A letter from Kay Day serving in Rwanda
May 2015 - Pulling Together
Dear Family and Friends,
At the moment the sun is shining and the sky is clear, but this is the rainy season and the beauty will not last long. We enjoy the sun when it comes. This is also the time of remembrance of the genocide in Rwanda, now 21 years ago. Commemorations happen throughout this period, rain or shine. Two weeks ago was the remembrance at Kirinda, the second mission station of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda. The remembrance begins by the river, where many people were chased and murdered and then their bodies thrown in the river. The bodies have never been recovered. The rains began early in the morning of the commemoration, just as it had on the day the killings began. We stood in the downpour and remembered. Then we got in our cars and began the procession up the hill to the mission station, about five kilometers.
The steep dirt road, with twists and turns, had turned to slick mud, making it at times like driving on ice. About a kilometer from the mission station the rain let up, but the road became treacherous. The procession stopped as several cars slid and blocked the road. Many decided to get out and climb the hillside beside the road, leaving the cars to the drivers. So up we went, at a 45 degree angle, for about 100 yards, until the path joined the main road, over rock and mud. My colleague Pastor Esther was on my left and my student Elisee was on my right. We followed the path of those in front of us, picking our way over the rocks. When it became very slick Esther took one of my arms and Elisee the other to assist me through the mud. At one point as all three of us slid backwards, I felt a firm hand on my lower back, pushing me forward as I dragged my “crutches” up with me. When we made it to the top, we stood and laughed about how many Rwandans it took to get one mzungu (white person) up a muddy slope.
As we hiked the rest of the way on the main road to the mission station and the commemoration, I thought about the teamwork that got us all there without anyone falling in the mud. We held on to each other, we pulled and pushed, we shouted warnings and encouragements, and we lifted one another up. We all made it, muddy and tired, but safe.
I have thought about that a great deal since then. In a variety of communications from he PC(USA) I’ve learned (and many of you may have learned as well) that PC(USA) World Mission faced a shortfall of 1.8 million dollars in 2014. If this is not overcome and commitments made for the future, the World Mission staff will need to recall five co-workers from their countries of service in 2016 and 40 in 2017, or 25 percent of the mission staff. We are on a slippery slope and sliding backwards. My friends, I need you to join with me to help pull World Mission through this crisis. You have been faithful in your financial support of me and I appreciate that so much. Please continue it. Now I am especially asking you to join me in prayer for God’s wisdom and provision for this situation. I am asking that those of you who are members of the PC(USA) speak with your mission committee about this, to let them know of the situation and speak with neighboring congregations that might not be aware or might not be involved with World Mission.
You can get more specific information from the following source, a Presbyterian News Service story: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2015/5/5/presbyterian-world-mission-funding-gap-may-force-r/. The sober reality is that only 1,600 of our 10,000 congregations directly support World Mission. Many may not know that they are not doing so, because they are giving to PC(USA) generally or they believe that their per capita is providing for mission support. It is not. If more congregations were to participate with World Mission, these personnel cuts would not be necessary.
If you or others want to know more about how to give to World Mission, please contact the Funds Development Team through Nicole.Gerkins@pcusa.org. If we worked together, pushed and pulled one another along, held each other up, we could all make a significant difference in God’s love and grace reaching God’s world in a significant way. Please join me in prayer and think creatively with me about this challenge. Feel free to contact me if you would be more comfortable asking me your specific questions. We are partners together in ministry. Thank you.
Yours in Christ,
Kay (Cathie to the family)
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 152
Read more about Kay Day's ministry
Blog: Day's Diary
Write to Kay Day
Individuals: Give to E200502 for Kay Day's sending and support
Congregations: Give to D507524for Kay Day's sending and support
Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation’s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).
