NEWSLETTER Spring 2012

Visits to Rwanda
We had several tremendous visits to Rwanda during 2011 and this year's visits will be no exception, God willing. The summer trip is now full, but there may be space available in the autumn.

New Well at Gakagati

Thanks to the support of Penicuik South Parish, there is a new 300 ft well at Gakagati, providing Aberdeen Football Club (AFC) water for 6,000 people. Previously, the people had to walk 10-15 km (return trip) to get water, The article below appeared in Aberdeen Football Club's December programme, following a which was also shared by cattle and was very two week visit to Rwanda during September last year. The children were delighted with muddy. The well will be operated by a their new t-shirts. partnership between a community group and the church in Gakagati. The next stage of support for the Gakagati community is a new classroom to accommodate this year's new intake. The school will now go from pre-school to P3, with well over 300 pupils. Comfort Rwanda will continue to fund the poorest children to go to school, but the local government is paying for the extra teacher. The Gakagati community is largely made up of people who left Rwanda in 1994 with the militias and it is a wonderful act of reconciliation to see the school now with returned refugees from both sides of the previous ethnic divide working and playing together.
Our partner, Ndahigwa Paul, drawing water at the well

Pastors Training
The first programme of pastors training at the Christian Training College of Rwanda (CTCR) is now finished with assessment results awaited and an expected graduation in the spring. This year in June the Foundation Certificate of Christian Studies will be joined by the Certificate of Christian Studies. The response has been very positive from those on the programme The amazing thing I saw at this bible college is how carefully they choose their lecturers, said one! Thanks to all those wonderful lecturers!
The picture shows the students hard at work

The muddy water the people used before

IHUMURE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COLLEGE

WORK ON THE IHUMURE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COLLEGE IS NEARLY FINISHED. THE NEXT NEWSLETTER WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. TO RECAP, IT IS BEING BUILT TO EQUIP EX-STREET KIDS AND OTHER DISADVANTAGED YOUTH WITH VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS TO HELP THEM ENTER GOOD EMPLOYMENT, ESCAPE THE POVERTY TRAP AND HELP BUILD THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS SHORT OF SKILLED LABOUR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS OF TOOLS FOR THE COLLEGE!! THE CONTAINER LEFT SCOTLAND AT THE END OF JANUARY.

DR Congo
Developments in DR Congo are progressing well. We purchased 5 hectares of land and have several projects in place. The land will be used for growing crops for food and is being funded by Vegfam. The funds have gone towards the purchase of banana plants, beans, seeds, hoes, machetes, watering cans and hedging. The first harvest of beans has just been completed.

Dumbarton - Solace Community in Jari

Rock Community Church in Dumbarton first became involved with the Jari community in Rwanda in September 2008 when we gave a cow to one of the widows, Epiphany. Since that time, we have forged a strong relationship and partnership with the community and, following our trip in September 2010 when we purchased a plot of land for 1,000, we embarked on a project in February 2011 to build two houses for Colette and Pelagia, two widows from the genocide, and their families. Following our ability to raise a further 9,000, the houses were completed in September 2011 and Billy McClung represented the church at a formal handover ceremony in Jari on 27 October 2011 during which we celebrated Gods Grace, Provision and Goodness. We were recently given 600 to finance the installation of solar panelling so that the women can raise income by recharging mobile phones. We are also in the process of raising the final tranche of money to complete the purchase of a water tank. We are now embarking on further fundraising ventures to build another two houses (for Veneranda and Annonciata), and to complete some much needed repairs to Catherines home, which houses 10 people. All in all, we need to raise in the region of 15,000 to complete all the work. Your prayers are appreciated. Billy McClung NEWS CLIP
Thank you to all those involved in the visit by Pastor Paul Ndahigwa in November! He enjoyed his time in Scotland, England and Wales. We have just celebrated one year's trading for both our Kirkintilloch shop (at the end of November) and for our Cumbernauld shop (at the beginning of January). Thank to everyone who has supported us with donations of clothing, etc. We look forward to welcoming you again!

Some of the bought land

Refugee women tending their crops

Comfort Congo is a joint initiative of Comfort Rwanda and our partners in DR Congo. We trust in God that it will be a help to refugees who are unable to go back to their land to farm and who are living on solidified lava in very difficult conditions. As we said in a recent Newsletter, a big concern is support for women giving birth and women who have been raped by the militias. In partnership with the Valued initiative we are raising funds for the women to have surgery. Here are a couple of letters received from women who have been helped:
ALLIANCE MUSAFIRI: I thank God to have made COMFORT CONGO and thanks a lot to the initiators of the charity, for they have been a help to me. I was in a bad situation and my family couldnt cope. Today I am recovering my health thanks to COMFORT CONGO. I had surgery and prayers from my own family and the church helped me. Also people of goodwill covered the cost. I am convinced God will let COMFORT CONGO go forward so that vulnerable, poor people can get help through the activities you organise.

Colette and Pelagia outside one of their new homes

Picture taken during surgery

MARARA: I wont find much to say. God only knows how deeply I have felt about it all. My family is poor beyond belief and we suffer from missing many basic necessities. Thanks a lot to this organisation that has selected me from many others. God felt pity of me and he is acting through COMFORT CONGO. I really see that God is acting. Long life to COMFORT CONGO and may God multiply his graces to the donors, these people with heart.