Let's Start Talking: Rwanda Style

In my last post, I shared how my experience with Let's Start Talking (not to mention numerous other powerful encounters with Jesus and His people over the last 2 years) electrified my heart and burned into me a passion to know God's love and to make His love known. After one month in Kiev, Ukraine, 2 weeks in Morelia, Mexico, and 2 years here in the states being transformed by God's love and awakened to his calling on my life and figuring out what it means to live for him, I am ready to go. Every time I got back from a Let's Start Talking short term trip, I would come home telling my friends, "goodness, I just feel like I'm made for this. If there was only a way I could do this exact thing full time..." Well, as it would turn out, God has made a way for me to do that exact thing long term, on a Let's Start Talking internship to Kigali, Rwanda for 10 months. I will be helping people for whom English is not a primary language to learn and practice their English skills by reading the Bible with them and sharing life and meaningful relationships with them. As in my other LST trips, I will be sharing the gospel and getting to see people's lives transformed by the Word of God! As Rwanda has recently decided to make English its official language, there is an incredible need for English learning in the country right now, so my services in helping people to practice and learn English will definitely be meeting an important need of the Rwandan people at this point in time. I will also be able to participate in the efforts of a group of missionaries currently in Rwanda who are partnering with the Lord in bringing restoration and hope to a formerly severely battered and beaten country, nearly destroyed by war and genocide. God has given this group of missionaries vision to accomplish this restoration and healing through a massive disciple making movement and other works of restoration, such as The Peace House (a place of healing, nurturing and growth for former street children), and a new day program for street youth, just to name a few.  God has put a massive vision into the hearts of these Rwandan missionaries. As they set out on their own journey years ago and asked the Lord for a vision of what He wanted to do in Rwanda, He put the following verse on their heart: ""pay back into the laps of our neighbors 7 times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord." (Psalm 79:12). They believe that the souls killed in the genocide were a reproach that the enemy (Satan) hurled against the Lord, and that the Lord would desire to see 7 times the reproach hurled into the lap of the enemy, by seeing 7 souls come to know Jesus for every one soul who was stolen in the genocide. That is 7 million disciples of Jesus! This is an act far beyond the reach of any human; the only way something like this can be accomplished is a mighty act of God, and many, including myself, are believing for a mighty act of God to break forth in Rwanda as more people join in prayer and petition. To see this out, the missionaries in Rwanda are asking for everyone to participate in Rwanda 10:2b prayer movement (From Luke 10:2b: "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.") To learn more about the harvest and vision in Rwanda, and to join the movement, please check out the Rwanda Harvest website at http://rwandaharvest.com/ .

I am just coming out of my skin with excitement to get to share this journey with you!  I am looking for partners to commit to praying with me throughout this journey. If you are interested in joining my prayer team, please email me at missjessiejean@gmail.com. I am also looking for financial partners to join my sending team. If you wish to join me in this way, you may make an online donation or monthly pledge at http://www.lst.org/2012projects/jessiesorenson, or you can email me for more options. You can also click the "Let's Start Talking" link on this blog to join my sending team. Thank you for coming alongside with me in this journey!