A letter from Kay Day serving in Rwanda
January 2016
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Dear Family and Friends,
Happy New Year greetings from Rwanda!
As the old year ends and the new one begins, we all have a tendency to reflect on the events of the past year. Rather than counting the number of classes I’ve taught or sermons I’ve preached, I like to reflect on the people’s lives that have touched mine in the events of the year. One of the most significant for me was just before the Christmas break, when we held “Spouses’ School” at PIASS (Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences). This was an event sponsored by the Presbyterian Women of the PC(USA) and enabled 40 spouses of pastors and pastors in training to receive training themselves in the Bible and Bible study leadership, church history, pastoral counseling, community development, and several other areas that equip them to assist their spouses more effectively in ministry.
Spouses holding up their certificates of completion
Those who participated included 35 women and 5 men, so it was truly a “spouses” school. The men brought a fresh perspective to the class discussions and gained a fresh perspective on their roles, not just as spouses but also in ministry.
While 30 of the participants are already living in pastoral situations, 10 are married to pastors in training (students at PIASS). In addition to the academic subjects, there were practical discussions about life in the pastorate and the challenges that the pastor’s family can face. Those who participated came from Presbyterian, Anglican, and Pentecostal churches, a true ecumenical mix.
The training lasted five days, with participants staying in a dorm on campus, taking meals together, and living together as they studied. By the end of the training there was a bond among them that was a delight to see. They were better equipped to meet the challenges of ministry and had a new support system of friendships to strengthen them in the face of those challenges.
What a joy it was for me to be a part of the planning and the training for this group. Looking forward to the New Year, we hope to do at least one more such training session in the near future. Thanks to Presbyterian Women for making this training possible.
With my present students and their spouses
The New Year holds many challenges and opportunities for all of us. I am preparing now for my Mission Interpretation time in the States, from April until September. I am asking God to open the way for me to spend time with you, sharing face-to-face what God is doing here. Then my goal is to return to Rwanda for another three-year term. That is my hope. But as in all things, we trust God for what is best, for he knows the future when we cannot. Far more than the events of the coming year, I am praying for me and for you, that we may become more the people God wants us to be—faithful, compassionate and grateful people.
My heartfelt thanks to all who have supported me through this past year with your prayers and finances. You have blessed me, and I pray that these stories of how God is working through me and our mission partners in Rwanda have also blessed you. Please prayerfully consider continuing—or even increasing, if you are able—your financial support in 2016.
I pray that God may bless you abundantly in this New Year.
Yours in Christ’s love,
Kay (Cathie to the family)
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 152
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