Endurance.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" - Romans 5:3-5

Two of my favorite things in the entire world are Africa and running.  When the two are put together, my heart is overcome by joy.  I love the red dirt roads lined with screaming children, the fresh breeze greeting my face, the freedom that captivates me with each passing step, the blue skies that dance over my head and the African sunshine that warms my face.  All these things bring tears to my eyes 98% of the time during my run.  I can't help but think to myself, "Surely this is a glimpse into the Kingdom.  This joy and this freedom are so life-giving".  

My perfect little African running utopia came to an abrupt halt a few weeks ago.  With knees too weak to support me, I let go of a piece of my heart.  With one misstep and a fall that sent shocks of pain through my legs, all the endurance I had built to sustain my body was taken away in an instant.  The reality of more surgeries hung heavy above my head.  I was convinced that I could battle through these physical sufferings while still serving my brothers and sisters in Africa.  As the weeks passed, my joints grew weaker and I faced a harsh reality of coming home.  Walking became a task and getting out of bed became a fight.  I reassured myself that I was going to battle through these physical setbacks and continue to serve everyone each day and pretend that all was well.  While I thought I was persevering, I was damaging my body in a way that has hindered my path in Africa.  

So through tears, I write to each of you with an insanely heavy heart.  I will be returning home tomorrow to start my surgery process.  Admitting this to myself and letting the heaviness sink in feels like daggers in my heart.  I cannot tell if my heart hurts more than my knees or the other way around.  After a conversation with my parents, filled with tears and the painful truth, we booked a flight home.  Through all my stubbornness and defiance (haha), I had to let go of my will once again and let the Lord work.  I do not have the answers as to why this is happening or where my path is leading, but I do know that God is holding my heart so tight and so close.  I know that only His glory and faithfulness will be seen through this.  I know that He will continue to work through me and through Rays of Grace in Africa when I cannot physically be present here.  I know that He will heal me in perfect timing.  I am clinging to all these things with a hopeful heart.

With a daunting multi-surgery process ahead of me, I can't help but remain hopeful.  Hopeful in the fact that I will have time to devote my undivided attention to building Rays of Grace stateside, fundraising, sharing my story, ministering to others and the list goes on.  My hands are empty and my heart is open to receive whatever God has in store for me.  My spirit is undoubtably sad... Saying good bye to Africa always takes a piece of my heart.  I cling to the hope of returning.  I pray that each of you still follow this crazy journey and take away encouragement from how the Lord is working.  I will continue to update my blog, the website, Facebook and whatever other form of social media I can get my hands on :) 

I pray that you glory in your sufferings and cry out to God for guidance.  Always turn to Him and He will make your paths straight.  Nothing He does is a mistake, it is all a part of His perfect plan.  Take away hope, joy and encouragement from all these things :) 

Again, I love you all so much and can't thank you enough for all of your support.  Keep praying for Rays of Grace and the wonderful future it holds.

Until next week :) 

So much love, joy and grace,

britt :)

Never Far From My Heart 

        

Belly of the Fish.

"The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Go to the great city Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.'  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.  He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.  After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.  Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up" - Jonah 1:1-4.

Three weeks into my time here, the Lord spoke Uganda to my heart.  After entertaining the idea for no longer than a day, I was quickly overcome by how hard it would be to get there, how hard it would be to start over and every other selfish excuse I could think of.  I suppressed the calling and trudged on here in Rwanda.  Similar to Jonah, I heard the word of God speak and I ran away from it.  It seemed so much easier and much more comfortable to remain in my established little life here.  I had lived here before, I had connections, I knew the language and the list goes on.  While I was busy going to bat for myself, God was busy rocking my world.  Over the past month I have been able to truly cry out and ask God what He needed from me and where He needed me.  Day after day He answered Uganda.  Day after day I answered, "I'll just stay here and establish another Rays of Grace location in Uganda next year".  God is not a God of compromise and His will is always fulfilled.  I started to examine the past two months and truly take the time to listen... With my hands wide open and my heart softened to receive.  With all my guards down, I let God seep in.  Once I started to mindfully listen, God began to close doors in Rwanda and provide open doors in Uganda.   

"Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.  From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  He said: 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.  From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry'" - Jonah 1:17-2:1-2.

I have spent close to 5 hours every single morning at the government offices going to bat for Rays of Grace for the past month.  I have become a one white girl circus to them which they have taken to for their own entertainment.  I have done everything they have asked of me.  I have bent over backwards to try and become established in Musanze.  Right as I have done the last possible task they ask of me... There's more.  There's one more stamp to get, one more lawyer to visit, one more bus trip to Kigali and the list goes on.  I saw a change in my attitude and a change in my heart throughout this month.  I started to work for man and not for the Lord.  I started to lose sight of joy and passion.  Within these moments of doubt and confusion, God pressed stop and I spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the belly of the fish.  I prayed, researched, emailed, sought out wisdom and advice, talked with my parents and wrestled with the reality of God asking me to take up my cross... Again.  I had doubts and questions about the children and people I have been helping with.  Do I just leave them?  Not at all.  A local organization here (based in Germany) has been temporarily dormant while they returned to Germany to fundraise for the next quarter.  They help and employ all of the SAME people I have been working with.  They will return next month to start up their work again.  Needless to say, God is good and endlessly faithful in His timing and guidance.  I will not have to abandon the work that was started, it will be beautifully continued.  

"'But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.  What I have vowed I will make good.  I will say, 'Salvation comes from the Lord'" - Jonah 2:9.

So here I am now, a ticket to Uganda for Thursday afternoon.  I will be reuniting with my Ugandan friend, Jackson, who I had the opportunity of serving with last Summer.  We will be establishing and growing Jackson's newly established school.  Our mission will still maintain its promise of sustainable living.  We will hire properly educated teachers and staff members to run the classes and programs.  We want to make sure that children are able to complete a full education, all the way from Primary School to College.  We want to make sure they are immersed in life-giving activities during down time.  For the partial orphaned children who have mother's and/or grandmother's, we will still employ them and educate them on finances and budgeting.  Rays of Grace has two wonderful high school students who have vowed to take a gap year in the Fall of 2013 to devote 6 months of service to our project.  Connor Schmitt attends Valor Christian High School and Nick Deplato attends Arapahoe High School.  They will both graduate in May and will work to fundraise until they are able to head out in October.  Rays of Grace is humbled and excited for such willing hearts to join this journey.  My heart overflows with thankfulness and shouts of joy.  Burdens have been lifted and my path has been rerouted and blessed once again.

I acknowledge that this may come off as sudden and a bit confusing for those reading.  I pray that God overwhelms your heart with peace and comfort as we all acknowledge that His will is being done above all else.  I would so appreciate prayers for safety in traveling, guidance, discernment, strength courage, wisdom and humility to God's will.  

Thank you guys so much for joining this journey and being willing to watch the Lord work.  I am so excited for what the next couple of months has in store!  Be sure to check back in to keep up with everything :) 

Sending all my love ALWAYS!

britt :) 

Foot of the Cross.

"'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done'" - Luke 22:42

Almost two years ago I underwent my sixth and biggest knee surgery.  The operation took close to five hours and there was little hope for me to ever live the way I once did.  No more running, skiing, soccer and other things that I held so dear to my heart.  Close to one year after recovery, I went on my first run and skied my little heart out all season long... Such an awesome God we serve to say the least :) The surgeon was hopeful this surgery would sustain me for three to five years until the next one.  As I approach my two year anniversary, it saddens me to say that my knees are giving away once again.  I have taken a couple of falls here that have done some damage that is hindering my daily life.  I face the reality of needing more surgeries thousands of miles away from where I am, before more damage is done.  Through a whirlwind of questions, emotions and uncertainty, comes an underlying sense of peace.  A peace that once again, God's will for my life is bigger and better than anything I could ever imagine.  He truly makes everything beautiful in its time and I have to trust fully in that.  I am not making immediate moves to leave Africa, but wanted to let everyone know the reality of the situation.  God has definitely revealed that He will permit me to establish a good chunk of Rays of Grace before returning for surgery.  Every day I have to hand my cup over to the Lord and let Him guide this journey.  His will has to come before mine.  In the midst of a heart full of turmoil, God calms the waters and brings in His light.  I would SO appreciate prayers for wisdom and guidance in this crazy decision making process.

On a lighter and more awesome note - Rays of Grace is impacting more lives day by day.  I am continually humbled by what God is doing here.  This past week I was able to have one too many meetings with the government (haha).  The process has been extremely difficult to become established legally in Rwanda.  There are many hoops to jump through as an American coming in to establish a foundation.  God has given me patience and open hands throughout this process.  It is through His insanely Divine power that He has kept me afloat.  Having Rwandans on board has been an unbelievable blessing.  The government likes to see their own people benefitting from the programs being started here which Rays of Grace has been able to present them.  Felicien and I will be the Co-Founders of Rays of Grace Rwanda... Such an unreal gift!  In endless meetings and research, it has been revealed to me that the mutual help from Rwandans and Americans makes a huge impact on the community.  To empower these people while still offering spiritual and financial support alongside of genuine friendship.  I see huge strides being made to say the least :)

The revised mission that Rays of Grace is being founded on in Musanze - Getting children off the street and into school and Rays of Grace's programs.  Our programs will include soccer, volleyball, basketball and whatever other sport God permits us to establish here.  Having children pour their energy into athletics will create a healthy outlet for their otherwise wayward choices.  We will also require children to attend tutoring after school, English classes, Literacy classes, hygiene classes and manners classes.  For the children who are partial orphans, meaning they have only a mother or grandmother to take care of them, we will develop small businesses for these women.  We will also employ numerous women in the community who are suffering from HIV/AIDS.  We will start by making jewelry and accessories that will be sold through our website and through my sister's clothing company, Reserved Threads LLC.  Through this process, we will hire business women in the community to come in and teach about budgets and finances.  We will make weekly visits to the bank to deposit and withdraw their paychecks which will go towards providing for their children who will be enrolled in our programs.  For the children who are total orphans, meaning they are completely surviving on their own, we will be asking for sponsorship from people stateside.  We will be operating all of these programs in the name of the Lord.  We will teach children, mothers, teachers, coaches and grandmothers alike how to be good stewards of what God has blessed you with.  We will come together as a community of faith.  We recognize that we are only here to glorify God's name and further His Kingdom.

We have hesitantly budgeted what the projected monthly cost of each piece of this project will be.  We will be hiring on roughly 15 people to start:

English Teacher - Holding two sessions/day - one for teens and one for children

Literacy Teacher - Holding two sessions/day - one for teens and one for children

Business Teacher - Holding one session/day and being available for questions and problems

Matron - The woman who seeks out the street children and gathers their background information - primarily focuses on the females

Patron - The man who seeks out the street children and gathers their background information - primarily focusing on the males

Sports Coach - A trustworthy, knowledgable person who will manage the athletics

2 Guards for the compound - One for the daytime, one for the evening

Compound Cleaner - Makes sure the compound is being properly taken care of

5 Women to start businesses - Reporting to work every day and learning their specific skill-sets and
responsibilities

Felicien (Co-Founder) - Majoring in Psychology, Felicien has undergone extensive research on street children since 2008.  He has learned their behavioral patterns and how to ease them into structured environments after they have lived on their own for a majority of their lives.  He knows all of our children by name and they hold a high level of respect for him which is VERY rare.  He approaches each situation with an unwavering trust in the Lord.  Faith is Felicien's rock, which we relate on daily.  He has a wonderful wife who is a nurse in the next district over as well as an 8 month old son :)

Our bare bones cost to cover the salaries for each of our team members as well as rent for our compound is $3,000 per month.  This does not include preparing the land for our athletic fields, equipment, supplies or school fees.  I'm hoping I will have set numbers for the extra costs by the end of this upcoming week.  Again, our focus is sustainable living so we are praying for consistent monthly givers to allow this project to be successful.    

And to wrap it up, we got the cutest puppy ever this week!  Her name is Simba and she is the absolute sweetest little girl!

Little Bundle of Joy 

I'm so excited to see what this upcoming week has in store!  I pray that more and more mountains are moved!  Be blessed everyone!

Sending my love always,

britt :)

Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" - 2 Corinthians 4:8

Every moment of the day, I have an opportunity to make a choice.  I make a choice to get out of bed earlier than I would like.  I make a choice to crack open my Bible morning after morning and to cry out to the Lord for strength and courage.  I make a choice to be thankful for exactly where I am in that moment... No more, no less.  I make a choice to lace up my Nikes (again) and run and run until I feel like my lungs may burst.  I make a choice to put in my Jillian Michaels Yoga DVD so that I can make sure I am strengthening my surgery-worn knees.  I make a choice to to pack up my backpack for the 9 hour day of serving ahead of me.

The moment I step out onto the muddy dirt roads, thousands of big brown eyes spot me.  Everyone is hungry.  Everyone is thirsty.  Everyone needs school fees paid for.  Everyone needs money.  Everyone needs love.  Everyone needs a hand to hold.  Everyone needs a job.  Everyone needs all these things from me.  I long to grow more hands so I can hold just one more small brown hand.  I long to fill up my gas tank so I have enough energy to play one more soccer game.  I long to be a millionaire so that I can make sure each and every kind soul has a place to rest their head that night, a meal to fill their empty tummies, a soccer ball to fill their free time,   I long to have enough strength to take one more step and to serve one more person.  Most days, my heart feels like it just may burst.  Most days my 45 minute walk home seems simply impossible.  I cannot fathom taking another step.  I long to be invisible in these moments and I long for the ability to teleport.  After realizing just how unattainable these two options are, God and I have a pep talk and He puts one foot in front of the other.  We talk and laugh at how human I am and before I know it, He has delivered me to my front door.  I thank Him endlessly for His faithfulness to His children and for looking after me time and again.  He quietly whispers the promise of 2 Corinthians 4:8 to me - "Brittany, you are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  Rest in me my child".  It is in that moment that I experience an unreal sense of peace and rest.  I know that I am EXACTLY where the Lord needs me.  My questions and doubts simply fade away and once again, through His Sovereignty, I am made new.  Praise the Lord for making us fully human so that He can be fully God :)

This week has been full of breakthrough, wisdom, affirmation and guidance.  God has hand picked the EXACT people He needs me to meet.  Things are moving very quickly and Rays of Grace has a lot of needs.  As I mentioned last week, God has blessed me with the opportunity to hire on 3-4 Rwandans.  Again, we want every part of this process to be benefitting this country and these people.  These are well-educated, bright and trustworthy individuals.  They have a deep desire to see their neighbors, friends and family break free from the chains of poverty.  I also had the opportunity to meet a handful of women who are widowed and/or suffering from AIDS.  With the proper funding and office space, we are hoping to create a place for them to come to work each day which will in turn allow them to start receiving an income so that they can provide for their families.  That being said, Rays of Grace is needing to purchase a piece of land where we can start to develop a compound that caters to after school programs including a soccer field, a volleyball court, a basketball court, classrooms for tutoring, hygiene courses, manners classes, English classes and enough space for women to come and work on making their crafts.  We are wanting to get children off the streets and into school and Rays of Grace's programs.  These children are needing an outlet and a focus for their precious little lives.  They need to know their sense of worth.  They need to know they are loved.  They need to know that they are children of an Almighty God and that they are not forgotten.  Sometimes the thought of the work ahead of me makes me want to sleep for a week :) but in those moments, again, I am absolutely renewed by the strength of the Lord.  Such a gift!

Old Friends, New Friends, Nail Painting, Endless Smiles 

I have a week full of meetings to budget what the projected cost of this project will look like.  I am hoping to get sports teams, churches, small groups, schools, families, businesses, etc. involved in the fundraising process!  I fully believe that God will provide above and beyond for what is needed here!  If you have further questions or would like to get involved please email me at bfroi17@gmail.com and/or visit our website at www.raysofgrace.org.

I am feeling your prayers and love every single day, THANK YOU!  God is good all the time, no matter what.  Hold tight to such a beautiful promise :)

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

britt :)

Hope.

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" - 2 Corinthians 4:16

Almost every night as I walk home, I run into two of my dear friends.  They are no older than 10 years old and do not speak a word of English.  We laugh and gesture and I make sure to keep loose change in my pocket for them.  They are filled with a humbling dose of joy.  Their clothes are worn to shreds and their skin is often laced with dirt.  Their noses are constantly running and their scalps are scattered with white patches... Some from infection and some from the sun bleaching out their hair.  Once we reach the point in our walk where we go our separate ways, I shake their hands and smile and laugh with them... Desperately wanting to show them love they otherwise will not receive.  I hand them the equivalent of a penny which will allow them to purchase a piece of bread.  I am typically against handing out any sort of money or food items here... Minus these two.  They are my unique case.  Here's the most beautiful part about my two brothers - one of them is completely disabled in a wheelchair.  His limbs are mangled, he cannot speak and he has an unquenchable grin engraved on his face 24/7.  His joy is contagious.  He never fails to make me smile while fighting back tears.  These are not tears of pity by any means.  They are tears of joy and tears of love.  I look deep into his brown eyes and see the Lord.  I see a small boy who is confined to a wheelchair, but can't resist smiling.  When I see him, suddenly everything in my life is absolutely perfect.  Joy is not dependent on my circumstances, it is rooted deep in the Lord.  Now for his incredible friend.  He wheels him around every single day.  I have seen them in every part of the community I live in.  He makes sure that his friend is fed and taken care of.  This again moves me to tears.  What a beautiful example of friendship and how the Lord calls us to care for one another.  And to think they are no more than 10 years old... My goodness let that be an example to all of us.  Let us serve each other with complete humility, grace and love.  Let us go to the ends of the earth for one another because that is what we are called to do as brothers and sisters in Christ.  When I passed by these two beautiful souls tonight, I had a little extra food from my day that I was able to share with them.  I always hand things to the friend pushing the wheelchair and he IMMEDIATELY hands half of what was given to him to his friend.  Seriously, such beauty.  I urge anyone who is reading this to love your neighbor like these friends love one another.  Let their friendship and brotherhood impact you to love hard.  Although this little boy will never experience the rush of running with friends, kicking a soccer ball, hearing his own voice, laughing and so much more, he knows that he is being renewed day by day.  The Lord is keeping close watch on his precious spirit and preparing an eternity of freedom and frolicking for this little one :)

This week has been a week of growing and breakthrough.  God has brought old friends and new friends into my life to join us in Rays of Grace's mission here.  There are three people in particular that were sent to me directly from the Lord.  Andrew, Richard and Felicien... Three incredible Rwandan souls who I hope to employ through Rays of Grace.  They are each equipped with incredible skill sets that parallel with our mission and vision.  This permits Rays of Grace to be one step closer in the empowerment process on the ground here.  We want Rwandans to fully understand and embrace their self worth by providing the tools they need to be self-sustaining.  These three wonderful young men are trustworthy and willing to devote their time and energy to begin the initial stages of establishing Rays of Grace.  I was able to conduct informal interviews with them where I described our mission and the direction we are headed.  They were all very excited and hopeful that this would be a successful mission.  This brought my heart so much peace and encouragement.  It was such a wonderful dose of affirmation from God.  Over the next two months, we hope to set up an office space in town where we can begin to develop our small businesses and have a place to be in community with one another.  Prayers for God's guidance and support throughout this process are extremely appreciated!

God is opening more and more doors each and every day for me here.  He is allowing me to grow deeper with the community and to permit them to see me as their sister, rather than a foreigner just passing through.  I continually praise God for this gift.

Hanging Out In The Villages

I love each of you deeply and pray that this finds you well!  Continual prayers for guidance, discernment, patience, strength, courage, finances and wisdom are always welcomed and appreciated!  Thank you, thank you!

Love, Grace and BIG HUGS,

britt :) 

   

 

Made New.

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning" - Lamentations 3:22-23

There is no such thing as sleeping in here.  Once the sun is up, you are up.  The roosters crow, the cows moo, the children laugh and you arise with all these beautiful things.  These words from Lamentations ring true in my heart with every.single.sunrise.  As I roll out from under my mosquito net and my feet hit the cold cement floor, a surge of energy runs through my body preparing me for the day ahead.  As I open my curtains, I hear every last joint in my body snap, crackle and pop.  I laugh and have to remind myself that I am in fact 22 years old, not 92 years old :)

As the early morning sun fills my modest room, I crack open my journal and my bible.  My prayers seem to pour out of my heart and find their way onto the paper.  I am quick to pray for strength for the day and for an overwhelming dose of humility with every step I take.  I pray for God to use me in the lives of every single person I cross paths with.  I ask for God to guide me through His Word and to fill my cup with His abounding love.  He is quick to answer these prayers :)

Once again, I lace up those Nikes and head out into His Creation... Captivated time and again by the beautiful dirt roads of Rwanda with every step I take.

My mornings are about the only routine thing in my life.  I have absolutely fallen in love with this reality.  I have had people ask, "What does a typical day look like for you?"  I have to smile at this question because each day is a complete mystery.  I make new friends, visit old ones, dance, laugh, paint nails, hug, get dirty, play soccer, laugh at myself, venture into new villages, meander through farmlands, visit schools, visit the hospital, figure out why everything in our house is broken, make runs into town for food and water and so much more.  I would not change anything about this beautiful, confusing, frustrating, comical life that I live.  When you live with your hands and heart wide open to the Lord, He will fill you with His Will and His Purpose with each passing moment.

A Typical Walk Through Rwanda 

This week has filled me with joy, peace and affirmation.  I was able to slowly make my way into the hospital we have here in town.  On Monday, I sat in the maternity ward with families who were eagerly awaiting the news of their newborn family members.  I got to experience the excitement and joy of new life for a solid hour of my morning.  Praise God for new mercies :) The best part - about 2% of the people I was sitting with spoke extremely broken English.  As for everyone else, we communicated through laughter and smiles and high fives... SO SO GREAT.  I wandered around the hospital a bit more and had my eyes opened to the reality of people who are sick and dying.  To go from new life to losing life in a matter of steps can really pierce your heart.  It dawned on me that this is what Christ's followers are called to do.  To look after those who are desperate for healing and love.  I spent time visiting all the different areas and asking the Lord how I can serve there and for Him to open doors for me to do so.  I left with a heavy heart but with hope that I could bring the light of the Lord to that place.  I returned later that week where I met with the Secretary and the Head of Nursing.  They advised me to set up a meeting with the Director of the hospital to get involved.  I am very hopeful for this opportunity!  Please pray that I am able to fully immerse within the hospital community and serve them to the best of my ability.  I shall keep all of you posted :)

Rays of Grace has also been introduced to a local school in our community.  There are roughly 20 children who are total or partial orphans in need of sponsorship.  We are hoping to step up and take this responsibility.  We are undergoing research on the proper way to approach the situation.  These 20 children are not receiving proper nutrition... If they are lucky they can scrounge roughly 1 meal a day.  We want to create a feeding program that factors into the after school and opportunity program that we are creating.  We are hoping to create a small business where we can hire these student's mothers, aunts and grandmothers to make products for Rays of Grace to sell stateside.  Through this process, we will teach them about finances, budgets and loans.  We will teach them how a paycheck goes towards your child's school fees, food for the week and other living costs.  This creates a sense of empowerment where they no longer have to rely on the white person to come in and bring money, but rather to earn their own money and start the process of sustainability.  With school fees being paid, a proper education is received and Rays of Grace is able to start the preparation process for students to attend college in the States.  It's a lot to take in, however; we are receiving affirmation about this vision daily.  Praise Him.  We are asking for donations and monthly supporters so that we have the proper means to begin making an impact.  God has moved mountains with relationship building here.  Our community has truly welcomed us with open arms.  I feel continual affirmation from the Holy Spirit with this place He has planted us in.

  Break Time At School 

Once again, my heart overflows with thankfulness for the huge amount of prayers and love I am receiving thousands of miles away.  I am truly grateful for each and everyone of you.  With your faith in the Lord and expectant prayers, Rays of Grace is able to prosper.  Hooray :)

I love you guys!  Talk to you soon :)

britt :)

Make a tax-deductable donation today at http://www.raysofgrace.org/support

Gratefully Present Now.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

I love to start my days with a nice morning run.  It frees my soul and clears my mind.  As my neon green Nikes make their way out to the muddy dirt roads, I am immediately greeted by people staring, children laughing and a song of praise being sang somewhere in the distance.  As I weave my way through the rocky roads of our village, I eventually find my way to the main road.  This road takes me up and down the hills of Rwanda.  With every step I take, a new smile greets me, more sets of eyes stare at me, and motorcycles and massive trucks wiz by me, leaving me with a mouthful of exhaust that trickles down into my lungs.  I can’t help but smile and laugh at the reality of this life I live.  I often look up into the misty morning sky and smile REALLY BIG at God for delivering me to this place.  As I was running yesterday, the beauty of this so-called “third world country” overcame me.  I have experienced more joy and more fullness in Africa than I have any other place.  Amidst human suffering, hunger, illness, death and disease lies this unquenchable faith and deep-rooted joy in the Lord.  My brothers and sisters here know that joy does not come from material items, a paycheck, a college degree, an ideal job, but rather from an all-sufficient Savior.  Wow.  What a reality to seep into my soul on a casual Saturday morning.         

I am so quick to think that beauty comes in the form of cleanliness, a nice suburban neighborhood, all of our favorite cars in the driveway, my favorite brands of clothes lined up neatly in my closet and so on.  My goodness has my heart been led astray.  Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond grateful for the life I have been given and the comfort I have been able to experience.  I have been blessed beyond belief.  However, I have found the true meaning of beauty in the eyes and on the faces of all my little brothers and sisters here… With feet and hands so laced with dirt that a week’s worth of showering won’t clean off the beautiful African soil.  I have found beauty in the silence of not being able to communicate a single word with people because of the immense language barrier between us.  I have found beauty in the frustration of not being able to shower for a week because of the lack of hot water or the fact that I am so exhausted at the end of the day, I cannot fathom showering before bed.  THIS IS LOVE.  THIS IS BEAUTY.  All my Rwandan friends understand that this life on earth is temporary.  They understand that the Lord “has made everything beautiful in its time”.  They do not question the Sovereignty of our King because they experience the works of His hand DAILY.  They cry out to Him for food and He hears them and blesses them.  They ask and pray with expectancy and they receive.  They do not keep God in a box.  They know He hears their cries and they set their hearts on eternity knowing that the best is yet to come.  O my goodness I long for faith like this.  They teach me so much with each passing moment.  They have given me so much more than I could ever fathom giving them.

This beauty and joy overflows my cup and makes me want to serve harder, get dirtier, love bigger and dive deeper in my relationship with the Lord.  With all this to say, God has definitely been breaking down walls for Rays of Grace.  He is allowing us to make our way into this new community.  We have been welcomed and received with laughter and smiles.  What a blessing this is!  We are hoping to build genuine relationships and to listen to what the needs of this area are.  We are repeatedly affirmed that the greatest need is a proper education.  We are hopeful that the Opportunity Program will be of great benefit to this place and that the same model can be planted in surrounding communities around the area.  We had dinner with some of our dear Rwandan friends this past week where we were able to present our idea to them.  They were very hopeful about this being a success.  They really spoke positively on the idea of training students in Rwanda first before sending them to America for college.  Once proper preparations were undertaken, our friends believed this would be quite beneficial for Rwanda.  They believe the knowledge and experience these students could potentially bring back to Rwanda after four years of a proper college education would create small steps out of poverty.

Now that Rays of Grace has a more defined path, we have quite a bit of needs.  We are praying for the finances to get this program off the ground.  Quite a bit of supplies are needed as well as a need for more manpower on the ground here.  Please pray that God brings trustworthy Rwandans into our lives that are willing to help us.  If I have learned anything here, it would be nothing is too big for God.  He has planted me here, in the middle of Africa, for a Divine Purpose.  Ephesians 2:10 continually rings true for my heart – “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I can’t thank you enough for the endless amount of prayers and love you have extended towards Rays of Grace.  It affirms my heart daily to know that I have a big old support system back home praying for BIG THINGS to happen over here.  He is faithful beyond measure and gives me so much more than I deserve.  THANK YOU ALL!  Sending you so much Afreekan love from the bottom of my heart.

Grace, Love and BIG HUGS!!!

britt :)

   

Not My Finest Moment

"He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart" - Ecclesiastes 5:20 

Hello Everyone!

When all my days begin to run together here, my heart finds such promise in this verse!  Between a deep rooted joy and the constant craziness of Africa, God has kept my heart overflowing with gladness.  We have had quite a BIG week here in little Rwanda!  Today brought me a hefty dose of humble pie and an event that will keep me laughing til Kingdom come.  We took a trip to Kigali (the capital of Rwanda and roughly a two hour drive form Musanze) to gather all sorts of supplies for Rays of Grace's NEW HOUSE!  A trip to the city can be quite refreshing.  They have some fun "American-type" places to eat and some fabulous grocery shopping :) So Jeff and I left the house around 6 am with joy in our steps, eager to take a fun day trip.  Once we arrived in Kigali we stopped at Bourbon Coffee which is the Starbucks of Africa... Such a treat!  After breakfast, we gathered all of our household items and headed out for our 30 minute walk to the bus park.  A hefty storm blew in so we hunkered down for a bit and decided to partake in a buffet for lunch.  The food was delicious and kept us occupied as the storm rolled through.  After the storm cleared, we gathered up our things and started our journey to the bus park!  This is an experience all in itself.  It brings the term "organized chaos" to a whole new level.  When two Mzungus walk into the park, the party starts.  You are being yelled at, directed, grabbed, etc, etc, until you finally find the bus you need.  We honed in a made a B Line to our bus and settled in for the two hour journey ahead.  Everything was going swimmingly and I even started to sleep for a bit.  Suddenly, I instantly regretted my lunch choice and I had a long way to go.  I had my window open, taking deep breaths, but it just wouldn't cut it.  Everyone was getting frustrated with the cold air and took the liberty of shutting the window in my face.  I braced myself, said a quick prayer, handed my Ray Bans to Jeff (priorities, right?) and humbly accepted saying bye to my lunch out the window of a bus.  As if I didn't stick out already, I became the talk of the bus ride and now the talk of the town.  Hahahahahahaha all I can do is laugh.  After that, no one wanted to close my window anymore... Winning.  All that to say, I am going to take a hiatus from the buffet scene here.  One of my biggest prayers has been for humility and God really showed up big today :).  

Anywho, all sickness and laughs aside, we have truly been receiving abundant blessings this week.  After roughly three weeks of searching for a home base for Rays of Grace, God parted the confusion and placed a house/office in our laps.  Psalm 5:3 has continually rang true in my heart - "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation".  We are called to humble ourselves before the Lord with the cries of our hearts.  He hears us and answers according to the riches of His Will.  If we pray with expectancy, we begin to see The Maker's Hand in every part of our lives.  He is a Sovereign God who truly desires the best for His children.  Hooray :) 

We will be uploading photos within the next few days of the house to our Facebook Page if any of you would like to view it:

http://www.facebook.com/RaysOfGrace

We have also learned insane amounts of information as we have immersed ourselves further and further into this new community.  We are hopeful to carry out clean water projects and to start up small craft businesses for the women in our area.  However, our main vision has changed.  As I wrote in the last blog, there is a HUGE need for a proper education in order to end the cycle of poverty.  We have befriended a large amount of students ranging from Primary School to College-aged students.  There biggest request - "I want to attend University in America so that I can come back to my country and help".  Wow.  Humbled.  Once we heard that, we got down to business.  We began researching like crazy and figuring out just what this would take.  The more we researched and prayed and sought out advice, the more God impressed upon our hearts the idea of starting the Opportunity Program.  We would like to open up our home for students to come to so that Rays of Grace could prepare them for an education in America.  We are hoping to fundraise financial means to purchase a small amount of lap tops, books, pens, pencils, dictionaries and such to begin the preparation.  We have learned of a location near Kigali that allows students to take the SAT's so that they are eligible for University's in the U.S.

We are hoping to start with one boy and one girl.  We are hoping to find host families for the students to stay with while they are stateside.  We will ask the students to research grants and scholarships while we begin the start up stages for a Tuition Fund.  Although we are starting with two students, we will have a constant flow of younger students coming to our house for homework help, English lessons, after school programs and hopefully a meal program.  And now the BIGGEST HOPE - to create programs in Colorado, Texas and New Jersey (the three places we have the most connections) where the kids could come out for two weeks to a month to experience America and to show them different college options.  We would love to work with different ski resorts and ski companies so that the students could partake in all the fun Colorado has to offer :) 

To try and wrap up this novel, we have some BIG prayer requests.  We are praying for God to equip us with the energy, strength and courage necessary to make this happen.  Rays of Grace is truly to here to further His Kingdom and to serve our brothers and sisters with all that we are.  We prayerfully submit this to Him and invite you to come alongside of us in prayer as well!  

Again, all advice and wisdom is ALWAYS welcomed!  God is good ALL THE TIME!

I love you all!

BIG grace and BIG hugs!

britt :) 

PS - Hi Mommy :) I love you and miss you :) 

Humbled.

"After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him" - John 13:5 

As I washed my hands today, the porcelain white sink quickly turned to a dark brown as I rinsed off the day.  I watched as the dirty water raced down the drain and out of my sight.  Rather than being disgusted, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness.  Thankfulness that I get to experience reality.  Thankfulness that God has removed barriers of being untouchable.  As children of an Almighty God, we are called to serve one another in love and to offer grace and mercy to everyone.  This can seem unfathomable and difficult at times... But I have found that the more you let go of hindrances, the more room God has to come in and flood your heart.  

We have spent the past week visiting various different communities around the area and praying for discernment in where God needs us to immerse fully.  I must admit, we have been a bit discouraged.  We have had multiple opportunities fall through which has left us confused.  Many organizations have come into Rwanda and have made HUGE impacts prior to us being here... Not to say there aren't more needs, we just want to make sure we are approaching this alongside the community.  My heart has been humbled by this day in and day out.  I have experienced humility in the sense that I felt like I was going to be the one that comes in and helps improve the well being of many precious souls here.  What I have found in return is that they are quite capable of doing such things on their own.  I have been blown away at the things God is revealing to my heart.  Is it better for Westerners to come in and disrupt the Rwandans way of life?  Or would it be more beneficial to encourage them in the lives they are already living?  So many questions!  

A seed God has planted throughout this week is possibly starting an Opportunity Program stateside for Rwandans.  The more friends I make and the more conversations I have, the more I learn that these people are longing for opportunities outside of their country.  Outside of the confines of poverty.  They are eager to experience a college education in the states and eager to experience where these crazy Mzungu's come from :) 

All this to say, I have had thoughts of developing programs both here and in America.  It will be quite a bit of coming and going but I can't help but think this could be an incredible gift to my dear brothers and sisters here.  I welcome all advice and wisdom on this newfound thought!  I am so thankful for each one of you and value your opinion.  I pray that this post finds you well and full of joy through the Holy Spirit.  

BIG LOVE and plenty of grace always, 

britt :)

Dancing In The Light.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" - Matthew 5:16

Happy Sunshine Saturday!

It has been just under a week of Rwandan living and God is already up to some BIG things, what a rad dude!  We have spent this week walking... A LOT.  Walking creates such a beautiful avenue for relationship building here.  It allows me to press pause from the craziness of life and take time to be amongst God's children.  To touch, to laugh, to paint nails, to play soccer, to crack jokes, to rummage through language barriers, to hug... To be tangible love to those who are desperate to be noticed.  It gives me a true glimpse into the human soul.  A glimpse into how we are longing to be acknowledged and cherished. The pure joy that is experienced through a simple handshake is worth more than gold.  I want all of our Rwandan friends to see Jesus through the love I convey.  I want them to know that they are known and that they are worth it.  That somewhere, an ocean away, there are a heck of a lot of Americans praying hard for their lives to be rich in love and that we are rooting for them to flourish and live prosperous lives.  I want them to know that the difference in our skin color, social standing, and daily lives could never separate us from the love that was poured out on the cross... O what joy and promise!    

I would have to say their smiles speak louder than words :) 

On the more formal side of things, we are quite hopeful to start laying foundations for Rays of Grace very soon!  We were introduced to a community near Lake Buhera which is located about 40 minutes from where we are staying currently.  There is a huge need for guidance and support on the path out of poverty within this community.  They have incredible access to fertile farmland and safe drinking water through the lake.  We are hopeful to start a coffee and tea farm as well where we could cater to micro finance loans.  This being said it is SUPER rural and we are going to have to learn how to live off the land ASAP.  Instead of cruising out to the grocery store we will be strolling out to our backyard (hahaha) wish me luck!  We are working out housing arrangements throughout the next couple of days... Prayers would are welcomed and beyond appreciated!  I will keep everyone updated as plans begin to unfold.

Thank you a million times over for the endless amount of love, grace, prayers, support and encouraging words each of you have poured out to me.  None of this would be possible without such an incredible team of believers :) 

Again, I pray that you live boldly and with purpose.  Make this day the best day yet :) show grace and love constantly.

I love you guys!

britt :) 

My prayer for you - Father God may we be mindful to praise you in all circumstances.  Allow us to find joy with each breath we take.  Open our hearts to give and receive love to everyone we cross paths with.  May we be filled with peace and rest.  Thank you for giving us abundantly more than we deserve.  I love you and praise Your Name always :) in your Son's name I pray, Amen. 
  

Live Boldly.

"For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.  He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ - with all boldness and without hindrance" - Acts 28:30-31

Hello From Rwanda Everyone!

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support over the past few days of traveling... Definitely feeling so much peace and rest from thousands of miles away!  This afternoon the journey to Musanze will begin!

CHEESIN' SO HARD!

I am truly humbled by the grace and love each of you have shown me throughout this journey.  It has been laced with joy, heartache, tears, laughter, rejoicing and praising.  It has also come with great sacrifice.  A sacrifice that I encourage everyone to experience.  A sacrifice of boldly living for the Lord with an unquenchable hunger and thirst for Him.  This does not mean you have to uproot and move to Africa (haha)... This could mean loving hard on those around you, right where you are at this moment.  Whether that be in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas where my incredible parents live, or at San Antonio Christian where my rock star brother Blake coaches football, or in Addison, Texas where my oldest sister Lindsay impacts her community daily, or in Highlands Ranch, Colorado where my sister Sydney shines a light wherever she goes... We can change this world for Christ "with all boldness and without hindrance" just like Paul did.  The Lord truly asks us for our whole lives.

Maybe you can start today with saying hello to a stranger, encouraging a friend, showing patience when it's hard or saying a much overdue prayer.  Whatever your day may look like, I encourage you to live with purpose and be mindful of the impact you make on this world.

My prayer for you today - Father God may you recapture our hearts moment by moment.  May we feel your all consuming love and grace as you guide us through each passing day.  May we fall so in love with you that we can't help but bring others to You.  Guide our feet and remove the masks from our eyes.  Help us to love like you love and serve those around us with everything we have.  Thank you for being all-sufficient and pure.  Let us be bold on this day and every day.  In your Son's name I pray, Amen.

SO MUCH LOVE AND GRACE!!!!!!

britt





 

Seek To Live, Not Just Exist

I have been on a 22 year journey of discovering what it means to truly live.

What it means to soak up the richness of each passing day.

To thrive rather than just get by.

To love on people so hard that their joy and pain becomes my joy and pain.

I want to live a life that points everyone in the direction of Eternity.

I want everyone to experience the fullness of living a life completely surrendered to God.

I want to give others hope.

I do not have a recipe of how to reach a place of peace and contentment.  I only have my own story to share with you.  A story that is laced with laughter and joy, heartache and pain, failures and triumphs.  A story that has molded me into the person that I am.  A story that is a beautiful, crazy, funny masterpiece...

... A story of God's complete, unending, all-sufficient grace.

Please join me on this journey as I learn what it means to live life to the full.  

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" - John 10:10

So Much Love and Grace to You,

britt