It was a sunny afternoon as we arrived at an empty school yard, a place that we were gathering to meet some orphans, and that is all the knowledge I held on this divine appointment. So I walked into this deserted, dusty, dirt school yard looking around for children, and I didn’t see many little faces, just a couple of kids greeted us and soon more would trickle in from here & there and I had not the slightest clue as to the experience I was about to have and how this was a defining moment in my purpose in this life: [Envision the cliché image of two paths in the woods. You know the one where it says “I chose the path less traveled and that has made all the difference” well, in my case it reads more like “God picked me up and set me down on the path less travelled and said; Maria, trust me, this path will make a difference”]….and here I was in Kigali, Rwanda totally oblivious that this was a superior life defining moment that was occurring in my journey. I just thought I was showing up to love on some more precious children and all the while I had Mr. Dimples in the back of my mind and I kept assuring myself not to “fall in love again” like the last place!
So we were introduced to a young man named Jean Claude and he began to humbly enlighten us about one of God’s secretly undiscovered diamond’s known as his “organization” named The Best Family. As many children had gathered by this time (news spreads quickly throughout the neighborhoods when albino’s like ourselves show up) we gathered inside one school room intermingled amongst some of the most beautiful children, all settling in to embrace a powerful touch by the hand of God.
I remember as I sat on the wooden bench next to one of the most painfully shy and simultaneously striking little girl my eyes have ever beheld(pictured above ~ yes, more dimples), I of course DID fall in love all over again. Something else occurred in this moment that I could not deny, I immediately sensed the Holy Spirit. This was not like my previous encounters or “urgings” from the Spirit to react to a situation (such as the man I prayed for in Ethiopia), this was a physical presence that I not only felt inside but outside, this energy filled the entire room and the only way I can describe it is to say that it felt like God’s immense joy. The spiritual reaction in my soul could only define this moment as if it were to be comparable to witnessing God’s own smile with my very two eyes. Can you IMAGINE! There was an intensity that I can not describe coursing through my veins, dancing in my soul and skipping beats inside my heart. I remember as I listened to Nyanja, Samuel and Jean Claude…(oh yes, we soon learned that our very own Samuel plays a vital role in the Best Family!)
I literally looked around the room for a physical manifestation of God’s presence, the feelings inside me were so extreme that I thought my eyes might witness a miracle. A momentary thought occurred to me as I was seeking a sign of God in our physical realm…The faces I am seeing, the eyes that meet mine, the hands that I am holding; they are the physical manifestation of God’s presence! I didn’t need to see a miracle from God, I was looking right in the face of nearly 50 of His miracles. I knew in an instant I was among greatness in this moment, inside this dusty school room, packed into tiny wooden benches, with old wooden windows propped open to let the Lord’s light shine in. Something deep and powerful told me every one of these lives I was sharing were to be revolutionary in changing the future. God had gifted me the opportunity to stand beside him in his studio, hold his paint brush, share in his visionary masterpiece and possibly blend some brush strokes with my own life onto His Rwandan canvas contributing to the work of art He has planned for every child’s life in that room. Let me confirm to you, the 13 of us on this independent mission trip to Africa found themselves sitting in this classroom, immersed in God’s very own "Best Family" not by coincidence, BUT, by absolute, flawless, purposeful, heavenly design. I knew that from the moment my backside hit the bench, long before I knew any details of this phenomenal ministry and I can confirm it beyond doubt with the occurrences in my life since I’ve returned home. God and I both are hanging on tightly to Rwanda, for dear life, as we both know that is where a huge piece of our soul’s live.
Have you ever had that moment where you felt so content and perfectly at peace in a situation that you felt like it was an imaginary moment, too good to be true? That is what I felt inside this classroom as I was sitting next to that young girl pictured above, listening to her struggle for the right English words to piece together a broken sentence sharing with me her heart’s deepest desire would be to learn to play guitar “some day”. This is where I grabbed onto God’s graciously extended hand and gladly leaped onto that “path less traveled” with eagerness and knew with every fiber of my being…this is why God created me….and assuredly as He promised [us all], if I stay on {this path}
So while sitting in this classroom what did I learn, who is this amazing “Best Family” I speak of? Well, it’s my honor to have the privilege to share with you right now the history and purpose of this ministry started by four absolutely remarkable genocide survivors. Jean Claude, Emmanuel, Salomon and David (now 23yrs of age) started this ministry when they were poor, broken, abandoned, young teen boys who were left with nothing but their hope. The survival of Hell’s fiery grasp on their country for 100 days of gruesome death changed these boys at a core level as young children and as the four of them grew older together they vowed to one another to never let others suffer like they have known suffering; This was God's defining moments of birth for what would become a new family built by His own hand. Soon they began to recognize many other children who were suffering as the impoverished result of a war stricken country, living as orphans (genocide or AIDS related) and street children, they began to take in other children into their “family” and along with this provide all the care necessary for each and every one of them. By the work of their 4 dedicated lives they began to take in more & more children advocating for them in every aspect imaginable; housing, food, clothing, education, medical needs and most importantly in their eyes, faith and Godly mentorship. By 2004 Jean Claude had a strong calling to become a legal representative(at 19yrs old!) and use his life to advocate for all these children he had become responsible for…thus the Best Family Association was formed in legal fashion under Rwandan law with Jean Claude as president and his 3 closest “founding members” and best friends as his supporting (volunteer) staff. For seven years these 4 extraordinary young men have been surviving all on their own by the grace of God as the responsible caretakers of 50 children ranging in age from 3yrs to 21yrs. The little 3 year old orphan is so precious I could carry him in my pocket for the rest of my life, see for yourself:
As God allows, Jean Claude and his 3 friends provide for these children and it still amazes me to this day how they find ways to make “ends meet” and not leave any of these children homeless and hungry. For years they have been operating in this manner and then God stepped in and open a door, that’s where the 13 of us Americans walked in, and for the first time in the 7 years of their existence the Best Family was introduced to “outsiders” and their ministry was recognized and even more importantly their NEEDS for survival and growth have been made known to someone other than the child members of this family. Someone in a position to possibly have easy access to life-giving tools that could forever change the course of 50+ lives. Someone whose change from their pockets could make all the difference. Do you have any idea how it feels to recognize your standing in the shoes of that very “someone”?! It’s terrifyingly humbling and awe inspiring that much I can say.
Jean Claude’s latest email sharing the entire history of the birth of the Best Family has enlightened me in many ways and stolen my heart above and beyond my original first hand experience. Barely knowing any specifics about the Best Family, one desire remained true through all the days since I’ve had the pleasure of meeting them; God has a purpose in my life to use me in some way to help the Best Family and by God’s will I may be so lucky to call myself and extended member of this family one day. I have never met so many children who are beautiful beyond description. Their faith is astonishingly PURE and I long to abandon myself in the Lord’s arms like they so easily do. God is using these young lives to teach me how to be the Christian He dreams we all would be, showing me with human lives what FAITH looks like. These children are holding the almighty jackpot my friends; God is their most prize possession and they’ve learned far beyond anything else He is all they truly need. It’s obvious in the light that shines through their eyes, the smile that bursts from their faces, the energy and life in their prayers, the joy in their voices at the mention of His name…it’s so obvious not even I could miss it.
As we sat in that classroom learning all about these amazing men and the precious lives they have saved and gently polished into shining gems, I struggled to understand what was unfolding in our vastly different lives, from separate continents yearning to mold our futures together and wondering how on earth to do so. It wouldn’t be long for a clarifying moment to present itself for me. When it came to the point in the “meeting” where we asked the kids if they had any questions for us after patiently sitting for over an hour, one little boy shared that it was his dream to go to school so he could grow up to help people just like The Best Family has helped him. Nope, he doesn’t want to be a professional athlete, a rockstar, a millionaire or some other typical American dream…he wants to save the orphan, he wants to give his life back to those who are just like him. What a gift it was for my ears to hear his shy little voice spout with honor he has dreams of this magnitude. Seconds later another amazing little 8-9yr old boy stood up and asked us the question of a lifetime “When you go home to America, will you remember us? Will you still help us?” It was as if my heart stopped beating as the last sound rolled off his precious tiny tongue. It took all my might to fight back the tears. I wanted to shout “of course we will” but how could I promise that without knowing truly if I would be accountable. It was as though God was sharing with us the importance of His plan through the mouth of a tiny child who couldn't possibly understand the power in those words he just spoke. God had brought us this far, showed us a private viewing of His canvas, which undoubtedly has some of the most beautiful images I’ve ever seen painted in glorious colors, now it's our turn to hold the paint brush, just as if God was standing there handing me the brush staring into the depths of my eyes = will YOU remember how to make a lasting brush stroke? Will we continue on with God's plan? Someone in our group responded with the question “What do you want or need us to do? How can we help?” and their answer blew me away, they didn’t ask for supplies, food, money, clothes, not one tangible item…they said: “just don’t forget us, tell people about us and share our dreams”….I wished they knew how there was no way on this earth I could ever fathom forgetting them!!
It has been my greatest pleasure since the day I’ve returned to Minnesota to share my life altering experience with an organization that says all it needs to simply by it’s title “The Best Family”. At the very least, I will continue to share their story and their dream because on that day God planted a seed in my soul and made it my dream too for these children to have a hope and a future. I long desperately to be a member of The Best Family and I hope I can find others who want to join this family too. I came home from Rwanda committed to living out my word to these children who have inspired me, changed me, enriched my life beyond measure. It’s the least I can do to help them grow in any way possible! It was God’s plan for us, in Rwanda, to come home gloriously ruined by The Best Family.
So for now, I’ll sign off with the very last words I have received from Jean Claude as he emailed the members of our team last night:
“Let us love each other as JESUS loved us”
God truly speaks to me through the beautiful broken English of Rwandan fingers and as always Jean Claude teaches me as he shares scripture that is on his heart. Every time the perfect verses inspire me to the point of tears, thank you God for enriching my life and filling my cup to overflowing through the grace of sharing with me your precious Best Family.
“The Blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” Proverbs 10:22 (courtesy of Jean Claude)
This is simply my introduction to the Best Family…to justly encompass this experience I’ll need a few posts to capture and savor every single second. After I share all that took place while in Rwanda, I will share all that has taken place since I’ve been home and let you all see the beauty of God’s masterpiece as it’s being painted one brush stroke at a time by many aspiring artists.
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