____As 2011 comes to a close one word stands out – unforgettable.

We sensed Christ’s Church in Rwanda’s (CCR) future was to be found through investing in Rwanda’s youth. We prayed and moved forward assuming God directed our thought process. Dave in the spring of 2011 lectured to over 600 university students in ethics. Later Dave facilitated the Rwanda Presidential Scholars program with 20 of Rwanda’s brightest students beginning their undergraduate career at some of the top liberal arts universities in the United States. On Friday, 23 December over 300 young people gathered at CCR as we celebrated God’s goodness through music. Unforgettable.

We sensed that CCR must find a way to serve Rwanda’s most vulnerable children. God’s word and the best of Christian theologians resonated with the theme of adoption. On May 13, Mugisha Gabriel entered our lives. He has brought new joy and discovery to our home. On 17 November Mugisha Gabriel began having seizures. The seizures have decreased in frequency and intensity, but still remain. We do not know the future, but belief in God’s call. Unforgettable.

With a few others families in 2005 we began the dream of Kigali International Community School (KICS). We began with 26 students in a 4 bedroom rented home. In April 2007 KICS moved to her current home. The number of students has grown to over 200 from over 30 nationalities. KICS empowered investment and made Kigali livable for many families. On Friday, 27 May Sophia graduated from KICS. It was one of our most rewarding days since we arrived in Rwanda. She was accepted at prestigious Wheaton College. She began her college journey on Thursday, 18 August. Unforgettable.

We sensed that we had entered a season to seek God’s will for the future. Dave spent 40 days outside of Rwanda as we settled Sophia into college. It appeared doors were opening for a year furlough in Chicago to be near Sophia, serve Great Lakes Diaspora, and pursue further education. Then the ROC leadership asked if we would consider returning to the USA for a season to mature ROC as a missionary sending organization. We believed this was the call of God. Nineteen years of missionary service in the Great Lakes Region of Africa is coming to a close as we begin a season of serving in the Great Lakes Region of the United States. Unforgettable.

Our African missionary tradition is to celebrate the Christmas Season with all the strength and joy the Lord gives us. Just before Dave began his Christmas Eve Sermon, news came that our friend, Major Eustache Nsinga had passed from this life to another. Rwanda lost one of her brightest minds in ICT at the young age of 38. His sense of justice, loyalty, hope, and joy is irreplaceable. Our community’s loss is immense. Unforgettable.

Our CCR numbers were high over the Christmas Season. Over 200 attended our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Approximately 350 attended our Christmas Day Service. We faced paradox on Monday 26 December as over 650 from our community gathered for Major Eustache Nsinga's funeral. We remembered his life and our hope of a resurrection. Unforgettable.

Rwanda’s missionary tradition from the days of the East African Revival in the 1940’s is to gather on the Kumbya Peninsula on Lake Kivu to rest and reflect. Sophia is home with us for Christmas. Our family is together for a few days in Africa before we begin our newest transition to the United States in 2012. We again are at Kumbya. This morning Dave remembered 45 years and 4 recovered back surgeries as he swam 2400 meters in Lake Kivu. Unforgettable.

Through these journeys old truths remain. Our hope is in the resurrection. On this earth our greatest joys are in family and friends.

Many of you have sacrificed deeply to make this journey possible. Your sacrifices have blessed many. Our December financial report showed that giving was down in 2011. Yet, God has done the surprising through friends and family for 19 years. A year end gift would greatly ease our transitions in 2012. However, God chooses to shape us in 2012 we trust it will be unforgettable.

May your year-end reflections also be filled with joyful memories of the Lord’s goodness.

Imana ikurinde (May God Stay With All of You),
Dave and Jana

_Our Father Who Art in Heaven,

Our Lord taught us to pray with this address. Somehow, we are not struck by the wonder of our Lord’s simple description. You are the God of All. You are the God of Heaven and Earth. You are Sovereign, Creator, and Redeemer. You are our Father.

When you chose to disclose the intimacies of your intent you spoke through prophets of the Old Testament; your Son, Jesus; and the Apostles of the New Testament. They all proclaimed you as Father. They had many illustrations of your love. The most striking is of adoption.

Our sin has made us like children abandoned in a field. You have adopted us. You are our hope, protector, and provider. You love us with the intimacies of a Father. You laugh with us and cry with us. You cheer for us. You discipline us. You run to us when we return. To dwell in your house is our greatest desire.

Father, for two years some of us at CCR prayed for you to disclose your will for CCR and vulnerable children. We listened. We wrestled. We tried a few things. Then like a flood you spoke. We should have heard sooner and clearer. Yet, we heard. Children belong in a family.

We repent for substituting activities and projects for your intimacies. Adoption is awe inspiring and consuming – just like you. May our love to vulnerable children reflect your love to us.  Thank you for bringing this blessed messenger – Gabriel Mugisha to our lives. His name states your intent. Gabriel is the Mighty Messenger of God. Mugisha is The Blessed One. We have been blessed by his message.

Father he has survived the unthinkable. Father he has captured the hearts of our family, church, and community. We cheer for him. Throughout Kigali as he enters a room we hear, “Mugisha, how are you?” He teaches us to hunger for you.
Father, thank you for his joy, laughter, hope, and endurance. May you bless all of him.

Father, we vacillate between weeping and anger when we see him in a seizure. We ask for you to touch him as your son touched children years ago. Please heal this child.
Father, we thank you for the counsel of doctors and friends in Kigali and Nairobi. We believe like they that Mugisha’s future is a mysterious hope. We thank you that the seizures have decreased. We ask for you to remove them completely.

Father, we love Mugisha as our own child. We recognize he is your child first.
Father, we ask that you take away our temporary status with Mugisha. Please place him in a permanent family.
Father, on my birthday be with the Rwanda judge who we hope to rule today. If Mugisha has a biological family who can be found to care for him with your love please reunite them. If Mugisha’s family cannot be found please clear the way for another.

Father may your glory be seen through Mugisha.
We come to you in the name of your son, Jesus.

Amen

_Christmas Letter 2011
David and Sheri DeBolt (Casa de Niños)

Dear Family and Friends,
 
Christmas is just a few days away and who can resist listening to Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Oh - Come All Ye Faithful and of course Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Remember the Snowman's voice: Burl Ives?  What a classic Christmas favorite for children.  What I remember most was the sadness of Rudolph being rejected and he and his little elf friend ended up on the Island of Misfit Toys.  They were all abandoned and forsaken.
 
Lucina Williams wrote, "You weren't born to be abandoned, You weren't born to be forsaken, You were born to be loved, You were born to be loved." Sometimes the children of Casa de Niños feel like those Misfit Toys.  There are two times of the year that a Casa de Niños child is the saddest, Mother's Day and Christmas.  It's true.  Ask anyone of them.  That's where we come in.  Everyday this week and next the smells and tastes of the Christmas season come pouring out of the kitchen.  Pies, Cookies, Cupcakes, Tamales, Turkey, Dressing...you name it, Sheri is cooking it or baking it.  Christmas music floods the halls and rooms of Casa de Niños as it is decorated with Christmas trees (6 in all).  Lights, trees, stars, all make Casa de Niños a fun home for the children at Christmas!  The dining room writing board has Merry Christmas written on it in 9 different languages, Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale, Feliz Natal, Frohe Weihnachten....
 
Casa de Niños may seem like an Island of Misfit Boys at times, but they were born to be loved and loved some more.  As I look over the Island of Misfit Boys this Christmas season, let me tell you about a few of them.  There is Angel (16), who was adopted as a baby and then his adopted parents abused him.  They broke his arm, pushed him down the stairs, verbally abused him and the abuse list goes on.  If you know him, he has an overwhelming smile and energy that lights up everyone he meets.  He was baptized on October 14, 2009.  He is celebrating his 4th Christmas with us.  You were born to be loved, Angel!
 
There is Rito (13), who's mother died when he was 5 and his father left soon after that.  His grandmother  sent him off to work and somehow he ended up in San Luis Potosi, where he was caught by the Immigration officers.  He is from Juarez, Mexico, one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico.  We took him to the dentist a few weeks ago.  "All I want for Christmas is my 13 cavities filled".  Rito is celebrating his 1st Christmas with us.  You were born to be loved, Rito!
 
Jose (23) is spending his 14th Christmas at Casa de Niños and hasn't seen or heard from his mother since he was 6 years old. He said today his best Christmas memory so far was on December 24, 2000, when he became a Christian.  You were born to be loved, Jose!
 
There are more Misfit Boys to tell you about, but we take every Misfit Child and give them a home filled with love, hugs, food, clothing and much more.  Thank you for your Christmas gift this holiday season.  You helped children from the Island of Misfit Boys (Casa de Niños) discover they were born to be loved!
 
Remember 2012 will be a special year for Casa de Niños.
 
PROJECTS 40/2012
- CASA DE NIÑOS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS
- VAN AND CAR REPLACEMENT FUND
- ONTAÑON CHURCH OF CHIRST CELEBRATEDS 20 YEARS
- BUILD A SECOND STORY OVER THE CHURCH BUILDING
- CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THE UNIVSERSITY STUDENTS IN 2012

God bless you all and to all a good night.  Merry Christmas.
 David and Sheri DeBolt  (Christmas 2011)

_You Can Help Us! Find Out More!
Sunday, January 8, 1:00pm
Please join me for a follow up meeting with Kristin Zoellner from the Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement group.  We will meet at Valley Christian Church on Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 1:00pm. 

This meeting will include a refresher of what we learned this past July about refugees coming to the United States as well as a reflection of the past month with Doo Loe and his family.  Finally, we will put together a plan for Doo Loe and his family for the next three months.  If you have been involved with the refugee program at Valley or you want to learn more, please join me on January 8th at 1:00 pm.  --Julie

Questions? Send an email to Julie Ginader.

_Good Morning:
 
Doo Loe and his family are doing well.  They have signed up for Social Security cards, and the kids have started the process of enrolling in school.  In January both Doo Loe and his wife will start taking English language classes at a school near their apartment.
 
The family has another appointment scheduled at the Ramsey County offices in St. Paul on December 27th at 9:00 AM.  I am looking for one or two people that can drive the family of six to this appointment (Ramsey County address is 160 East Kellogg).  It should last under an hour because they have already been assigned a case number. Ramsey County also has interpreters available so communication should not be a problem. If you are able to help with this please let me know or feel free to call if you have questions.
 
Thanks,
Julie Ginader
Click Here to Email Julie

_Dear Family and Friends,
 
How often does it SNOW in Mexico?  In the last 20 years we have seen it snow twice.  December 1997 (several inches) and November 27, 2011 (light dusting)!  The late November 2011, lasted 2 minutes, but long enough for the kids to form some snowballs and have some winter fun.  Along with the snow comes the cold weather which is still hanging around.  Bring out those good old Mexican blankets!  Every child is equipped with a winter coat, gloves, scarf, sock hat and 3 blankets to get through the winter weather.  We have installed a space heater in the dining room and living room.  It helps keep the kids inside more during the cold season.  Checkers, chess, coloring books and other games keep the kids occupied inside.  For the bedrooms and bathrooms you just have to tough it out when you wake up to 30 and 40 degree temps.
 
During November there were a few incidents that caused some of the kids a scare.  The truck window was broken and everything inside was stolen which included a computer.  Another time was when one of the kids was walking home from school (downtown) and got mugged.  He was not hurt, but again they took things from him and he was shook up for a couple of days.  Another boy was forced to pay money or get seriously beaten.  The group was connected with the drug mess here in Mexico.  Glad we have the security fence up around the house.  It was an eventful month.  The stolen computer had a whole semester worth of work on it and ready to turn it in for finals week.  Needless to say someone stayed up very late every night for awhile working on extra projects.  Hope to get a new truck window by mid-December.  We have insurance on the truck, but not the laptop!  Another laptop in the school room crashed so the kids everyday are lined up for the good old reliable PC which never fails!
 
Please keep the University students in mind this holiday season.  Please keep the projects we have set before us for 2012, the van and car replacement and the new 2nd story over the church.  Both projects are not a wish, but a need for the safety of the children and for the growth of the Church.  We will be talking much more about the Education Fund, Transportation Fund and Church growth for 2012 in the coming months.
 
When you think of Thanksgiving and Christmas you normally think of an abundant table full of food.  The children of Casa de Niños are so thankful for their beans, tortillas, eggs and rice everyday.  No complaints, never!  Everyday at every meal a prayer is said thanking God for every blessing, especially for their food and home.
 
Casa de Niños has so much to be thankful for: home, clothes, education, safety, Church, food the list goes on! 
 
From the cold and wintry south,
David DeBolt

_Thank you for your prayers and concerns expressed for Gabriel over the last 3 weeks.   Over the last 12 days we have done EEG, MRI, X-rays, and blood tests for Gabriel.   We have seen a pediatric neurologist, Dr. Osman Miyanji at Aga Khan University Hospital three times.    The diagnosis seems clear.   Gabriel had a brain injury at birth.   The cyst is his body’s attempt to protect and heal.    The seizures are the results of the injury.    We are adjusting medicine and doing occupational therapy.   We do not know Gabriel’s future.   God knows Gabriel’s future.   He instructs us that every child deserves life in a family. 

Though Nairobi is not our home it is a city in which we have found old friends, Jacob and Mona Zikusooka.   We are staying with them as we seek treatment for Gabriel.   It has felt like family. Also, many have been in contact with us with encouraging words.
Spending a portion of our holidays in Kenya seeking medical treatment has reminded us of the truth of Immanuel.   God is with us.

In 4 months time we will have been serving in Africa as missionaries for 19 years.   We could not have made it without the prayers, encouragement, and support of people like you. We request that this season you participate with us in making a donation.   We are a faith mission dependent on God’s providence expressed through free will offerings of family, friends, and churches.  

Thirteen days ago, we reserved tickets to come to Nairobi to seek medical care for Gabriel with no money in hand.   A few hours later two friends surprised us.    We also came not knowing which old friends we would discover in Nairobi. We thank God for his providence of both financial resources and good friends. If you would like to make a year end donation, please make a check to ROC Partners with Jenkins Memo, and mail it to:

ROC Partners,                                                         
3007 NW 63rd Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-3605
Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

Dave and Jana

P.S.  The last 13 days have been a series of Divine Appointments for our family.   If you would like to read more check out our most recent blog at http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2011/12/13-christmas-in-africa.html

_Dear Valley Friends,

Here is an update of our Burmese (Karen) family Doe Loe, his wife, and his four children, as they finally arrived in Minnesota last Wednesday night.  It has been such an adventure learning and preparing for their arrival. The wait was longer than we anticipated, but welcoming the family to their new home was a memorable and humbling experience. Jody Thiesfield was one of the Valley people at the airport on Wednesday night as we welcomed our family. I‘m sharing some of her thoughts from that special night as she captured the essence of the airport welcome:

It was quite an experience to be at the airport tonight.  It was an interesting cultural observation-Doe Loe was wearing a skirt, I thought his legs would get cold, even with a coat. Mom carried the baby in a sling wrapped around her shoulders and waist. Doe Loe managed to walk well with an artificial leg, but was very tired and his leg was in pain so he was happy to use the wheel chair provided for the ride to the car. 

Their "baggage" appeared to consist of two plastic tote bags with a zipper on top. This was all they had for four kids and the parents.   Each one held a plastic bag that contained all their important documents for entering the U.S.

 It was so cute to see the kids getting dressed up in their jackets and mitts and hats.  The oldest boy got the zipper caught in his enthusiasm to zip up--welcome to the joy of winter jackets!!!  I saw a few hints of a smile on the kids' tired faces.  The baby had no shoes so we put little mittens on his feet.  It was not a great fit but at least it covered his toes.  One detail that surprised me was that I gave the older daughter a bag with some packaged cookies, yesterday's paper, and a card and when I showed her what it was, and she said "Thank you", clear as day!  I wonder if they have had some language instruction.

About 20 or so other Karen people came--I'm sure that was very supportive for the family to see them and was very touching to me as they came and introduced themselves to us.   We took one big group picture, a nice way to document their arrival.   (See attached photo.)

We met Doo Loe's sister.  We happened to leave the airport together so we chatted a bit walking out to the parking ramp.  His sister said she felt happy they had arrived but sad, too. I asked her, "Why sad?", and she answered because they were so tired and thin. The sister has been in the United States for a year and it was humorous to hear her comment, "But I was thin when I came, too, and look at me now!" referring to the extra pounds she’s added in that time! She mentioned she hoped she could also start the process for her sixty year old mother to come.

As Jody shared, it was a wonderful experience to be there and meet them for the first time! We know it was an exhausting trip for them and they have a lot of adjusting to do as they familiarize themselves with our country and culture. We want to continue to stand beside them while they get their feet planted and become self-sufficient.  Thank you for your support of this family! So much has already been accomplished with the set up of their apartment last weekend, scheduling of future transportation needs as well as offers to help with Doo Loe’s disability. I will continue with updates so you can follow their progress, be aware of their needs, and keep this family covered in your prayers.

Thank you!
Julie Ginader

_Dear Family and Friends,
 
Ten days ago was American Thanksgiving.   Our home was busy.   We had over 70 guests.    American holidays in Africa are treasured memories.   In a certain way they come with more intensity and purpose.   The number of American missionary, development workers, and business people in Rwanda has grown significantly in the last 6 years.    Our home is one of those gathering points of celebration and thanksgiving.  We count it a sacred joy.
 
Yet between celebrations we ran back and forth to King Faisal Hospital to be with our foster son, Gabriel Mugisha.    He began having seizures on November 17.    There is a cyst in his brain.   We remember our faith, love Gabriel, and pray.
 
After spending 11 days at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali we decided to travel to Nairobi, Kenya to see a pediatric neurologist.   Last Thursday, we had our first appointment with Dr. Miyanji (The Senior Pediatric Neurologist at Nairobi’s Aga Khan University Hospital.)   He has ordered more tests.   We will have our follow up visit with him on Tuesday, December 6. 
 
We ask that through these holiday seasons you join us in the holy paradox of faith and prayer.  Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement through this season.
 
Imana ikurinde (May God Stay With All of You),
 
Dave and Jana

P.S.  If you would like more details about our journey with Gabriel you can check out our most recent blog postings at http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-you-close-your-eyes-and-see-infant.html or http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2011/10/gabriel-mugisha-before-and-after.html.
 
P.S.S.   The story of Gabriel has captured our community’s attention.   Dave’s most recent Focus column can be read at http://focus.rw/wp/2011/11/what-if-god-had-not-placed-these-children-in-a-family/.