A Note We Are Sending to Rwanda

DEAR FIRST FAMILY,

I hope you will be with us this weekend as we share the third week in our series, The Upside Down Kingdom. In all of our services, we are also going to be praying for our team heading for Rwanda next week to visit the groups of children we are supporting through our partnership with ZOE Empowers.

For those who may not know, ZOE’s mission is to empower orphaned and vulnerable children to never need charity again. Next week, our group will get the chance to hear a report from each group, to visit some of their homes and see the small businesses they have started in their communities.

Since I will not be on this particular trip, I’m sending a note for our team to share with each of those groups who are about to enter the second year of ZOE’s three-year empowerment program.

In advance of our gathering together again this weekend as a community, I wanted to share that note with you. While these are my words, I hope they also reflect the collective heart of our entire church.

Dear Friends,

How I wish I were with our friends who are experiencing the joy of hearing the incredible stories of how God has been at work in your lives and in your group. I want you to know how proud we are of each of you. We are proud of all the work that you have done in building your businesses, working together in your groups, providing for your siblings, and pursuing your dreams.

It continues to be our great joy to support you in all of this work.

As you have shared your report today, I hope you are also taking pride in your own accomplishment. God has much more in store for you as you continue working with ZOE. Even better and brighter days are ahead, but isn’t it amazing what God has already done in your lives?

I hope you know that you are a miracle. You are deeply and dearly loved by our Heavenly Father and you are deeply and dearly loved by our entire church in Mansfield. We will continue lifting you in prayer and celebrating God’s work in your life.

Psalm 30 tells us that God “turns our mourning into dancing, clothes us with joy so that we may sing God’s praise.”

I know that today our team has been blessed to see your smiling faces, to hear your laughter, and to dance with each of you. And for all of those who could not be with you today, I want you to know that we are joining with you in praising God for the great things He has done.

We love you and are so proud to be a part of the new life you have found with ZOE.

Pastor David

One of the greatest gifts God gives us is one another. What an honor it is to share life with each of you and, through our life together, to see others’ lives transformed on the other side of the world.

I’m so proud of those kids and I’m so proud of you.  

Grace and Peace,

Pastor David