This is the fourth in a series of blog entries that tells the story behind the filming on (+)MORE, the Awana Global Documentary. (Post One. Post Two. Post Three.)
Over the course of five months, I traveled with a crew of film makers to seven different destinations in order to capture the story of what our amazing God is doing through the ministry of Awana. Through our travels we saw and experienced some pretty unforgettable things. One such experience happened in Rwanda, though it serves as a general experience in the global (particularly international) ministry of Awana.
Before I get into that, when talking to my friends or neighbors, or even telling strangers I was in Rwanda, they immediately give me a look that communicates something to the effect of “Are you serious?!?” This is usually followed by the question, “Is it safe?” which is totally valid to ask.
About 20 years ago, the country of Rwanda was the site to one of the bloodiest genocides in recent history. According to a 2008 AERG (Association des Etudiants Réscapes du Génocide) Report, there were nearly two million people killed due to the massacre of the Tutsis people. According to estimates by Amnesty International, nearly half a million women were raped during this dark time. Today, there are an estimate 400,000 survivors of the genocide.
These dark truths are still felt throughout the country like a subtle humidity.
Please understand, Rwanda is a beautiful country of lush green hills, rivers, and valleys. The climate is amazing and the people are genuinely hopeful.
The government has done an almost unbelievable job rallying the country together and reinventing itself. The country is clean, laws exist to ensure that homes and shops don’t fall into disrepair. Trash is taken care of and people seem to carry themselves with a high regard of respect.
Even here, in the flourishing aftermath of a once dark era, the true hope of the gospel makes a true difference.
Yet, perhaps due to the lack of a population, or perhaps due to the fact that people are more concerned with the mission of reaching kids rather than the church they belong to, it was here in Rwanda we truly started to notice that the Awana ministry is a highly adaptable method for reaching kids, no matter your theological understanding. It was at late afternoon in grassy field bordered on one side by beautiful yellow-flowering trees, and on the other side by a valley that we saw two women directing the Awana ministry.
Women directing Awana, or most any ministry, isn’t shocking at all. These women though were sisters, not biologically. Rather, they were nuns.
There in the midst of hundreds of kids and dozens of adult volunteers were two nuns, wearing their blue habits, engaging with kids, directing game time and teaching the large group lesson.
It. Was. Awesome!
It was awesome to see that the mission of men and women to reach kids with a saving faith in Christ as well as a desire to grow them as life-long disciples bridges some pretty substantial gaps, even those as wide and “scary” and seemingly impossible as that of Protestantism and Catholicism. These nuns simply desire to see the sons and daughters of Rwanda become sons and daughters of God through the evangelism and discipleship that Awana aides them in doing effectively.
For some of us, it might be weird or even scary to imagine that the Awana we experience here could be so different somewhere else, so different to the point where nuns are leading the ministry, but please let me just say this clearly and with grace: God is no respecter of persons.
In Acts 10 Peter addresses the Gentiles. Right before this, and in the same chapter of Acts, God completely rocks Peter’s world by showing him that there is nothing made by God that is unclean (in the Kosher sense of the word). I don’t assume many of us can imagine how big of a shock that was to Peter. For his entire existence, Peter would have kept the strict dietary laws of Judaism. Even as a Christ-follower, Peter would have stayed away from cheeseburgers and pepperoni pizza, yet God reveals to Peter that nothing made is to be considered unclean, or in the ESV, it is translated as “common.” It was just having experienced this revelation that Peter goes to Cornelius’ home and offers a tremendous testimony followed by a killer altar call.
“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Acts 10: 34-35.
For me, these nuns embody what Peter says here.
These women fear the Lord, love him and serve him. They are selflessly giving of themselves, discipling these kids and working the other leaders in the area.
The incredible part of this is that this isn’t a singular experience. Awana is working in relationship with surprising people in surprising ways all around the world. Why? For kids and for Jesus.
Really, at the end of the day, if we’re going to be uncomfortable, if we’re going to be vulnerable, if we’re going to be in relationships that may stretch us, wouldn’t it be worth it for Christ and His Kingdom?
See the stories of what God is doing around the world today. Visit awana.org/more and watch the documentary. If you’ve already seen it, share it with others or show it at your church, as well as to friends and family.
