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Where are we today?
Through the generosity of a few local Raleigh businesses, a matching grant from DoTERRA Healing Hands Foundation and the support of countless individuals in my relational network, over $10,000 has been successfully raised to fund the initiative. I am incredibly grateful for the investment these partners have made in the lives of young Rwandans and the possibility of small business development! All funds raised have gone directly to purchase equipment and funding for further project development after I provide initial training for a week in February 2025. I will start with training 8, possibly 9 identifed young adults who are eager to build their skills and can ideally train others in the future.
Partner with me in prayer:
Feb 10, 2025:
As I prepare to leave for Rwanda on Feb 20, I ask that you will pray for these specifics:
1. Please pray by name for the young adults I will be training:
Josette, Esther, Clementine, Kevine, Joseline, Didier, Clement, Pascaia and Hubert.
2. Ongoing violence between different ethnic groups on the border of neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Pray for peace and ceasing of all violence.
3. Safety and endurance for the long travel to Rwanda. Pray that all the flight connections happen relatively on time so that we can arrive by late Feb 21. Strong immune systems and good health!
4. Final preparations of my training curriculum (and also the curriculum my mom is finalizing to work with women to start sewing businesses.)
5. Smooth functioning of technology during training.
Feb 19th:
Today we decided to make a last minute drive to DC to ensure we could make our connecting flight overseas due to the snow storm. After a long 8 hour drive we made it! Traveling in the snow was a hassle and nothing seemed to be easy today.
Please pray for these details as we travel:
1. Smooth travel as we leave this DC this evening to fly to Brussels
2. Calm minds and limited complications with flights and getting through customs
3. Abundant energy for all of us as we get limited sleep the next few days
4. Adjustment to malaria meds
5. Pray for our Rwandan friends as they prepare to welcome us and be trained
Feb 20th and 21st:
Both of these days were full of travel! We got on our flight to Brussels, and then flew to Kigali Rwanda. There were many troubles we encountered along the way. Prayer requests:
1. We lost 6 of our bags, pray that we can recover them
2. For saftey, joy and continued energy
Feb 22nd:
Yesterday we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda! It was very difficult getting here. Sparing details, we are missing 6 bags. Please pray for these specifics:
1. That our 6 bags are on the flight currently to Kigali from Brussels
2. In the meantime, that we can find clothes for my parents to wear.
3. The training would still be effective if we cannot get the bags. (Many of the training elements are in them, as well as 3 sewing machines)
4. Energy as we adapt and prepare for training
Feb 23rd:
Today we arrived in Muhanga, and we attended church at St.Paul's Church in Gikomero, the sister church of Apostles Raleigh. Then we went to Kabuba, and saw the progress they had made in building their church despite their poverty.
It was so beautiful to see all that the Lord is doing in thier lives despite the challenges they face:
Prayer requests:
1. Our lost bags to be found
2. Blessings over those we teach
3. Rest
Feb 24th:
Today despite not having our bags, I began training the youth. The Lord gave me the energy and strength to pull together this training without certain supplies. I reorganized my curriculum plans for the week based on the supplies I have. As we continue the week, please keep these points in mind:
1. We are hoping to get the apple pencils from Kigali (a city 2 hours from Muhanga) or from the incoming flight tomorrow night (which would have our luggage on it)
2. That we may all have abundant energy and joy despite the frustration and long journey.
3. Endurance, adaptability and teachability for those that I am training as I am having to adjust the training.
4. Patience for both the trainees and me
Feb 25th:
During training today, there was much discouragement as I had to adapt to changes in the training schedule and materials. I learned so much today about the previsions of the Lord: "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find." I gained true appreciation today for teaching, as it is vulnerable work especially with a language barrier. One of my students, Clement, told me that a few months ago he could not accept a job offer beacause he did not know how to use Canva. Although, after the first day of training he was able to call his contact back, let him know that he now knows Canva and was able to accept the job that was still available! Perhaps the best news of the day was that our bags arrived at the Kigali airport. My dad picked them up and it was like Christmas morning! Prayer requests:
1) Continued energy for training
2) Flow of training with new materials
Feb 26th:
Today I surprised the students with journals that I had made for each of them, which is an example of something they can create using the platform I am teaching them. I taught them the skills for using Procreate which they were fascinated by and loved. It was such a joy to see the smiles on all their faces! Please be thinking about these specifics as we move into our last day of training:
1) concluding training
2) saftey in departure
3) continued prayer for the students
4) guidance for how to assist these students as we go back to the United States
Feb 27th: This is our last day of training. My group is finishing up their learning on Procreate and practicing with some needed marketing projects for the Mothers Union. My mom is finishing up with her training with the 6 women in her sewing group and they produced some clothing on the new machines. Dad met with a group of small business owners in the diocese to learn from them and help them think through how they can support one another to grow their businesses. We wrapped up our time with a debriefing meeting with many of the leaders of the diocese to discuss how the trainings went and what are the "next steps" for each of the projects. It was hard to say goodbye as we are so grateful for the opportunity to have served and learned from these wonderful Rwandan people.
We are begininig the long journey back to the United States this afternoon. Please pray for a series of smooth flights!
March 2025: I was given the opportunity to share about my experience in developing and delivering this graphic design training program in Rwanda with a group of women at an event entitled "Women & the Seeds of Generosity", sponsored by the Mason Clark Financial Group at Morgan Stanley. The context of the event was to discuss strategic ways that women can be involved with making an impact in their communities--big and small. I was honored to be able to share about how this project got started and the collective effort it took to make it happen. It couldn't have happened without the dedication of many women--those who were strategic in helping me fundraise for the equipment, develop the curriculum and simply encourage me along the way!
May 2025: In the two months since I left Rwanda, the young adults I trained have continued to show dedication to furthering their skills. They have formalized their group, elected leaders, and meet regularly to discuss plans and grow their efforts. I am humbled to have been a part of their beginnings! We have regularly communicated via WhatsApp and I have had the privilege of consulting with them on specific design projects. They are currently working on basic graphic design projects that can be used for Mothers Union events along with simply gathering to practice their skills. I left them with training videos that my AP art teacher helped me develop that have enabled them to reinforce the skills they learned in February.
June & July 2025: In addition to staying connected with group leaders through regular WhatsApp conversations, I’ve also been able to join several of their meetings via Zoom. The participants continue to practice and grow in their skills, and—thanks to the generosity of the Procreate software developers—we were able to provide them with access to hundreds of additional educational training videos. This month, they have been working through these lessons together as a group.
On an individual level, I’ve also been helping guide one of the participants who has begun volunteering his design skills for local projects. He is especially eager to develop his abilities with the long-term goal of starting a side business. Together, we brainstormed project ideas to help him build a portfolio, and I’ve been offering both artistic and technical feedback on his designs as he refines his craft. Thankfully, Zoom continues to be a useful platform by which we can communicate regularly and work in real time using design software across the globe!
Aug 2025: This month, I’ve continued meeting one-on-one with one of the participants who has a passion for turning his design skills into a small business. It’s been exciting to watch his vision take shape. Together, we’ve started laying the groundwork—mapping out ideas for his portfolio, sketching a plan for a simple website, and creating the content he’ll need to share his work with others. Step by step, he’s building something that could open doors for him and others in the future, and it’s been a privilege to walk alongside him in that process.
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