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 :)

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