“A lot of people talk about Christianity—this is true Christianity” – Head Examiner, Gasogi National Testing Center, following Hope Haven Rwanda’s food outreach last week.
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” (James 1:27).
At 6:00 AM last Monday, on Hope Haven’s campus in Rwanda, school cooks were busily preparing for a large feeding outreach program. The air was thick with anticipation around campus as sixth graders huddled in small groups with tutors. They were completing final preparations for their future-defining “Primary Leaving Examination.” Similar to the ACT or SAT in the US, these tests are the first standardized national milestone in a Rwandan student’s educational journey. The results are used to determine which type of secondary school they can attend, potential scholarships, etc. It’s a big day for these students!
A couple of days earlier, Susan Hollern, Hope Haven’s Founder and President asked about the meals typical students can expect on examination days. She knew that a nutritious lunch would be provided for Hope Haven students. They are provided lunch every school day of the year. But what about the other test takers?
After consulting with leaders in Rwanda, and with sector officials, Hope Haven decided to provide lunch for ALL of the test takers and their examiners!
During all three days of testing, Hope Haven provided lunch for 380 students and examiners at the Gasogi National Examination Center. Most students arrived on Monday expecting to sit for two hours, between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, during their lunch break without having any food. The joy was overflowing throughout the center as they learned they would have a full, hot lunch freely provided by Hope Haven!
The logistics involved in transporting food for so many hungry stomachs to the testing center was not easy, but the entire school kitchen team took it on as a challenge with real significance. Headmaster Fred told them, “On this day, your job is not about the money you will be paid. It is about the blessing you will be to hundreds of government school students in Rwanda.”
As Jason and Fred met with the Sector Education Officer while lunch was being distributed, he was clearly overwhelmed by the generosity of Hope Haven in this outreach. He knew that all of the students he is responsible for in the sector have a better opportunity to excel with their basic needs met.
The following day, the Head Examiner for the testing center said, “A lot of people talk about Christianity—this is true Christianity.”
Who can we reach out to this week, with a demonstration of “true Christianity.” We can’t help everyone and it is possible to get overwhelmed by the weightiness of the needs we encounter, but is there just one specific need you can meet this week? Someone in need that you can demonstrate the love of Christ to?