bus to Musanze midday tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers.
Blessings,
Diana
This afternoon the team will be visiting the National Genocide Memorial and after a restful night we will be traveling by bus to Musanze midday tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers.
Blessings,
Diana
Friday, October 2, 2009
Please Pray
Hello Friends of TVM,
I am blessed to be leading my 12th team to Africa on October 12-28! Some team members will be focused on treating Lymphedema, which is a terrible regional problem in the Musanze District. Catherine, one of our widows, as well as 16 other patients will be receiving these treatments. Additionally, several local healthcare workers will be taught the treatment process so we can ultimately impact many suffering from this debilitating disease.
I am blessed to be leading my 12th team to Africa on October 12-28! Some team members will be focused on treating Lymphedema, which is a terrible regional problem in the Musanze District. Catherine, one of our widows, as well as 16 other patients will be receiving these treatments. Additionally, several local healthcare workers will be taught the treatment process so we can ultimately impact many suffering from this debilitating disease.
Your prayers are very much needed and appreciated.
Team members traveling to Rwanda in October are listed below.
Tonya Huston
Justin Stromberg
Terri Castillo
Cynthia Glensgard
Michele DeBoer
Diana Wiley
Team members traveling to Rwanda in October are listed below.
Tonya Huston
Justin Stromberg
Terri Castillo
Cynthia Glensgard
Michele DeBoer
Diana Wiley
Blessings,
Diana
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Miraculous
Before I begin tonight…I have to tell you how magnificent our God is… Over the past 6 years of coming and bringing teams to Africa, I feel I have witnessed His divine miracles over and over again. Today has been no exception…
This morning (Saturday), we had big plans to see all we could see of Rwanda. It was our final day together here in Musanze, after a full week of working closely with the widows. We left our house at 7:00 AM, full of excitement for what the day would bring. We took Linda and Cynthia back to the waterfall to see this magnificent creation – and this time… climbed down to the base of the falls where we stood in the mist and marveled at God’s splendor.
Our plan was to return to Musanze by noon, eat lunch, and go on to Gisenyi which is at the border of The Congo with a stop to purchase some additional sheep. In Gisenyi, we would visit the Agahozo-Shalom Village. This is a school that has been set up for genocide orphans by a foundation Linda is connected to in New York City.
Our plans stayed on track until we were finally on our way to Gisenyi. We had purchased the sheep and were about 10 miles down the road when a young man ran out in front of our van.
What happened next is so hard to explain. Mambo, our driver, swerved and tried to stop. The boy, hit the front bumper, bounced into the windshield twice, smashing it, and then the van RAN OVER HIM. There was instant panic and chaos. There is no such thing as calling 911. All the rules about not moving someone who is injured is non-existent. I was sure he was dead. Several arms picked him up, and placed his limp body in our van and we headed back to the Ruhengeri Hospital. As we sped down the road, we broke out in prayer, praying constantly, calling some of our powerful prayer partners in the US to get the word out that this young man (and Mambo) was in serious need of prayer.
Cynthia, inspired by Don Piper’s story, began to pray for no internal injuries. Sean prayed for God to heal him completely, knowing that faith in our father is what God wants us to believe. He prayed that this boy would be able to walk away, healed. I prayed that he knew Christ and that he could live so that he could be a living testimony to a miracle of God. We also prayed for our friend Mambo who was devastated but handling he emergency so well.
As we drove, I could see that this young man’s body was lifeless. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. We cried to God, asking for his divine intervention. We pulled up to the hospital and Thomas and Mambo carried the young man inside. Silently, we stayed in the van as to not cause additional chaos at the hospital. It was important that the focus be on helping him (and not the white people he arrived with). After about 30 minutes, the police arrived. Mambo had to drive them back to the spot where the accident had taken place. We didn’t fully understand that Mambo would go to prison for 6 months if the young man died – regardless of fault or no fault. It’s just the way it is. Thomas came and told us that they were taking the boy to x-ray and that we should wait at the house.
We left and continued our prayer and calling on more to pray. Text messages started arriving from Thomas in the next hour. The boy was talking. He was drinking juice. The next message came in... he had a broken collarbone. There were no other serious injuries!
Maybe it’s hard to visualize what we witnessed this afternoon. We believe it was nothing short of answered prayers. You don’t just get hit by a car, slam into a windshield twice and get run over and end up with only a broken collarbone. The thought crossed my mind several times that he might die on the way to the hospital. I was afraid there was a chance of a serious concussion. There was clearly divine intervention.
When Thomas and Mambo arrived to the house, the announcement was that there were no internal injuries and that he had only a broken collarbone…and that the boy was on his way home. He was reported to be in good spirits, joking and talking with Thomas and Mambo. We were able to talk to him by phone about an hour later. He said he remembers seeing sean pray for him... I don't understand how - but he knew. The boy wants to come see us tomorrow.
Although we don’t know for sure if we will see this young man again, we are grateful for what we witnessed here today. Mambo is staying with us in the house tonight and he seems at peace. We are all so grateful.
There is so much to say and so much to catch you up on from this week with the widows and all that was accomplished at the bakery. That will be another blog at another time. This is what God called us to share tonight.
Tomorrow morning, Pastor Bwende will be baptizing Sean in the river! All the widows and TVM Rwanda staff will be there in celebration! We are grateful for your continued prayers for us and for our ministry here in Rwanda.
Many abundant blessings,
Diana
This morning (Saturday), we had big plans to see all we could see of Rwanda. It was our final day together here in Musanze, after a full week of working closely with the widows. We left our house at 7:00 AM, full of excitement for what the day would bring. We took Linda and Cynthia back to the waterfall to see this magnificent creation – and this time… climbed down to the base of the falls where we stood in the mist and marveled at God’s splendor.
Our plan was to return to Musanze by noon, eat lunch, and go on to Gisenyi which is at the border of The Congo with a stop to purchase some additional sheep. In Gisenyi, we would visit the Agahozo-Shalom Village. This is a school that has been set up for genocide orphans by a foundation Linda is connected to in New York City.
Our plans stayed on track until we were finally on our way to Gisenyi. We had purchased the sheep and were about 10 miles down the road when a young man ran out in front of our van.
What happened next is so hard to explain. Mambo, our driver, swerved and tried to stop. The boy, hit the front bumper, bounced into the windshield twice, smashing it, and then the van RAN OVER HIM. There was instant panic and chaos. There is no such thing as calling 911. All the rules about not moving someone who is injured is non-existent. I was sure he was dead. Several arms picked him up, and placed his limp body in our van and we headed back to the Ruhengeri Hospital. As we sped down the road, we broke out in prayer, praying constantly, calling some of our powerful prayer partners in the US to get the word out that this young man (and Mambo) was in serious need of prayer.
Cynthia, inspired by Don Piper’s story, began to pray for no internal injuries. Sean prayed for God to heal him completely, knowing that faith in our father is what God wants us to believe. He prayed that this boy would be able to walk away, healed. I prayed that he knew Christ and that he could live so that he could be a living testimony to a miracle of God. We also prayed for our friend Mambo who was devastated but handling he emergency so well.
As we drove, I could see that this young man’s body was lifeless. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. We cried to God, asking for his divine intervention. We pulled up to the hospital and Thomas and Mambo carried the young man inside. Silently, we stayed in the van as to not cause additional chaos at the hospital. It was important that the focus be on helping him (and not the white people he arrived with). After about 30 minutes, the police arrived. Mambo had to drive them back to the spot where the accident had taken place. We didn’t fully understand that Mambo would go to prison for 6 months if the young man died – regardless of fault or no fault. It’s just the way it is. Thomas came and told us that they were taking the boy to x-ray and that we should wait at the house.
We left and continued our prayer and calling on more to pray. Text messages started arriving from Thomas in the next hour. The boy was talking. He was drinking juice. The next message came in... he had a broken collarbone. There were no other serious injuries!
Maybe it’s hard to visualize what we witnessed this afternoon. We believe it was nothing short of answered prayers. You don’t just get hit by a car, slam into a windshield twice and get run over and end up with only a broken collarbone. The thought crossed my mind several times that he might die on the way to the hospital. I was afraid there was a chance of a serious concussion. There was clearly divine intervention.
When Thomas and Mambo arrived to the house, the announcement was that there were no internal injuries and that he had only a broken collarbone…and that the boy was on his way home. He was reported to be in good spirits, joking and talking with Thomas and Mambo. We were able to talk to him by phone about an hour later. He said he remembers seeing sean pray for him... I don't understand how - but he knew. The boy wants to come see us tomorrow.
Although we don’t know for sure if we will see this young man again, we are grateful for what we witnessed here today. Mambo is staying with us in the house tonight and he seems at peace. We are all so grateful.
There is so much to say and so much to catch you up on from this week with the widows and all that was accomplished at the bakery. That will be another blog at another time. This is what God called us to share tonight.
Tomorrow morning, Pastor Bwende will be baptizing Sean in the river! All the widows and TVM Rwanda staff will be there in celebration! We are grateful for your continued prayers for us and for our ministry here in Rwanda.
Many abundant blessings,
Diana
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Blessings Looming!
We have had some tremendously full days at the bakery this week…a place that not only makes bread but that has kind of been turned into a learning center for beautiful yarn! I cannot wait to share all the beautiful colors and all that our girls are learning – they have far surpassed the umuzungus in their knowledge!
We are testing some local medicinal plants for color as those are usually the ones that produce good dyes…we hope to get some reds from sorghum stocks and a pale green from a local (unidentified) plant that is used for treating stomachaches. Thus far we have an orangey-red from madder root, a deep eggplant from logwood and a beautiful variety of gold from eucalyptus…or as we like to say….ewe-caylptus! The ladies bring a new plants or flowers with them to work everyday. They are so excited about their new knowledge!
Linda learned how to make a natural black dye when she was in India last month. So interesting! The dye bath is made from mixing a really raw form of sugar (before it is molasses) with gram flour. Then, she placed rusted metal in with this mixture. After 10 days of stirring periodically the mixture becomes a base for a natural black dye….our minds are on overload!
Additionally, Linda brought a beautiful loom donated to us by New Voyager Trading and she has been working diligently with the widows to teach them how to thread the loom in preparation for weaving! Oh, the things they will know! Everiste, our shepherd is taking very detailed notes and will continue to be our wool expert. He, along with our ladies are so thrilled for this new skill! Adera stated today that sitting in front of the loom was an honor. Wow.
Cynthia is purchasing 3 more sheep for TVM this weekend! With these three and two more lambs on the way, we will be up to 17 in our flock! Additionally, the Department Animal Husbandry for Rwanda is continuing to donate wool. It is wonderful what is happening here!
I want to share with you the story of Saveline, one of our widows. Savilene is 49 years old and is wearing her first pair of shoes- ever. Saviline’s story is remarkable. When I met her almost 2 years ago she could not speak – from depression and trauma.
Saviline was thought to be dead several years ago and her body was placed in a coffin…for two days. As they were nailing the coffin shut, preparing for burial on the second day, someone heard her sneeze. Her hands have never been the same. They are partially paralyzed. Remarkably, Savilene has now developed her own style of spinning. She uses the drop-spindle but twists it with one hand and holds the fiber with the other...not at all typical of spinning with a drop-spindle. Her yarn is a beautiful testament to how God continues to use her life. . These days, Saviline is a song leader. She often initiates the songs the widows sing and is always one of the first to start dancing. Tomorrow, she will help us with final preparation for threading the loom. She is truly a God-transformed woman.
Please pray for continued blessings of transformation for us all as we close out our final days in Rwanda. Please also pray for safety for Cynthia and Sean who will be blessed with going on a Gorilla Trek tomorrow.
In His service,
Diana
We are testing some local medicinal plants for color as those are usually the ones that produce good dyes…we hope to get some reds from sorghum stocks and a pale green from a local (unidentified) plant that is used for treating stomachaches. Thus far we have an orangey-red from madder root, a deep eggplant from logwood and a beautiful variety of gold from eucalyptus…or as we like to say….ewe-caylptus! The ladies bring a new plants or flowers with them to work everyday. They are so excited about their new knowledge!
Linda learned how to make a natural black dye when she was in India last month. So interesting! The dye bath is made from mixing a really raw form of sugar (before it is molasses) with gram flour. Then, she placed rusted metal in with this mixture. After 10 days of stirring periodically the mixture becomes a base for a natural black dye….our minds are on overload!
Additionally, Linda brought a beautiful loom donated to us by New Voyager Trading and she has been working diligently with the widows to teach them how to thread the loom in preparation for weaving! Oh, the things they will know! Everiste, our shepherd is taking very detailed notes and will continue to be our wool expert. He, along with our ladies are so thrilled for this new skill! Adera stated today that sitting in front of the loom was an honor. Wow.
Cynthia is purchasing 3 more sheep for TVM this weekend! With these three and two more lambs on the way, we will be up to 17 in our flock! Additionally, the Department Animal Husbandry for Rwanda is continuing to donate wool. It is wonderful what is happening here!
I want to share with you the story of Saveline, one of our widows. Savilene is 49 years old and is wearing her first pair of shoes- ever. Saviline’s story is remarkable. When I met her almost 2 years ago she could not speak – from depression and trauma.
Saviline was thought to be dead several years ago and her body was placed in a coffin…for two days. As they were nailing the coffin shut, preparing for burial on the second day, someone heard her sneeze. Her hands have never been the same. They are partially paralyzed. Remarkably, Savilene has now developed her own style of spinning. She uses the drop-spindle but twists it with one hand and holds the fiber with the other...not at all typical of spinning with a drop-spindle. Her yarn is a beautiful testament to how God continues to use her life. . These days, Saviline is a song leader. She often initiates the songs the widows sing and is always one of the first to start dancing. Tomorrow, she will help us with final preparation for threading the loom. She is truly a God-transformed woman.
Please pray for continued blessings of transformation for us all as we close out our final days in Rwanda. Please also pray for safety for Cynthia and Sean who will be blessed with going on a Gorilla Trek tomorrow.
In His service,
Diana
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