If you know me well, you know that one of my favorite scriptural themes is light. From the earliest ancient Hebrew Scriptures, in Genesis 1:3, we read: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
Before long in the narrative of God’s redemptive story, light takes on a clear spiritual significance. In Job 12:22, God is said to “reveal the deep things of darkness and bring utter darkness into the light.”
As God’s story develops further, the idea of light is closely aligned with truth. “Living in the light” in Ephesians 5 refers to walking with absolute integrity. Paul even identifies what it looks like in verse 9: “for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.”
The theme of light is literally manifest throughout Scripture. I am so grateful that at Hope Haven Rwanda, we are promoting light—practically and spiritually!
Noah is an excellent example. As an 18-year-old Senior One student at Hope Haven Rwanda, Noah lives in a difficult situation. His parents are aging and suffer from severe medical issues. They rent a home without electricity and it seems like every day is a struggle for survival—often in the dark.
Their son, Noah, is a brilliant student! He scored in the top division on the Rwandan national exam, but it has been an uphill fight each step of the way. Thankfully, God led Noah to Hope Haven and gave him an opportunity to flourish beyond anyone’s expectations. His Hope Angels, Kevin and Susan Hollern, pray for him, write letters to him and ensure that he can study at Hope Haven until he graduates. There are bright days ahead for Noah!
Many of our guests bring light when they come to Rwanda. Some educate, others inspire and all of them share their perspective. Not long ago, when John Keith and his son, Danny, visited Rwanda, they gave 250 practical gifts of light which will keep on shining for a long time.
Noah is now the proud owner of one of these creative solar lamps. He uses this lamp to study after dark, and to keep learning and growing into the sharp young man God wants him to become. Hundreds of other families are benefiting every night from the gift of these lamps as well.
Our Family Director, Priscillah Kembabazi, recently sent me a note sharing about the impact these solar lamps are having. She happily reported that her team was recently able to distribute even more lamps to families we identified as having the greatest need.
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…”
We intend to help our students shine brightly for the rest of their lives, with solid character development, abundant fruits of righteousness and truth-based education.
Is there someone you can share some light with this week?
(BTW, we produced a special video in lieu of the Fabric of Hope this year. It features my daughter Tiffany’s puppy, Sunny, three Hope Angels and some fresh footage from Rwanda. Please take a few minutes to check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kzoL9gKuR4)