April 2011
1 post
We've moved!!
For all local and global P.E.A.C.E. opportunities and blog posts, please visit www.outreachatmcc.com!!
March 2011
2 posts
Final post from Team Living Amazi
I’m finally able to embrace the fact that I’m going home. I’ve been so reluctant to leave, but the insistence of reality is hard to overcome. I’m absolutely certain this is only the start of a larger mission. We’ve merely laid a foundation of relationships and set expectations for how PEACE will work with the local ICC going forward. My heart has been touched in...
Our last days in Rwanda
Our last days in Rwanda sped by with a bittersweet ease. The team woke up early Sunday morning in our Northern Province hotel, fresh from our wonderful gorilla trekking the previous day. As Maurice, our guide, interpreter and friend, drove us back the two hours to Kigali, we wound our way along breathtakingly beautiful and treacherously steep, curving mountain roads. The landscape is stunning...
February 2011
35 posts
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Gorilla Fever
As part of our rest and relaxation day, we were privileged to take a short hike into the Bamboo forests of Rwanda, located in Musanze, to experience a ‘true’ Silverback family in their natural habitat. After trekking through thistle stinging bushes, moss covered bamboo as well as vine entangled vegetation, we came to our small family of Gorillas, which was not a large family, however had the...
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We’re not in Byumba anymore
Friday was another beautiful day set to Rwandan Time. We wrote some thank-you notes, packed up, said a final good-bye to Pastor Elson and made it about 1 km before needing a small repair done on our van. It was “all good” as it gave us a little more time to soak in some final images of Byumba.
Before long, we were on our way back to Kigali, leaving behind beautifully terraced hills as far as...
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Always an adventure with Jesus
Today started like any other day, with early morning drumbeats, bountiful sunshine and promises of new things; and boy, did we experience great things!
We first visited multiple churches, and they openly shared their dreams and desires for church building and rain collection projects as well as for long-term growth and sustainability. After some further discussions, my heart became...
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Misc. pics
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Lessons from Rwanda
This post may be a bit long and I promise lots of great details, but we’re all asking as a team that before you continue, please stop and say a prayer for Peter. He’s feeling a bit under the weather and we’re praying for a speedy and complete recovery tonight. Thank you so much!
This morning started like so many others - a cool breeze of clean, crisp air, a bucket of hot water...
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Day Something-or-Other...Baboon Attacks!
Today was the first day of our second teaching series. Just when you thought Rwanda couldn’t possibly get any cooler, we left Byumba for Kageyo (Kuh-jay-yo) and it got Way Cooler. If somebody told me right now that God put the Garden of Eden in Rwanda, I would totally believe it.
The amount of people at the training was slightly smaller at 25 and there was more of a language barrier, as...
Of new discoveries and leaping baboons
Every new day in Rwanda is the promise of something fresh and exciting, the continuity of our schedules combined with the possibilities of new and pleasantly unexpected beauty, adventures and relationships.
Our day began sleepily, with much needed rest and downtime. The plan for the day consisted of a supply run into town and an afternoon tour of churches and communities to better understand...
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CareNet Pregnancy Center - volunteer opportunities
CareNet’s mission is to promote a culture of life within our society in order to serve people facing unplanned pregnancies and related issues.
If you are looking for a way to help and get involved with the CareNet Pregnancy Center, please join us by supporting our annual fund-raising event at MCC through the Baby Bottle Benefit this March. We could use your help distributing and/or...
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More pics
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Downpour of love!
As I sit here and try to put into words the beauty of this place and the beauty of the Rwandan people we are with, it seems impossible to actually find a way to describe it. I know those who have been here understand this….The hearts of all we have met are some of the most gentle, authentic, and accepting hearts we have ever come in contact with.
Today we woke up to a huge rainstorm, thunder and...
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Day 7 - Rwanderful
Can you believe it? It has almost been a week that has passed since we landed in this beautiful land of ‘milk and honey’.
As for today’s activities, there was little happening, because there were some local elections. However, we did get the chance to visit two churches, an Anglican and Pentecostal. It was nice to have some down time, especially since we are branching out and attending multiple...
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More pictures - why not?
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More awaited pics
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Day 6 - Beautiful Gicumbi
Hopefully our internet challenges have been solved! This “problem” has turned into an unexpected blessing though as our quest for a solution delivered us right next door to a fantastic co-op which we hope to continue a relationship with.
An hour north east of Kigali, Byumba brings us mornings fresh and sweet with soft breezes drifting through the Guest House. Kigali residents told us...
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Overdue photos
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Day 5 - Let the lessons begin
MAN!!!! Today was our 1st day training the Clean Water Initiative modules in the village of Byumba, in the Gicumbi District, to roughly about 40 local church and community leaders. All the denominations from Catholic to Presbyterian were present and no one was separate. Truly One Church.
It’s almost impossible to even get my head around how cool today was, let alone put into words. These...
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The gift of service - Day 4
The morning air of Kigali, so clean and pungently sweet, filled our lungs. We breathed it in deeply, knowing we’d be on our way soon to a different place. The air complements the colors of this place; bright blues and greens, deep, rich browns and glowing yellows. Bursting from hand-painted signs and billboards and the fashions on the urban streets, the colors of Kigali do not shout “Look at me!”,...
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Learn To Read - Tutor an adult in reading!
If your resolution is to make a difference…
Consider tutoring an adult in reading!
To find out more, attend an upcoming Volunteer Orientation on:
Monday, February 7th 5:30-7:30pm or Saturday, February 19th 10:00am - 12:00pm
Monday, March 14th 5:30 - 7:30pm
Saturday, March 19th 10:00am - 12:00pm _____________________________
Manchester City Library
405 Pine Street, Manchester, NH
RSVP...
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Reconciling the past and the future
Humbling, surreal, contemplative, stimulating and grateful. This is how our team describes our first full day in Kigali, Rwanda. We began our day with a breakfast meeting at our hotel. We were seated outside with the birds singing all around us and we were honored by the presence of Eric, Moses and Jon Pierre. I cannot describe to you how powerful and Spirit led this meeting was; after...
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Living Amazi safely in Rwanda
Awesome news; all five of us got our luggage … we are headed to bed, since we have a 7:00 AM PEACE orientation meeting — ouch.
More blogging tomorrow, as we get settled in.
Good night loved ones,
Brian
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English for New Americans - local PEACE...
Do you have 2 hours a week to help Manchester’s newest arrivals learn English?
Volunteers are needed to work with small groups of refugees and immigrants as they learn and practice English. All planning and preparation done by the classroom teachers!
Classes take place at:
English for New Americans (ENA) First Congregational Church 508 Union St. (corner of Union and Hanover) Manchester, NH 03104
...
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Clean Water Initiative team from MCC - leaves...
Please pray for Team Living Amazi as they head to the Gicumbi district of Rwanda tomorrow at 4:20PM EST.
Brian, Johnny, Peter, Cindy and Megan
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Thank you from New Horizons - and a tour...
Dear Manchester Christian Church,
Thank your for your recent donation of new blankets, sheets and towels to New Horizons for New Hampshire! Your generosity came at a perfect time for us - when we were busy meeting the holiday and cold weather needs of the many people who depend on us. We truly appreciate that you choose to support New Horizons.
We invite you to come and take a guided tour of...
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The Way Home-supplies needed for cooking class
The Way Home provides healthy nutritional classes for their clients in conjunction with the New Hampshire Food Bank. Here is a wish list of supplies needed for the class. If you or your group are able to provide the items from one of the lists shown below, please email Linda at linda.hamel@yum.com.
Cooking Class Equipment Wish List
* indicates necessary equipment
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January 2011
5 posts
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2011 Point-in-Time Homeless Count
The Manchester Continuum of Care (MCoC) is looking for volunteers to help with this year’s annual unsheltered Point-in-Time count! This is a unique opportunity to help to the local community. In addition to providing much needed data on the local level, this count also helps the Department of Housing and Urban Development to keep track of national trends in the homeless population. The...
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Fair Trade World Market update!
From Black Friday through Dec 19th, 2010, Manchester Christian Church created 4,249 hours of employment for the global poor! Tomorrow will be different for a little girl and a little boy somewhere in the world because we had the courage to do something different together. THANK YOU!! We sustain these jobs through our weekly Trading Post so come check it out on Sunday!
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P.E.A.C.E. Trips to Rwanda - Summer 2011
Purpose Driven Church (PDC) - 1 trip led by Frank Reynolds & Matt Woodrow
Soccer Initiative for Orphans & Street Kids - led by Wayne Crotto
HIV/AIDS training - led by Michelle Aellen
Clean Water Initiative - led by Johnny Berry
Clean Water Technology - led by Bruce Southerland
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) - 2 trips led by Karen Lofgren & Lisa White
If you are...
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Teens in foster care - provide a monthly meal!
Bethany Christian Services is the nation’s largest adoption agency and also cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies and orphans living on five continents. They have received the following request from the Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). _______________________________________________________________________
The teens in foster care have a Youth Advisory Board made...
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Big Brothers Big Sisters - Last Christmas...
Thanks to all who gave so generously this Christmas at Manchester Christian Church. On December 23, 24 and 26 we collected over one thousand items for Big Brothers Big Sisters!! These items were distributed to children in need in our community so… way to go!!
Here’s the breakdown: 634 hats, 570 pairs of gloves and 302 scarves.
Gedow with his new warm hat from MCC!
December 2010
4 posts
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New Horizons - 2nd Generosity Sunday update!
Blankets. 97 Towels. 158 Sheets. 147
That’s the number of items collected for New Horizons Soup Kitchen & Shelter today! Another awesome Sunday at MCC!!
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Learn to Read - 1st Generosity Sunday update!
This is what 130 dictionaries, 350 notebooks, 63 book-bags and 49 phonics books looks like! Way to go Manchester Christian Church!! All of these materials were donated at last Sunday’s service. Thanks to all who participated!
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New Horizons - Volunteer opportunities
New Horizons is currently looking for volunteers in the following areas:
Van Drivers for weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00a.m. Use New Horizons vehicles to pick up food donations at area grocery stores, restaurants and businesses. Drivers must have valid drivers license, great driving record and be able to lift and move 50 pounds. Soup Kitchen Meal Preparation Help prepare dinner for Soup...
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Christmas Generosity at MCC
Questions? Email peace@manchesterchristian.com.
November 2010
6 posts
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Beds & bedding needed
One of our Making A Connection families from The Way Home is graduating their program and moving out in late December. All furniture in The Way Home apartments belongs to them, not the family. This single mom needs beds, sheets, etc… for herself and her 4 children, all under age 5. If you can help, please email Linda at linda.hamel@yum.com!
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Project Homeless Connect - Volunteer opportunities
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES for Manchester’s Project Homeless Connect
WHEN: Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Volunteers: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (or any time w/in that period)
Event: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
WHERE: St. Joseph Cathedral, Church Hall 145 Lowell Street
Project Homeless Connect is an opportunity for homeless people in our community to access...