Seng’s Story:
God has done amazing things in my life. He brought my mother and me out of war torn SE Asia in the early eighties to peace and prosperity in the United States. God took care of my single parent household by bringing in godly people into our lives. I started going to Evangelical Chinese Church while in third grade at the invitation of family friends.
I was blessed with the opportunity to meet many positive influences during my time at ECC. One person that played a particularly large role was my youth group counselor in middle school. There were two other guys in my grade that grew up in a single parent home. The counselor was the father figure that each of us sorely missed and needed. He would take us to sports games, out to dinner, and give us an opportunity to be a kid. It was his heart of service and love of God that really opened up my heart to God. I accepted Christ into my life the summer of my seventh grade year and dedicated my life to serving God and others.
In recent years I’ve had the opportunity to attend and serve at Rainier Avenue Free Methodist Church in inner-city Seattle. Through my experiences at Rainier Avenue, my heart for sharing God’s love continues to grow. I want to be able to pass on this love to those around me, whether it’s in inner city Seattle, in the US, or in another country.I’m so grateful for the role God played and continues to play in Jen’s and my life. It’s exciting to be able to share this opportunity to go to Rwanda with her!
Jen’s Story:
“You are our sister. When are you coming back?” I heard it over and over again as I said good-bye to my new friends at the end of my first trip to Africa. God used to this to confirm his call on my life to serve overseas.
The journey started when I was young and my parents took me to church each time the doors opened. About the age of three, I couldn’t wait for my mom to come back from the kitchen so I could tell her that I asked Jesus into my heart. Throughout the years, I developed my own personal faith. One thing remained consistent during those years – my excitement about missions. I always sat in the front of the church when missionaries came, soaking up everything they shared. I finally got my chance to go overseas the summer of 2002, when I took a college class in Kenya. The trip changed my life as I worked side by side with my African classmates, met the poor in the slums, and came to a new understanding of God. The following summer, I traveled to Rwanda for another class. The Rwandan people inspired me as they continue to rebuild their country and their lives after the genocide in 1994. I even met a woman who went to a prison and forgave those who killed her entire family. Amidst the life changing moments on this trip, I struggled with culture shock. After returning from Rwanda, God brought me to a point where I have seen the joys and struggles of missionary work and still think it is worth it. I have waited for a chance to go back ever since.
Seng and Jennifer will serve FHI/Rwanda and FHI/Burundi based in the Kigali, Rwanda head office starting in 2007. Seng will support in the area of Finance and Administration, drawing from his experience in finance, international business, and entrepreneurship. Jennifer will support Community Development by partnering with the Community Liaisons in the field through her experience in cross cultural ministry and case management.
2 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 7, 2009 at 12:51 am
Kalen
Hi!
I am a graduate student who will be volunteering for two months this summer in Rwanda. I’ll be in the Nyamagabe District. I’ve been having a difficult time finding specific things about Rwandan culture on the web, and was very excited to find your blog! I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions for things I should pack (what type of clothes, bug spray, etc.)? Also, I read that US currency is the preferred hard currency, did you find that to be true? How would you recommend carrying money in Rwanda?
Thank you (or any loyal readers) for your help!
Kalen
May 7, 2009 at 3:04 am
sengandjennifer
Hello Karen,
I’m not too familiar with Nyamagabe District. Which Province is that in?
As far as packing goes, you are going during the extended dry season. I would pack linen pants, capris, skirts, short sleeved dress shirts, and a couple of dresses. The rule of thumb is to make sure that whatever you are wearing goes past the knees, even when you are sitting down. For casual times, you can wear jeans and t-shirts or polo shirts. Bug spray comes in hand if you’re going to be out at night time. Make sure that you sleep under a mosquito net.
The Rwandan Franc is the currency of choice. They will give you a much lower rate if you use USD at the various shops. Do NOT change money at the airport…it’s a rip-off there. The best place to change money is in downtown Kigali, near the main post office. Go past the post office and turn right and go down one block. There are a ton of Forex dealers on either side and most of them have boards on the outside saying what the rate is…don’t believe them. You can negotiate a much better rate. You will see 2 rates, one to buy and one to sell. Sometimes you can get the higher of the 2, but most of the time you’ll end up being in the middle. You can check Yahoo Currency Converter to find out what the market rate is. The in country rate at the Forex bureaus will be a few francs more. Right now it should be ~570 Rwandaise Francs to 1 USD.
While you are there, be sure to check out Bourbon coffee. They have 3 locations, one at the airport which you’ll notice when you land, one in downtown, and the best one (IMHO) at MTN center in the nicer part of Kigali called Nyutarama. That is their flagship store where their offices are located AND they have awesome gelato there. The food is ok and not too pricey, although that could have changed since we moved back to the states in November.
One more thing, if you’re missing the expat scene there is ultimate frisbeeon Sundays around 4PM at Circle Sportif at the bottom of Kiyovu hill near downtown.
Let me know if there are any other questions that I can anser for you.
Thanks,
Seng