Friday, February 26, 2010
OOPS...I forgot!
I should have mentioned that this is a follow-up blog to the www.thevinks-onthego.blogspot.com . Please feel free to peruse it for some our background.
Hello again family and friends...this time I'm headed for Rwanda
It's fast approaching...T-5 days until I head for Rwanda - Wow! Where did I come up with the idea of going to Rwanda. Well it even amazes me how mysteriously the Lord works. Our daughter Laura spent a 3 week mission trip in 2007 working on an orphanage project and came back with some interesting stories and pictures. Then there was a phone call in June, 2009.
During the summer of 2009 the 'Half Time' organization, after hearing of our Philippine excursion, approached us to use our experience there as a example of how some folks use their time in helping others. Half Time came about through Bob Buford a Texas businessman who discovered that the monetary rewards of a working life seemed less than satisfying in later years. Using the analogy of the football time clock, he wrote a book called Half Time in which he describes what it means to be a servant of the Lord. This book had been given to me by our pastor some time prior to our retirement in 2006.
A good friend of ours and a fellow church member, Tim Jenkens, also familiar with Half Time, knew another dedicated Half Timer, Lloyd Reeb who had also written a book called From Success to Significance essentially a follow up to Half Time. Through Tim, he offered a seminar in Toronto in the spring of 2008 using the title of his book as a basis for understanding God's call on our lives. Cathy and I were both captured by his insights.
Jeff Spadafora, a Half Time staffer called in June, 2009 to introduce us to Dale Dawson of Little Rock, Arkansas, the founder of Bridge 2 Rwanda. This Christian organization was founded to help Rwanda repair the wounds and damages caused by the 1993 genocide. Although not directly involved in agriculture, Dale knew the Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and forwarded my CV to her and through her staff has invited me to assess the potential of developing dairy production and marketing in Rwanda.
Rwanda is a rather unique place, just 2 degrees below the equator, yet I am told, enjoys a temperate climate due to its elevation. This allows dairy cattle to thrive and crops grown for feed. Another intriguing concept is the declaration by the President of Rwanda that every poor family should have a cow (a project currently in progress), ultimately recognizing the importance of milk and dairy products in diet of the Rwandan population.
And so it's off to Rwanda on Tuesday, March 2 until March 30 to assess the potential of our involvement there and whether an extended stay is warranted in the future. Cathy will not be accompanying me on this shorter visit but anticipates a return in the future also. My faith tells me that God is definitely in control and that He is my Refuge and Strength. It also means that your prayers are always appreciated and coveted. Please stay tuned as we begin this new adventure.
During the summer of 2009 the 'Half Time' organization, after hearing of our Philippine excursion, approached us to use our experience there as a example of how some folks use their time in helping others. Half Time came about through Bob Buford a Texas businessman who discovered that the monetary rewards of a working life seemed less than satisfying in later years. Using the analogy of the football time clock, he wrote a book called Half Time in which he describes what it means to be a servant of the Lord. This book had been given to me by our pastor some time prior to our retirement in 2006.
A good friend of ours and a fellow church member, Tim Jenkens, also familiar with Half Time, knew another dedicated Half Timer, Lloyd Reeb who had also written a book called From Success to Significance essentially a follow up to Half Time. Through Tim, he offered a seminar in Toronto in the spring of 2008 using the title of his book as a basis for understanding God's call on our lives. Cathy and I were both captured by his insights.
Jeff Spadafora, a Half Time staffer called in June, 2009 to introduce us to Dale Dawson of Little Rock, Arkansas, the founder of Bridge 2 Rwanda. This Christian organization was founded to help Rwanda repair the wounds and damages caused by the 1993 genocide. Although not directly involved in agriculture, Dale knew the Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and forwarded my CV to her and through her staff has invited me to assess the potential of developing dairy production and marketing in Rwanda.
Rwanda is a rather unique place, just 2 degrees below the equator, yet I am told, enjoys a temperate climate due to its elevation. This allows dairy cattle to thrive and crops grown for feed. Another intriguing concept is the declaration by the President of Rwanda that every poor family should have a cow (a project currently in progress), ultimately recognizing the importance of milk and dairy products in diet of the Rwandan population.
And so it's off to Rwanda on Tuesday, March 2 until March 30 to assess the potential of our involvement there and whether an extended stay is warranted in the future. Cathy will not be accompanying me on this shorter visit but anticipates a return in the future also. My faith tells me that God is definitely in control and that He is my Refuge and Strength. It also means that your prayers are always appreciated and coveted. Please stay tuned as we begin this new adventure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)