We believe every individual human has been created “on purpose.”
No one is an accident.
Our faith acknowledges we are born in a time and place of God’s choosing to fulfill a specific calling. As I celebrated another birthday this week, I was reminded that God has called me for a specific function in a specific place. His timing and means are usually different than mine, but He is always right on time!
In Isaiah 46:3-4 we read, “I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned grey, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.”
Scriptures like this lead us to recognize that God has already planted seeds of potential in our community despite the challenges our neighbors face. God is with them. So we labor very intentionally to enable them to see hope—even in a context that often seems hopeless.
Since Hope Haven’s beginning, agriculture, and the opportunity to offer a “hand-up” instead of a “hand-out,” has been an integral part of this project. Our first Managing Director, Nate Kempton, brought vast agriculture experience to the hills of Rwanda and began to create environments in our fields where potential can thrive. His Rwandan successor, Liz Ingabire, has continued the legacy.
As someone said about Hope Haven Rwanda, “If faith is the heartbeat of our school, the agriculture program is the hands and feet.” Agriculture fuels our ministry in so many ways. We grow dozens of varieties of plants including bananas, mangos, avocados and lettuce. Everything we harvest contributes to feeding our growing number of students.
In addition, Esther, a mother of five herself, manages groups of mothers who come to serve on campus each day. Our “earning and learning” program teaches farming techniques, bringing our work full circle. This program lifts up the entire family, giving parents the opportunity to have a stake in their child’s education. They can find dignity as they help pay school tuition through this program.
Parents who participate work 15 half-day shifts each academic term. This enables them to pay for a portion of school fees, along with the help of Hope Angels who bridge the gap between what parents earn and the actual school fees. Others work even more hours each week in order to earn much-needed income to provide for their families. As a bonus, at the end of each half-day shift, they are provided with a meal they can enjoy on campus with other workers.
You may not find yourself on one of the “Thousand Hills of Rwanda” with a spade in hand, but we believe we have all been called to serve. Where will your calling lead you this week?