Wow!! This is our 6th time in this area, and we continue to be amazed every time we come with the vision and and the work done by Pastor Vincent and his community to make the vision come to fruition!!
When we were here last year they were beginning to build a storage building for the farmers and their crops. That is complete as well as a section for offices for a brand new Compassion site!! Compassion came and found that the area qualified for a program here, so Cyivugiza became a Compassion Site. There are 14 workers, and 210 children enrolled in the program- awesome!!
We also saw the stalls for the cows- and example for all; clean with raised food beds and a constant supply of water.
When we were here last year they were beginning to build a storage building for the farmers and their crops. That is complete as well as a section for offices for a brand new Compassion site!! Compassion came and found that the area qualified for a program here, so Cyivugiza became a Compassion Site. There are 14 workers, and 210 children enrolled in the program- awesome!!
We also saw the stalls for the cows- and example for all; clean with raised food beds and a constant supply of water.
 An example of the stalls in the Parish |  The local silo for storage of grains and seed- this is new this year |
Afterwards we drove to another area- we've been brought here before, to see a field where they thought they might develop into a farm. Instead it has been developed with a 'daughter' church called St. Mary's. It includes a two room nursery school and has electricity! Plans are to build a guesthouse as well as the area is quite close to Kibeho, a Catholic site where years ago there was a sighting of Mary, mother of Jesus. Since then there are tens of thousands of pilgrims every year coming to visit! That is the entrepreneurial plan Pastor Vincent has for the future! A very smart way to generate revenue into the area. They are also still planning on building a "model farm" where locals can learn proper animal husbandry.
Let us give you a bit of background on the area that may explain why we get so excited about this area! During the 1994 genocide, this area was hit very hard. Most of the local population was killed. As well, with those left behind there was a high incident of HIV/ AIDS. The church then was burned and all members killed. When we came the first time we left with a feeling of hopelessness- it felt like there was no vision. We came back the following year and Pastor Vincent was the new pastor, and we were greatly encouraged. Now 5 years later, there are two gorgeous church buildings refilled with people, many hectares of land developed for agriculture, water available , Compassion, the storage for farmers, a nursery school, electricity and lots more plans for the future!!
We visited one farm in this area, and were impressed with the set up the farmer had for his cow!
Let us give you a bit of background on the area that may explain why we get so excited about this area! During the 1994 genocide, this area was hit very hard. Most of the local population was killed. As well, with those left behind there was a high incident of HIV/ AIDS. The church then was burned and all members killed. When we came the first time we left with a feeling of hopelessness- it felt like there was no vision. We came back the following year and Pastor Vincent was the new pastor, and we were greatly encouraged. Now 5 years later, there are two gorgeous church buildings refilled with people, many hectares of land developed for agriculture, water available , Compassion, the storage for farmers, a nursery school, electricity and lots more plans for the future!!
We visited one farm in this area, and were impressed with the set up the farmer had for his cow!
For today's teaching, it was done by three of the Paravets, Peter (para vet of Cyivugiza), Assinapol (para vet of Kigeme Parish) and Jeannette (para vet of Mugombwa). They did an excellent job, this 'train-the-trainer' model will really help to get the information out to more people and areas!
 Assinapol teaching on direct disease transmission |  Peter teaching on indirect disease transmission |
 Jeannette teaching on biosecurity concepts |  Some interested parties peering through the church windows |
We detoured on the way back to Kigeme and went via Butare - the larger town here in southern Rwanda and did a bit of shopping and managed to find a cold drink!! We take our refrigerators and a cold beverage for granted at home, it was a real treat!!
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