July 2006

My Friend,

I have just returned from Kigali, Rwanda for a series of meetings; some in the church, others with government and church leadership. One of the great highlights of the trip was being a part of “Hope Rwanda”, a ninety day initiative to match the number of days of the genocide in that nation with meetings across the nation for the purpose of spreading hope.

The day before I attended a public trial called Gacaca where the genocide perpetrators are tried before their neighbors and peers. All over the capital city and out in the provinces, Rwandans were sitting under trees, on rocks, in makeshift chairs listening silently to the testimonies of mothers and fathers, neighbors and brothers who survived the terror of mass murder and were now telling their story. As a community they were involved in the horror of listening to their history again. And as a community they were also administering justice in one of the most primitive, and yet effective ways for their nation. It was a sober picture of a nation still healing.

The good news is that more and more people are “discovering Rwanda.” If the world turned its back during the 1994 genocide, many are now being a part of the healing process. Mark and Darlene Zschech from Hillsong, Australia are the founders of the Hope Rwanda initiative and visited the Jireh Center. Bill Clinton made a buzz in the main hotel in the city with his one day visit. Rick Warren of the Purpose Driven Life fame and his wife are very involved with rebuilding Rwanda as well. It was a new experience to meet so many who had come to support the nation in “Hope Rwanda”. How exciting to watch a nation slowly come up out of the ashes.

I was more aware than ever of the great need for the Jireh Center. Now that the building is completed, we are training a team of top quality workers to train their own. With eight million people earning an average of two hundred and fifty dollars a year (with the average family of 5-6 children) and many of these widows who have never learned to read or write, there is a great need in Rwanda for economic stability.

We are making a tremendous impact on the nation. We have been collecting computers, sewing machines and still need desks, fans, chairs, books, and material. We are committing to salaries for teachers until the center can be self supporting. All of this requires much effort and team work.



I need you to be a part of this second phase of the project. Whether you would like to buy a computer or a book to teach reading and writing, we need your best offering. If you or your organization would like to adopt a teacher for a year, please let me know. Leah’s Sisters is a non profit organization and your gifts will be tax deductible.

Our lives, given and seeded into widows, orphans and HIV AIDS victims, will raise a harvest of righteousness.

Together,
Mary
Mary Dunham Faulkner
Founder/Director Leah’s Sisters

Leah’s Sisters · PO Box 17-1234 · Irving, TX 75017
phone: 214.886.1093 · email: mary@leahssisters.org