Immeasurably More in Rwanda...

Chasing the Rats Away...

2011-12-10T07:23:00.001-06:00

I have a Rwandan friend who moved to a new house last week. He invited me to come over on Friday evening to "chase the rats away" from this new house. "What??!!" I asked him...thinking that I must have misunderstood, or that he had become confused with his English.

"I want to invite you to come on Friday to chase the rats from my house," he repeated. As I often do with my good friends in Rwanda I had to ask exactly what that meant. It turns out it is a housewarming party. The guests come to enjoy food and drink with the host. They bring gifts to welcome the host into their new house. It makes the house a home...one that is free from rats.

I personally think housewarming sounds...uhm....warmer. And rat chasing sounds.....uhm....creepier. However, the general concept is the same and I was happy to have been invited to help make this house a home for my friend.

I enjoyed the small gathering of friends in a living room about half the size of the area rug in my living room. My friend had even bought bottled water for me since I have cut back on the Cokes. (In Rwanda it is rude to offer guests water to drink, so this was definitely him being thoughtful and a good host to the American.) His house consists of a living room and the bedroom. The bedroom is about the size of the mattress he sleeps on. His floor is concrete. He is thrilled to be there because it is twice as big as his previous home. I. Am. Blessed.

I shared this because it is a great reminder to be thankful for whatever God has provided. It is true that I found "rat chasing" humorous, but I also think it shows the common human element. The desire for our house to be a home. The desire for our home to be free of disease, pests, germs, evil and rats. This holiday season fill your home with joy, laughter, friends and loved ones. Pray together and invite the Spirit of our God into your home. Pray for protection from Satan's schemes and that evil will not enter your home.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas...and may your homes be free of rats.

Peace,

Brett

The 12-12-12 Plan

2011-11-28T16:34:00.001-06:00

Hello friends and family. We continue to be blessed by God in our work here in Rwanda. Since returning from furlough in July we have been in the midst of some challenges that are stretching us and growing our faith. However, we continue to see the fruits of our labor and are humbled by the way God us using us here in Rwanda.

The spiritual battles we have experienced in Rwanda and on the mission field are intense and it is so good to know that God has already secured the final victory. We thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to take our cause before the Father whenever we come to mind.

The 12-12-12 plan is an idea we had to help secure the funding we need for the upcoming year. We would like to ask that you pray about and consider becoming a financial partner in our work. Without people like you we could not be in Rwanda doing Kingdom work!

Next year is 2012. There are 12 months in a year. (There were also twelve tribes of Israel and twelve apostles...just sayin'...) We are asking that you become a partner for 2012 in the amount of $120, $1,200 or even $12,000...that would equal $10, $100 or $1,000 a month. That is the 12-12-12 plan.

If you would like to do the 12-12-12 plan (or give another amount per month or as a special gift) then you can go to ROC Partners and click "Donate to the Shrecks" to schedule credit card or checking account partnerships.

To donate by mail write a check to ROC Partners with "Shreck" in the memo and mail to:

ROC Partners
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Thank you, again, for your love, support, friendship and prayers.

Peace,
Brett, Keli, Kassidy, Natalie, Benjamin and Nicholas

The Old and the New

2011-11-02T03:25:00.000-05:00

This picture is of my sons after returning from a walk with their mother. The boys love to take some Rwandan Francs with them on walks through the neighborhood...in hope of coming across the "pineapple lady". The pineapple lady is often found hanging out with the advocado or banana ladies. These women carry baskets of fruit on their heads and walk through the neighborhood selling the fruit. It is still common in Rwanda to see people carrying things on their heads, so the boys like to do the same on occasion.

The main road you drive on to get to our neighborhood is paved, but all the residential streets are dirt roads. With the hills and rainy season it makes for some interesting terrain when you take a walk. Besides looking for fruit to buy the boys also like to track the cow herds by their droppings or hoof marks. They look for goat herds the same way. If they can't find goats it is no problem...the grocery store owner a couple of blocks from our house keeps goats in the back and he is happy to bring them to the front so the boys can see them. It is not uncommon to see chickens in the road.

The amazing thing about Kigali is that it is urban Africa and a quickly developing city, yet many neighborhoods still have a rural feel to them. It is not uncommon to see a boy who is herding cows or goats pull out a cell phone and talk while he keeps the animals in line with his staff. You might see a business man wearing a suit walking to a location to catch a moto (motorcycle taxi) with a briefcase on his head instead of in his hand. The mix of old and new, traditional and modern are a common part of our life in Kigali.

I have been talking to a young women this week about baptism and I keep thinking about this concept of old and new. While in a culture we often value the old and traditional while encouraging progress and modernization it is not the case in our spiritual life. When we give up our old self and become a new person in Christ we should leave behind some things. We can't hold onto the parts of our old self that don't fit with our new self even if they feel comfortable. We often do this out of desire or maybe just habit. It might be too hard for us to give up things that should have been left behind, but Jesus has promised us that through him all things are possible.

I am thanful that in our families and cultures we have some traditions that are "old school" and I think some traditions in our faith and churches are healthy too. However, sin in our life is something we can't hold onto. Be encouraged by the words of Jesus and pray for God to show you the old things in your new self that need to go away.

Peace,

Brett

Donations to the Shreck's work in Rwanda can be made at ROC Partners.

Walls Coming Down

2011-09-06T08:04:00.000-05:00

My family and I have been back in Rwanda for six weeks now. Our furlough in the U.S.A. was a good time to reconnect with family and friends, spend time with our church family at Quail and to take a break from living in another culture. While we love the beautiful country of Rwanda and her people it was nice to be able to relax and blend into our "home" culture for a few months. I had the opportunity to share in Bible classes, small groups, over lunches and from the pulpit what an amazing work God is doing here in Rwanda. One of the most difficult things about speaking about all the huge things God has allowed us to be a part of here in Rwanda is that I could speak for hours about the topic if anyone was willing to listen for that long!

One week after returning to Rwanda we had Kid's Fun Camp at Christ's Church Rwanda (CCR). Our theme this year was Joshua and the verse was, Choose today whom you will serve. (Joshua 24:15) I must admit that Keli and I were in that foggy jet lagged state of mind as we did the final preparations and kept wondering why we had done this to ourselves. However, we had lots of fun and the three days went great. The children from CCR can still be heard singing the songs from that week. If nothing else we planted more faith in their hearts and that is always worth the time and effort! What a blessing to hear over 40 children shout "GOD!" in response to the question, "Who are you going to serve?"

Become a Monthly Partner or Make a One Time Gift Online!

2011-07-04T17:09:00.001-05:00

You can now give a one time gift or become a monthly partner at ROC Partners. Please consider partnering with our family in the work we do in Rwanda. We are needing another $1,200 in monthly support and an additional $11,000 in one time gifts for the year. Please feel free to email Brett if you have any other questions about our work in Rwanda.

Peace,
Brett

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T17:03:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish all of our Rwandan friends a Happy Liberation Day and all of our American friends a Happy Independence Day! We celebrated by going to the Edmond Parade, followed by a lunch of fried chicken and then off to the southside of OKC for a cook out. Yes...Americans like their food! If the weather cooperates we will enjoy fireworks back in Edmond later tonight.

As I reflect on these important days for these two nations that I love I am grateful to God that I was born an American and am currently living in Rwanda. God bless both these nations! Have a great 4th of July!

Peace,
Brett

A Future...

2011-04-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

What does the future look like for the children in your life? Are their basic needs met? Are they able to get an education? Do they feel safe and secure?

As the country I live in enters this month of remembrance I am struck by what the children of this nation (and those who loved them) must have gone through during the genocide of 1994. This Thursday, April 7th, marks the beginning of a week of mourning and remembrance for what was lost in 1994...the innocence of children, the life of family members and friends and for some even the land they called home.

Before I came to Rwanda I was horrified by the images and thoughts of the genocide. I watched Hotel Rwanda and wondered how this could happen. How could a group of men become so full of hate towards another group? How does one's mind become so poisoned that the value of life is lost? How do you kill your neighbor...your countryman...your friend?

Now I live in the beautiful green hills of Rwanda and I have two sons who are Rwandan by birth. I am proud to call many Rwandans neighbor, friend and even brother. Now I am moved in a different way as I actually see the pain and grief on the face of survivors who are also friends. As I hear the stories first hand it becomes more real. Stories of how families left all their possessions and fled to the borders. Stories of young boys running to the toilet when they first heard the sounds of war. Stories of hearing or even watching a loved one being killed. Stories of hiding and running for days, weeks or months. These are stories that most Americans have only read in books or seen in movies. For Rwandans these stories are their history...their life...their story.

What does one do with the thoughts and emotions that come during April while living in Rwanda? While the pain is felt and the tears are real there is also a sense of hope that comes with this time. Hope that is offered by the healing so many Rwandans have experienced through the power of forgiveness. A hope that the present is a new dawn and the future seems even brighter. Hope given by young men and women who aspire to further their education at a university. Hope provided by Rwandans removed from this country...at times for generations...who are returning to help build this nation.

Rwanda has made great strides over the last 17 years. The focus on infrastructure, education and building an entrepreneurial middle class will help many come out of poverty. The focus on unity and forgiveness allows God to heal the people. I pray that just as the sun rises over these hills each day that the joy of the Holy Spirit is also rising across this land. I hope that just as the heavy rains fall during this season that the Spirit of the Lord is pouring down upon the people. As we minister and disciple government officials, teachers, business owners and students we see what a huge impact godly thought leaders can have on this country.

What does the future look like for the children of Rwanda? It has improved drastically over 17 years ago, but there is still much to accomplish. That is why it is imperative that this country have leaders who are followers of Christ. As the hands and feet of Christ these leaders in government, business and education can make sure the basic needs of children are met. They can help them to become educated. They can keep them safe and secure.They can give them the only true hope for mankind...Jesus!

With Christ the future is always bright and I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of his kingdom in Rwanda. Please join me in prayer this month for the people and nation of Rwanda. Pray for comfort in their sorrow. Pray for hope and a better future. Pray for continued peace. Pray that the people of Rwanda turn to God in a way never seen before in this nation.

If you would like to partner with my family and the ministry we do in Rwanda all donations are tax deductible and checks can be sent with Shreck in the memo to:

ROC Partners
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd St, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

If you would prefer to do a monthly automatic withdrawal or credit card gift please contact me at brettshreck@gmail.com for details.

Peace,
Brett

Go Ahead...Take a Pen!

2011-01-18T14:37:00.001-06:00

Only five pens left...

To start my first post of 2011 I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. My plan for this year is to post more short entries that share about the culture in Rwanda, how the work here is going and what my family has been doing.

When I moved to Kigali I brought along a desk set I had in my real estate office back in Oklahoma. One of the pieces of the set is a pen or pencil holder. I am a bit OCD about my office supplies and I love to have a pen handy whenever I need it. I brought along my favorite "cheap" pens from America too. Some in black and some in blue.

I recently was able to have time to set up my office the way I really like to and I put out the desk set and loaded up the pen holder with seven blue pens and seven black pens. (See...I told you I lean towards OCD) Now let the cultural fun begin.

I often have Rwandans meet with me in my office. Not long after I put my pens out I began to notice something that seemed peculiar to me. When my guests would stand up to leave they would shake my hand and then often reach down and take a pen out of my pen holder and put it in their pocket. They had no shame and did not try to hide the fact that they were "stealing" my pens. The first time I was shocked. The second and third time I just had to laugh. After five pens had been taken I started wondering if my supply of favorite pens would last until furlough.

As I often do in Rwanda I asked a couple of Rwandan friends, "Why do you think these pens on my desk are here?" Without hesitation they both stated, "For people to take."  Apparently the desk set pen holder appeared to the Rwandans as a way for me to offer pens to my guests. They also had an interesting take on what the letter opener was...but I'll save that for another day.

I now move the pen holder off of my desk and to the bookshelf when I know that a guest is coming. If I have an unexpected guest I just chuckle to myself when they take the pen. I am down to five pens now, so I may be buying whatever is available in Rwanda soon. I am also considering having some marketing pens made with the "ROC Partners" logo and just offering them as a gift to any who come in. If you can't beat them...join them!

One final oddity....I have business cards and paper clips out on my desk as a part of the same desk set. To date nobody has ever taken a paper clip and only if offered do they ever take a business card.  I have to say that the differences in culture definitely make my daily life interesting.

Peace,
Brett

Kid's Fun Mini-Camp

2010-08-14T08:32:00.002-05:00

In early July, Moses, the youth minister at CCR, approached my lovely bride about doing a Vacation Bible School for the children. Of course, I was included in the first meeting and thus our summer fun began. His idea was that the youth group at CCR could help put on a VBS as a summer project and that it would be great for children’s ministry. Keli and I both agreed it would be a great thing for all the youth and children at CCR, but had some apprehension about pulling this off with less than three weeks to prepare.

Coming from our church home in Oklahoma where VBS was a production rivaling a Broadway show…okay….okay….maybe I am biased….but it could at least give the Shriner Circus a run for its money…we had to adjust our expectations and the amount of time we would put into preparation. Instead of VBS we decided to call this grand three day event “Kid’s Fun Mini-Camp”, based upon the advice of some Africans who told us “VBS” was not really understood here in Kigali.

We decided to make our theme David and planned to have a worship time, large group story time, craft activity, game activity, snack time, video and closing assembly time. In the closing we would do some more worship and a review of that day’s story and a reminder of the application. We focused on David’s heart for God and did three daily themes of “David’s Heart of Worship”, “David’s Heart of Love” and “David’s Heart of Trust”.

Thank you to the children’s ministry team at Quail Church for providing some great ideas for games, crafts and providing some material that worked as a starting point. I was assigned the task of writing the scripts for the opening and ending assembly times including the telling of that day’s story. I was also assigned directing and coaching the teens that would act out the stories. I was also assigned the emcee role. I was also assigned….never mind….you get the idea. Keli, Moses and I were all busy with a lot to get done before the mini-camp began.

As we began working with the youth it was obvious to me that they were not Americans. The Rwandan people are generally more reserved, quiet and serious than Americans. When you are doing a performance for children that needs to be energetic and entertaining (my script was funny….at least to a six year old…the kids confirmed this) the actors have to be willing to act completely goofy and even make themselves look foolish at times. (Moses was great at this. I wasn’t too bad myself…half the kids at church call me “Mr. Jack” now…) The Rwandan teens were not comfortable with this and two days before the mini-camp was to begin they asked to not be on stage in this role.

Let me say right now that these same teens did a FANTASTIC job helping lead groups, crafts and games. Other teens helped lead worship (including learning new songs with actions) and we absolutely could not have had a mini-camp without the CCR youth group. They are great teens who we really enjoyed working with. They just were not up to the task of being a stage actor or emcee.

So, back to two days before mini-camp with all of my actors deciding to take a rain check on making a fool of themselves on stage…therefore leaving me with several dilemmas. The first was is this script going to work? Will the Rwandan children, who are usually more reserved and serious than American children, find this funny? Will they sing along when we worship? Will they get excited and have fun? The second was how do we go from seven actors to two actors? The two actors being Moses and myself.

I decided to get busy rewriting scripts and we turned it into a two-man show. Moses and I rehearsed a lot for those next two days (and for all three days of mini-camp) and the kids loved it. They laughed when they were supposed to laugh, shouted when they were supposed to shout, sang when they were supposed to sing and most importantly answered the questions about the story when we had a chance to talk about how David’s life is applicable to their lives today.

A great guy named Joe who attends CCR helped us with games like throwing a stone (beanbag) at a life-size drawing of Goliath (thank you to my youngest daughter Natalie for lending her artistic skills), playing Lion and the Sheep (Shark and Minnows) and David, David, Goliath (Duck, Duck, Goose). Keli and my oldest daughter Kassidy did crafts like making a harp, a crown and doorknob hangers with the memory verse. The three ladies in my life also made the majority of the cookies we served each day. The last day we had a soda for each child.

The best part of the three days was the precious faces of God’s children. These kids had fun and learned about the life of David and about God. It was definitely three days where we felt like everything required of us to come to Rwanda was worth it. At the end of the last day Moses and I were sitting outside watching the children run and play as they were being picked up and Moses said, “It is good to see the children laughing.” How true that is. There is a reason Jesus said to let the children come to him. Blessing children with the Word of God has eternal value that is worth any sacrifice or inconvenience we have faced. God was praised and to Him be the glory for the children we were able to minister to.

For the number people we had 26 kids on the first day, 68 on the second day and 56 on the last day. Many of these kids came from the neighborhood. Some of them were brought by parents and some were brought by nannies. One of the highlights of the mini-camp was watching all the children and many of the parents and nannies sing and do the actions during our worship time at the closing assembly. That’s the kind of good stuff you don’t plan…only God could know that would happen!

Our prayer is that the children, parents and caretakers all had a good experience that will bring them back to CCR. For others that seeds were planted that will grow at places other than CCR. And finally, for the children who are members at CCR that their faith was strengthened and that they will feel like CCR is their home and family. May the children and youth of Rwanda be filled with God’s Word and Spirit and may He richly bless them and the nation they call home.

Peace,

Brett

Christ's Church in Rwanda 40 Days of Prayer

2010-07-01T03:49:00.002-05:00

Please join Christ’s Church in Rwanda in praying for Rwanda for the next 40 days as Presidential elections approach. Day 1 is 1 July 2010, and day 40 is 9 August 2010 (election day). What follows is a prayer guide that you may or may not choose to use. We believe that praying God’s word back to Him is very powerful (Isaiah 55:11), and we hope that you will agree with us in prayer.

Helpful information about praying these Scriptures

As mentioned above, we believe that praying the word of the Lord back to Him is powerful. Here is an example of how to pray the Scriptures on Day 2:

Dear Lord, I will shout for joy to all the earth and worship You with gladness. I will come before You with joyful songs. I will worship You with gladness and come before You with joyful songs. I know that You, the LORD, are God and it is You that has made us, and that we are Yours. We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise; I will give thanks to You and praise Your name. For You are good and Your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations.

Lord, Your word tells me that You will do whatever I ask in Your name, so that You may be glorified. It tells me that I may ask for anything in Your name, and You will do it.

Lord, Your word tells me that You will give whatever I ask for in Your name. It says that, if I ask, I will receive, and my joy will be complete.

Lord, Your word urges me to present requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for everyone—for kings and all those in authority—that I may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness.

(Follow with a request for peace in Rwanda, for example)

Lord, You know that Rwanda has struggled long and hard to reach a place of peace after the desolation that took place here. I ask in Jesus’ name that You will place Your hand of protection over our land as the presidential election approaches. I implore You on behalf of the people of Rwanda to help the election results to be of Your choosing, and that the president will look to You first for wisdom and guidance. May the nation of Rwanda look to You as the One True God. May Your name be glorified in what happens here in Rwanda and in all the earth.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Thursday, 1 July 2010 (Day 1)
• Psalm 9, Isaiah 55:11, Luke 1:37

Friday, 2 July 2010 (Day 2)
• Psalm 100, John 14:13-14, John 16:23-26, I Timothy 2:1-2

Saturday, 3 July 2010 (Day 3)
• Psalm 124, I John 4:16-18

Sunday, 4 July 2010 (Day 4)
• Psalm 86, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:6-7

Monday, 5 July 2010 (Day 5)
• Psalm 46, Proverbs 2:6-11, Psalm 32:7

Tuesday, 6 July 2010 (Day 6)
• Exodus 15:1-3, 6-7, 11, 13; Psalm 18:30-31; Revelation 3:7b-8

Wednesday, 7 July 2010 (Day 7)
• Psalm 5:1-8, 11-12; II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 46:10

Thursday, 8 July 2010 (Day 8)
• Psalm 81:8-13, Psalm 42

Friday, 9 July 2010 (Day 9)
• Psalm 27, Psalm 63

Saturday, 10 July 2010 (Day 10)
• Psalm 21:11-13, I John 4:4, Psalm 55:22

Sunday, 11 July 2010 (Day 11)
• II Thessalonians 3:1-5; Psalm 31:3-4, 8; Psalm 37:5-7, 39-40

Monday, 12 July 2010 (Day 12)
• Psalm 68:1-6, Psalm 138:7-8, Isaiah 54:7

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 (Day 13)
• Psalm 73:23-28, Psalm 143

Wednesday, 14 July 2010 (Day 14)
• Isaiah 40

Thursday, 15 July 2010 (Day 15)
• Psalm 90, Isaiah 30:18, II Chronicles 6:9a

Friday, 16 July 2010 (Day 16)
• Psalm 62:1-2; John 17:11, 14-20; Ephesians 6:10-20

Saturday, 17 July 2010 (Day 17)
• Psalm 20; Proverbs 9:10-12

Sunday, 18 July 2010 (Day 18)
• Proverbs 4:23-27; Psalm 25

Monday, 19 July 2010 (Day 19)
• Psalm 33

Tuesday, 20 July 2010 (Day 20)
• Psalm 34

Wednesday, 21 July 2010 (Day 21)
• Psalm 66

Thursday, 22 July 2010 (Day 22)
• Psalm 91

Friday, 23 July 2010 (Day 23)
• Psalm 92

Saturday, 24 July 2010 (Day 24)
• Psalm 101; Psalm 127

Sunday, 25 July 2010 (Day 25)
• Psalm 113:1-4, Isaiah 41:10, James 1:2-8

Monday, 26 July 2010 (Day 26)
• Psalm 108:1-5, Isaiah 58:12, I Peter 1:3-9

Tuesday, 27 July 2010 (Day 27)
• Psalm 95:1-7a, Romans 8:26-27, II Chronicles 7:14-15

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 (Day 28)
• Daniel 2:19b-21; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 15:13

Thursday, 29 July 2010 (Day 29)
• James 4:7-10; I Peter 2:13-17; Jeremiah 29:5-7; Job 34:18-19, 23-24, 29-30

Friday, 30 July 2010 (Day 30)
• I Peter 5:5-11, Colossians 3:12-17

Saturday, 31 July 2010 (Day 31)
• Colossians 3:23-24, Philippians 2:1-11, Ephesians 3:20-21

Sunday, 1 August 2010 (Day 32)
• Psalm 19, Philippians 2:13-16a, Jeremiah 32:27

Monday, 2 August 2010 (Day 33)
• Jeremiah 32:17-19, Psalm 14

Tuesday, 3 August 2010 (Day 34)
• Psalm 11

Wednesday, 4 August 2010 (Day 35)
• Psalm 15

Thursday, 5 August 2010 (Day 36)
• Proverbs 16:3, Matthew 9:36-38, II Corinthians 9:10-11, Galatians 6:9, Matthew 7:7-8, Joh-n 15:5-8

Friday, 6 August 2010 (Day 37)
• Psalm 16:1-9

Saturday, 7 August 2010 (Day 38)
• Psalm -17

Sunday, 8 August 2010 (Day 39)
• Psalm 18

Monday, 9 August 2010 (Day 40)
• Psalm 23

My Achilles Heel...

2010-07-01T03:18:00.000-05:00

...happens to be my Achilles tendon. In April I ruptured my Achilles tendon in a friendly after work game of basketball with one of my fellow ROC team members and several of the teachers from Kigali International Community School (KICS).

For those of you who do not know me that well, this is the second time I have had surgery on an Achilles tendon. The first was on my left heel about six years ago. This time it was my right heel. Both times the injury occurred playing basketball. I think my doctor and wife have decided my high-tops need to be retired.

I traveled with a good friend to Nairobi to have an MRI the first week of May and then traveled back to the U.S. for surgery on May 18. I had surgery on May 21 and flew back to Rwanda on June 14. It was difficult leaving my wife and children, the work I was doing and the church and people I was just getting to know. However, I survived and am now waiting for my healing and rehab to be complete.

I have to give a shout out to my beautiful wife Keli. She truly handled this situation with strength and grace. We had only been in Rwanda for three and a half months, had only been in our house for one month and had only had our container released for a few days when I left. She had to take care of four children, unpack and continue to adjust and survive in a new culture. Thank the Lord she did not want me to walk with a limp the rest of my life and allowed me to go home for the surgery despite how hard it was for her.

Peace,
Brett

ATTENTION CHRISTIAN TEACHERS!!!

2010-06-03T15:47:00.000-05:00

Is God calling you on a new adventure?! Interested in being a missionary teacher?! Come join our work in Rwanda as a teacher at Kigali International Community School....get more info from the KICS website!

Millie Vanilli and Fat Lips

2010-05-04T05:10:00.001-05:00

Sorry to have been away from the blog for so long. We moved into our house in April and are still waiting for the company to come install our internet. It is nice being in our own house, but we are anxious to have internet and for our container to be released. Once we have our own beds, couch and appliances it will make our life a lot easier.

Just a couple of stories today about my new life in Kigali. One is that we brought some barber clippers with us with the plan to cut my hair and the boys. We keep the boys hair short here and I actually shaved them tight last time. They are both cute enough to pull off that look. The problem is that we don't have a clipper length that is long enough for my hair. I gave myself the first cut and it looked so bad that I was determined to find someone to cut my hair.

A local mall has a hair place that adverstises "Experts in African, European and Asian Hair", so I decided to give it a try. The cost for a haircut was only 3,000 Rwandan Francs (about $6) and they said they did men's hair so I signed on the dotted line and was led upstairs to a chair. The man that came to cut my hair looked like Milli Vanilli...not sure which one is which...and I was wondering how this would go. I started to describe to him how I usually get my hair cut, but he stopped me in mid-sentence and suggested I find what I wanted in a book and show him.

Then he hands me one of those giant books of men's haircuts that I was sure nobody ever really used. A quick look at the cover and the first few pictures and I was sure this book was published in the 1990's. I went through page after page with Mr. Vanilli offerings suggestings from time to time. Finally, I found one that was reasonable and I showed it to him. "Can you do this...only shorter and a little more blended at this point?" I asked as I pointed at the picture. "Sure." He replied.

The haircut actually went well and he did a good job. The radio was playing Rolling Stones 500 greatest songs of all times. He asked if I was from the U.S. or the U.K. When I told him I was American he said, "Oh, you listen to this music then." I listetened for a moment and heard the Flamingos version of I Only Have Eyes for You. I just smiled and told him while I did know this song, that it was the music my father listened to....not me.

Another adventure has been getting through everything Immigration requires. After eight trips I was able to secure our resident visas, but now I am working on getting our green cards. The green card form is still not available in English, so I had to use the French / Kinyarwanda version. I had followed all the instuctions on the form, but when I took it they said "You need two visa photos." So off I go back home to get the pictures and have my picture taken, since everyone else in the family still had at least two visa photos except for me.

While I am home I grab a drink of water and when I take a sip I feel a sting on my upper lip. I never did see a bug or bee, so I'm not sure what it was. By the time I got back to the Immigration office my upper lip looked like I had spent a fortune on a bad injection of Collagen. I was so glad I had taken my picture before I went home. Thankfully they took my applications and photos without questioning why my lip looked so distorted compared to my passport and visa photos. Now we are playing the game of, "Come back in two days...they will be ready." I have only made three trips so far. Hoping that the fourth time is the charm!

Back to the swollen lip...I get back to the office and take a couple of Benadryl and the swelling starts going down. Within an hour the swelling looks much better. Of course, now I have scheduled some prayer time with a friend and am at the church fighting off that drowsy feeling while he is praying. Just a day in my life in Kigali!

I hope this glimpse of some of the new things we are doing also helps you see what it is like being in an urban area in Africa. I'm sure in a rural area I would never find someone to cut my hair. I also hope it helps you see some of the challenges we face in doing even everyday or minial tasks. If you have any specific topic you would like for me to cover leave me a note and I'll try to cover it next time I post!

Peace,
Brett

Help the Shrecks WITHOUT Writing a Check!

2010-03-31T20:01:00.001-05:00

From my personal marketing experience in Real Estate I know that ten to twenty friends who regularly refer you to their friends and family can make or break your business. I am asking you to be one of those friends!

I have had a unique offer from one of the most energetic, hardworking and successful Realtors that I know in the Oklahoma City Metro area. Eric Littleton will donate HALF of his commission to our mission work if you refer a client on our behalf. That's right....HALF of his commission! All that his clients have to do is let him know that they were referred to help the Shrecks. What an incredible opportunity!

That is where you come in. If you know of anyone looking to buy a house please refer them to Littleton & Associates. Eric and I are excited to see if we can use our combined passion for Mission Work and our backgrounds in Real Estate to make a successful partnership to help fund the work my family is doing in Rwanda.

Next time you think of Real Estate, please think of the Shrecks and Littleton & Associates!

Peace,
Brett

Finding A Way Home

2010-03-04T17:18:00.000-06:00

What is a home? In my real estate career I helped many people buy a house, but rarely did it seem like home to those people on closing day. A home has to be decorated and have hosted a few birthday parties or holidays.  Home is the first place you take a new baby when you leave the hospital. A home has been filled with the sounds of conversations about the day, laughter, whispers, singing and tears. A home has smelled like fresh baked cookies or apple pie. Home is where life happens surrounded by those you love the most.

We found a house to rent, but we know it will not feel like home for awhile. Once we move in and begin to live life then it will feel like home. For now, it is just a house. A part of me has really been longing for that feeling that I am home.

Two Sundays ago I went to the "New Beginnings" class at Christ's Church of Rwanda.  The class included a Rwandan lady who came from a different church heritage than myself. As we went around the circle to introduce ourselves we were supposed to share our church background. She stated the denomination she belonged to, but then stated, "I go wherever I find God's people gathered." Incredible statement. Here it is again, "I go wherever I find God's people gathered."

I could not agree more. When I am worshipping at Christ's Church of Rwanda (CCR) I can feel God's presence. I can see the people around me and their love for our Lord. I know without a doubt that God's people are gathered at CCR each Sunday. That feeling reminds me of my church family back in Oklahoma. Good stuff.

Tonight I went to a small group gathering with the youth minister from CCR. It was in the home of a Rwandan couple who live near the church and school. We walked in the rain and arrived a little bit late. The hostess welcomed us and we sat down to join the Bible study that had just begun. I began to feel a little self-conscious. I was in the home of people I had never met until tonight. I was the only muzungu (white person) in the group. I started thinking, "What am I doing here? I have only been in Kigali for three weeks...I'm not ready to be at a Bible study."

As the study of 1 John began and people began to discuss the Word I quickly felt more comfortable. We talked about living a righteous life, how to avoid sin and how to reflect the character of our heavenly Father. We discussed living a life that brings glory to God. These were God's people.  It did not matter that I was the new guy, the white guy, the American guy. All that mattered was that we were all children of God.

And that is when it hit me.  A feeling like I was home. It felt good. It felt comfortable. It felt holy.  What a blessing God gave me in that moment. I certainly realize that this is not the eternal home that Jesus has prepared for me, but it is the home he gave me for this lifetime and this body. The church and her people are home for those who follow Christ. No matter where you go in the world, no matter what your nationality or skin color, no matter what language you speak...if you are a follower of Christ you can find home. Just go wherever you find God's people gathered.

Peace,
Brett

Week One in Rwanda....Part 2

2010-02-17T14:46:00.005-06:00

It is tempting to describe our first week in Rwanda as a time of dealing with toddlers who were wide awake most of the night. You could throw in that all four of our children were sick at some point during the week and that gives you an idea of the challenge Keli and I faced as parents. During the day we were tired, but at night the stress was really high. We just wanted some sleep! And while our daughters seemed to be enjoying being here during the day they would begin to get homesick as the sun was going down. Even our two year old would wake up around midnight and cry saying he was scared and wanted to go home. Holding those kids and comforting them through the grief just about breaks our hearts. The toddlers are also acting out in other ways that show the stress they are feeling. Thankfully all of that is improving and we know it will continue to get better as everyone adjusts to being in Rwanda.

To ease the minds of grandparents we have all slept through the night for three nights in a row now. That sleep has definitely helped all of us to deal with the culture shock and the recent changes in our lives. The girls started school today and while they are tired and overwhelmed by it all I think they had a good first day. The boys kept asking, “Where’s Nat? Where’s Kass?” The girls going to private school instead of homeschooling is going to be a big adjustment for all of us.

Now to first impressions that do not have anything to do with jet lag, culture shock or just dealing with a big change. Rwanda is a beautiful country. It is called The Land of a Thousand Hills and Kigali is built on some of those hills. It is green here and the climate is consistently warm to mildly hot.

Most businesses you see have their front door open and several Rwandans hanging out around the door on the sidewalk. Most places are small, except for the newer and very nice buildings that are more like malls. The price for food and other goods is very high here. Some of the newer houses are beautiful mansions and way out of our price range. Down the road you might see a mud house without doors or windows. Some streets are paved, but many are dirt roads that would put any Oklahoma pothole to shame.

The people reflect the old and new Africa much like the businesses and the real estate do. You will pass a women who is a street vendor carrying her basket of fruit on her head. Next you will see a business man in a suit and tie talking on his cell phone. Passing him might be a women with her baby tied to her back. It is not uncommon to see small children walking alone or with a sibling. Some are dressed in school uniforms while others have less polished clothes and are carrying a jug of water. You will see some women dressed in the beautiful traditional Rwandan clothes. Other Rwandans have nice cars and are going to work. Many ride on the back of a motorcycle…the most common type of “taxi” you see here. One of my favorite things to see is a women dressed in a business suit putting on a helmet to climb on the back of a motorcycle and go to her office.

Rwanda is growing and changing. We see new buildings, businesses and houses that were not here two years ago. Sidewalks, curbs and street lights that are also new. Stores have products that could not be found in the past. The country is making progress and we are thrilled if we can play a small role in helping that continue.

Christ’s Church Rwanda is growing and it was great to worship there again. Hearing the Church praise God in song and prayer reminded me of why we are here. The people of Rwanda need the education, investment and development that Americans can offer, but what we all need the most is to have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

We have looked at some houses, but not found that perfect one in our price range yet. We opened a bank account, applied for visas and purchased a cell phone. We have been over to Bryan and Holly Hixson’s house several times and enjoyed spending time with them. We have been impressed by our daughters handling of the gecko on the living room wall and laughed as our boys ran around the room “screaming like girls” when they spotted the same gecko.

For a few examples of what our life is like day to day there is no air conditioning, so it does get hot at times. We are sleeping under mosquito nets to decrease the risk of getting malaria. People watch us wherever we go. We do not drink untreated water out of the faucet. Our floors are all tile….no carpet. We leave the windows open most of the time and even open the front door at times during the day. Our unopened milk is on a shelf and not in the refrigerator.

We are impressed by the gracious reception the Rwandans we meet continue to give us. We have enjoyed two pleasant meals out at restaurants. We enjoy the sounds of exotic birds throughout the day….especially early in the morning. We get to have a coke and a little chocolate every day.

I know this post has been all over the place, but that is kind of how my life is right now. I hope you were able to get a glimpse of how our life is eight days after we arrived in Rwanda. The internet is slow, so I hope to journal during the week and post to this blog once a week.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. If you are reading this blog and are not supporting us financially yet I would humbly ask you to consider partnering with us in this work. We can not all go, but those who send play just as important a role. Our family has come in faith that God will provide and you can be part of that provision. We still need monthly supporters. You can do $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or another amount. Please send in a pledge card or just email me at brettshreck@gmail.com if you want to begin supporting us as a monthly partner. We also need additional funds to purchase a vehicle, so if you can make a special needs gift towards that purchase it would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, please forward this information on to others who might have a heart for the type of work we are doing. It would be my pleasure to contact them if you would send me their information. Donations are tax deductible, should have “Shreck” written in the memo and can be sent to:

ROC PARTNERS
Attention: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Thanks to so many who have offered support, encouragement and prayers these past few weeks. We have felt God's love and strength through you.

Peace,
Brett

Week One In Rwanda....Part 1

2010-02-14T15:42:00.003-06:00

I am actually writing this blog from Kigali, Rwanda for the first time. It may be the most difficult one I’ve written because so much has happened in the last six days. Since the jet lag is not completely gone yet I hope this is a coherent account of the past week.

We left for the airport Monday morning and we were supposed to catch a flight to Washington D.C. at noon, but our flight was delayed. What a surreal experience driving through the snow falling…it was huge snowflakes that reminded my daughter of Hollywood quality snow, or “snow like you see in the movies”… to leave for Africa where the climate would be much warmer. When we arrived at the airport we began the process of checking in our luggage: 14 footlocker crates, 2 giant canvas duffel bags and 2 car seats for a total of 18 checked items. We had worked hard the week before to consolidate our luggage and make sure everything weighed 50 lbs or under per airline regulations.

When they weighed our first piece the airline scale showed it to be 52.5 lbs. Oops…guess our scale was about three pounds off from theirs. (Warning to the Lindens…yes, this was your scale….consider yourself forewarned.) The cost for being over 50 lbs is $150, so we immediately began to pull some items out. Then we did the same for the next bag, the next bag, the next bag…. I quickly figured out that the airline employees were having mercy on us and if we could get a piece down to 51 lbs they would accept it at no extra charge. Despite this act of mercy the trash bags we had brought, in case we encountered this situation, were starting to fill up.
Then the airline employee who was checking us in showed exceptional grace towards us by sharing a simple idea. She said that if we could contain and secure items inside the car seats then we could put the overflow items and the car seats all in the blue bags they provided for the car seats. So, with duct tape and trash bags we put our excess items inside the car seats and sent them on their way. Now, I have been at an airport when a trash bag comes down the luggage conveyor and wondered “who checks a trash bag when they fly?!”….well, that would be me. The Clampetts go to Kigali.

In the end we were able to get everything checked and did not have to leave anything behind. We waited to find out if our flight was going to leave in time to get us to Washington D.C. and make our connecting flight to Brussels. When we got the word that it would be close, but go ahead and go to our gate, the serious goodbyes began. It was difficult to tell family and a few close friends goodbye for the next year and a half. Once that was done we had to quickly pull together and get through airport security.

If you ever want to curse someone you should wish that they would have to go through airport security with four children (two of them boys aged three and two) carrying the following items that would be required to go into security trays: twelve shoes, eight Ziplocs of 3 oz or under liquids, six backpacks, five suitcases, three laptops, two puppy leash backpacks, two dolls, two Thomas the Train pillows, two watches, one belt, one computer briefcase, one large “mother of four” size purse and other miscellaneous personal items that I am sure I have forgotten. Let’s just say we did make it through security just a bit more flustered and sweaty than we were before, and then turned back to wave a final goodbye to the family. I held up each boy in turn so they could see and give a big wave as well. Thinking about those near and dear to our hearts all standing and waving put a lump in my throat as I type this. One of the toughest things I have ever had to do.

We boarded our flight for Washington D.C. and it was a smooth flight. We landed with just under an hour until our flight to Brussels was supposed to leave. We went racing through the airport…picture me and the boys looking like O.J. Simpson in that old airport commercial….running, jumping and spinning through the airport without slowing down for anything. Well, anything but to allow my lovely bride and two beautiful daughters to catch up with us. They were troopers as we hustled our way to an international terminal and ran up to a plane that was waiting for us….and only us…to board. The employee at the gate hardly looked at our boarding passes and did not even check our passports as he waved us on. We found spots for all of our carry-on luggage (not an easy task), took our seats and sighed a sigh of relief. Keli and I sent off quick text messages to the family saying we had made our connection and we headed to the runway. Once on the runway the pilot let us know we were in line to de-ice and an hour later we were ready to take off. Did we really just run a mile through an airport, hauling enough things to survive in the wilderness for a year, just to leave an hour late?! You bet we did!

The actual flights were fairly uneventful as far as traveling with toddlers goes. All six of us slept some on all three flights. The kids all watched some movies, played in an age appropriate way and ate some of the food. Our three year old even made the trip without any potty accidents. I’m not saying I would want to do it again or that it didn’t have its moments that were less than enjoyable….I guess I am just saying that it was not the horrible experience I thought it was going to be.

The real fun started when we arrived at Brussels and were also running late due to the de-icing in Washington D.C. Once again we had to navigate going across a large airport with our carry-on items in tow. Only this time we had to go through a security checkpoint again. What is up with the Europeans and their excessive security measures?! Apparently, all international flights coming into Brussels that are going to Africa have to go through security again. So, we began waiting in a long line to clear security.

In this line a man approached me. He was short and portly, very dark olive skin, thick beard, white robes, turban on his head. He walked right up to me, pointed to the security gate and said, “New Deli?” I replied, “This is security check for terminal T.” He stared at me for a moment and said, “New Deli?” while pointing to the gate again. I once again answered, “Security check to TERM-I-NAL-T.” Because, like all Americans, I know that if you speak very loudly and emphasize each syllable that even people who do not speak English might catch on. Then the man began to move on to a more Middle Eastern looking couple to ask his question.

At this point both boys, who have been totally mesmerized by this conversation between their father and this eccentric looking man, begin to point at him and say, “SANTA CLAUS…SANTA CLAUS…it’s SANTA CLAUS.” So, while it seems odd to say, I think we may have taught TOO MUCH ethnic diversity to our boys. They also greeted each guard, security or airline employee with a loud, “Hi” followed by, “What’s your name?” or, “What are you doing?” Let’s just say it made their mother a little nervous that they were drawing so much attention to an already noticeable trans-racial family all wearing matching bright red Eskimo Joes tee shirts and carrying more than their combined weight in carry-on luggage. Think anyone guessed we were from the United States?

Once we arrived in Kigali (about an hour late) things went great. We made it through the visa entry point with no problems. All 18 pieces of our checked luggage arrived. Going through customs they only opened one bag and briefly glanced at the top and then waved us through. The Hixson and Robinson families came to greet us and help transport our luggage and family to the guest house. We loaded the luggage racks up, tied everything on and headed for our temporary home. When we arrived the couples who had greeted us had also stocked the house with some necessities and some goodies to make our adjustment easier. It was bed time and we were all overwhelmed, tired and anxious. Some tears were shed and it was a rough night. However, we were thankful that God had delivered us safely to Kigali and that this new chapter in our life had begun.

Check back soon to hear about our first week in Rwanda….

Peace,
Brett

Container Loaded

2010-02-05T00:19:00.010-06:00

The truck arrived at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, February 3, 2010. This was a historic date for the Shreck and Linden families. All of the possessions that we are moving to Rwanda were loaded on the Maersk Sealand container and have headed off to Africa.

At first it looked like we would have to leave some things behind, but in the end God came through with an ever expanding container on the inside...even as it stayed the same size on the outside! Prayers were answered and all of the families things were able to fit.....along with some things for the church and school.

This is about the time the loader from my moving crew said, "I think we can get it all." There was about this much stuff still on the other side of the warehouse as well.

Checking my list. The Lindens pickles and baby supplies....check. The Shrecks five beds and tons of Oreos....check. Each item accounted for with a weight and estimated value included. 550 items in all. Over 19,000 lbs.

Sliding in the final box that made the cut. I think they made good use of all 40' of container...what do you think? Now on to the port in Houston....by land and sea until it reaches Kigali on April 27, 2010. I'm sure I'll be posting when our container is released from customs next spring!

Peace,

Brett

To Do List

2010-01-13T22:08:00.005-06:00

The infamous "to do" list. I have one. My bride has one. We have a consolidated one. Multiple categories. Healthcare. Travel Arrangements. Packing. Shipping Container. Purchases. You get the idea. All four kids have needs before we leave. Even the dog has issues to address before we get on that plane!

Right now I can usually check three to five items off at the end of a day. Sometimes more if it was a divide and conquer day and Keli got some things on my list done. That is the good news. We are task and goal oriented and highly motivated. (Moving overseas in less than a month can do that to you.)

The bad news is I often add three to five things to my list before I go to bed. As the process to accomplish one item begins it adds three things. As I mark off a "must have" item that we purchased I am reminded of two more we still need. I am hoping that in the next week or so we will no longer be adding items to the list. What a glorious day that will be when I can actually see the list getting smaller!

Through all this God is so good and faithful and continues to show up each and every day. Providing for our needs, giving us strength and reminding us that he loves us. How truly blessed we are!

A good friend, who moved across the ocean, once told me not long after his move that the good news was that he did not have a brain aneurysm.....because if he did he is sure it would have ruptured during the overseas move. While I do have a peace and joy about me, knowing that I am walking in God's will, I am also happy to report that I am fairly certain I do not have a brain aneurysm!

Peace,
Brett

Passports and Tickets

2010-01-04T20:17:00.005-06:00

We have been anxiously watching the mail for all four of our children's American passports (the boys already had Rwandan passports, but did not have U.S. passports). We had marked that they be expedited when we initially applied, but the nice government employee assured me that passports were arriving within four weeks and there was no reason to spend that extra $240.

Why I believed her is a question that makes me wonder if I am really ready to navigate my way through African culture, but she seemed like a sweet grandma and I took her word. Fast track to December....no passports....Christmas mail....giant snow storms....and we kept having to release our hold on tickets and push back our date. (You can no longer buy tickets for an international flight without passport numbers.) But on January 2nd....my birthday I might add....all four arrived in the mail. Yippee!

So, today I bought airline tickets for our family to move to Rwanda. The big date is Monday, Feb 8th. We leave at noon from Oklahoma City going through Washington D.C. and then Brussels. We arrive in Kigali on Feb 9th at 7:45 PM (or 11:45 AM OKC time). Yes...that's right....a family of six that includes two toddler boys will be on airplanes for just about 24 hours. If we survive the trip over I think we can handle anything. Our plan...parents and older sisters...is to have the iPods ready and pretend that we do not even notice how loud and rowdy the boys are being. I'll let you know how that goes.

This is a HUGE faith step for our family because we have still not reached our fund raising goal for monthly support or Crossing the Ocean funds. Our trust is in God and his provision. So many have given to help our mission and for that we are thankful. If it was not for people like you providing financial support we could not go work with the people of Rwanda. Our prayer is that others will come along beside us and join us in doing this great work that the Lord has blessed.

If you would like to make a pledge or donation you can send it to:

ROC Partners
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd St, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

All checks need to have "Shreck" in the memo.

I will try to keep you updated on our progress over these next five weeks....let the final countdown begin!

Peace,
Brett

Container Transport and Other Stuff

2009-11-17T22:53:00.009-06:00

This picture made me laugh. I really hope this is not how the container holding all of my families earthly possessions makes it from the ship to the shore. Note to self: add container arriving safely in Kigali to your prayer list.

Several times over the last year I have had moments that made our moving to Rwanda seem real. When we received official word from the ROC board that we had been approved to join Team Rwanda. When we began to tell people we were moving. When we sold our house.

Another of those moments happened today. We are having a garage sale this weekend and most of what is not going to Rwanda with us will be sold. Going through our possessions this evening and marking things as goes to Rwanda, garage sale or storage was a bit surreal. I realized we were taking another big step towards what God has called us to do.

Our plan is to ship a container to Rwanda around December 11. We are living in our house (not really ours anymore) until then, but will be moving in with my parents once our furniture is headed overseas. We will be living with them through the holidays and plan to move to Rwanda in January 2010.

The girls are also aware that we have moved into a new phase of preparing to move. They are asking more questions about the move and what life in Rwanda will be like. God has blessed us with such wonderful daughters and they are doing great with everything. However, they are a little sad to see some things being sold and are especially aware that their time with Sugars (our Bichon Frise) is getting short. Our boys are just excited to go on the airplane to Rwanda!

The wonderful thing is that through all of this I have a sense of peace because I know I am being obedient to God. Now, do not hear me saying that this has not been difficult. It has been very difficult at times. I know some things will be even more difficult over the next two months. My God did not promise me an easy life. He did not promise me a life without struggles. What he did promise me is that he would always be there. That he is in control. That in the end his will will be done.

Peace,
Brett

"When You Are Conflicted Between Being Kind or Being Right..."

2009-10-06T11:10:00.008-05:00

"When you are conflicted between being kind or being right, always choose kindness."
- Immaculee Ilibagiza

You know those times when something truly goes your way? Something falls into your lap? It could be an opportunity, a relationship or an experience. Those special times that without a doubt you know that the Lord our God gave something to you. Deep in your heart you are overwhelmed and thankful by simply knowing you received a gift from God.

Rwanda Outreach and Community Partners (ROC) received such a gift last week. We were able to co-host an after party with the Journal Record following their Women of the Year annual gala. Rwanda and ROC were highlighted in an amazing way in front of some of Oklahoma City's "Who's Who" crowd. The Rwandan Ambassador to the U.S. was in attendance as was the Rwandan Minister of Gender and Family Promotion.

The keynote speaker at the gala was Immaculee Ilibagiza. Immaculee is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide that occurred in 1994. For 91 days she was hidden in the bathroom of a pastor who took pity on her and seven other women. Yes, eight women in one bathroom for three months! She is the author of Left to Tell and Led by Faith which tell her story of prayer, faith, survival and forgiveness. These are two of the most inspirational books I have ever read. If you have not read her books I would urge you to go to http://www.lefttotell.com/ and let her life bless yours.

I will tell you that nobody in Immaculee's family survived the genocide. She was also hunted and the people who searched for her wanted to kill her. Through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit she has been able to forgive the people who sinned against her and her family in the most horrid of ways. As she spoke she told the audience, "When you are conflicted between being kind or being right, always choose kindness."

What a great reminder for all of us. Have you been wronged by others? Hurt? Ignored? Mistreated? This women has forgiven those who would have killed her. Those who did kill her family....forgiven. Those who killed many of her friends.....forgiven. She chooses to be kind....rather than right. This is the spirit in the Rwandan people that inspires me. Gives me hope for the nation. Teaches me.

Don't misunderstand...the Rwandans have not chosen to remain victims and continue to hold those who perpetrated the genocide accountable for their actions. In my opinion that accountability is more effective since it is demonstrated in a country where so many have forgiven others for their evil actions. It is a nation being rebuilt on the pillars of accountability and forgiveness....incredible!

As I reflect on this amazing women and her story I am reminded of the way Christ lived. Immaculee proudly proclaims that she has modeled herself after him. She recounted the story of the cross and how Jesus looked at the people who had nailed him to the tree and said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." She came to understand that the people who murdered her family and wanted to do the same to her did not truly understand what they were doing.

I would encourage you to learn more about Rwanda. Read Left to Tell and let it inspire you. Drink some Rwandan coffee. Be willing to hear about the horrors of the genocide in 1994. Discover the beauty of the Land of a Thousand Hills. Remember the nation of Rwanda when you see a mountain gorilla. This nation and her people are rich in so many ways, yet suffer in so many others. They can teach us so much, yet still have much to learn. Consider joining my family and ROC in teaching, healing and loving the people of Rwanda. We can offer them the greatest treasure...one stored up in heaven.

Peace,
Brett

Hope and Healing

2009-09-16T16:47:00.003-05:00

Providing hope and healing to the broken hearted. To me that sums up the mission of ROC Partners and the team we are going to be a part of in Rwanda. So many in Rwanda have experienced pain caused by loss. The nation has endured more loss than most of us can imagine. The genocide caused the loss of life, the loss of innocence, the loss of family and the loss of peace.

The financial and social systems had to be rebuilt. A new government had to be formed. In a country of about 8 million people they estimate there are 800,000 orphans. People had to learn to trust. They had to learn to forgive. With strength and dignity the people of Rwanda have begun to work on healing as a nation and they are well on there way.

We know that God is the ultimate healer. The author of our faith is who offers true hope. We pray that we can be his instruments in Rwanda to show people hope and healing. God will provide the nation of Rwanda and her people hope, joy and peace. He will make them whole.

I pray that as God prepares my family to leave he will give us a strong faith. That we will be a light to the people of Rwanda. That they will see in us the hope, joy and peace of our Father. Please pray that he prepares our hearts and the hearts of the people we will serve, so that our contacts and relationships will be blessed by God.

On more of a business note, we are working hard to raise the funds we need. We are so thankful to all of you who have supported us financially, in prayer and in so many other ways. Right now we have reached 35% of our "Crossing the Ocean" funds goal. We have pledges that will meet 20% of our monthly needs. We are excited and encouraged by this progress! However, we must have additional financial help to be able to serve the people of Rwanda.

Please prayerfully consider giving to support the work we are doing in Rwanda. Our house is sold and we are ready to leave. A.S.A.P. With your help we can move to Rwanda and begin the ministry God has called us to. We especially need monthly partners to support us for the next three years. If you can do even $25 a month it is a huge help to us. If everyone we sent a letter to pledged $25 a month we would already be at our goal! If you can do more please do....because we know not everyone will be able to give.

You can send a check or a pledge to the address below. If you want more information or a pledge card please email me at bshreck@sbcglobal.net and I will send one to you.

Donations are tax deductible and can be sent to ROC Partners (yes, Rwanda Outreach and Community Foundation has been changed to Rwanda Outreach and Community Partners) at the following address:

ROC Partners
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd St, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Peace,
Brett

Make Known What He Has Done

2009-08-06T17:28:00.009-05:00

Psalm 105:1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

I keep one Bible in my car. The Bible I usually read and carry to church I left in the bride's mini-van...I hope. So I pulled out another study Bible that I haven't used in years. In the front of the Bible was a sheet of paper. At the top of the paper I had written down the last part of the verse above.

"Make known among the nations what he has done."

I'm not sure what the context was at the time, but how relevant to find it today. That is how I want to live out my faith. I want to thank God, call on his name and tell people what he has done. Because what he has done is AMAZING.

Our Lord and savior came down to this earth, was crucified and rose again. Think about that...the God of all creation became a man and died for our sins. (Makes an American family moving to Africa not seem so impressive...or risky...or crazy, huh?) He has offered us his grace, mercy and eternal life. He has made the lame to walk, the blind to see and the deaf to hear. He is the giver of living water....the giver of hope...the giver of light....the giver of LIFE.

Most of our friends and family have been supportive (although with some mixed feelings) about our decision to follow God's call to Rwanda. Others have had more trouble accepting us living out our faith in this way. For those who question our calling I pray that they will come to understand that the little boy pictured above...a little boy who lives in Rwanda...needs to know what our Lord has done. Who should share the good news with the Rwandans? If not my family, then who will go? That little boy needs to know that he has a savior who died for him. A savior who loves him. A savior that he was created to worship. A savior who offers him eternal life with the one who is our mighty rock, our refuge, the creator of the universe, the one true God above all other gods, the Almighty God.

We as followers of Christ should shout out to all the world....at home and abroad...so that the nations will know what he has done. When Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." it also came with a promise. "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Walk with Jesus today. Walk with him in the good ole USA and tell the Americans about what he has done. Walk with him in Australia, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa and tell the nations about what he has done. My family and I will walk with him in Rwanda and tell the Rwandans about what he has done.

Our Lord is amazing! Let's give him thanks, call on his name and make known among the nations what he has done.

Peace,
Brett

Howdy...Partner!

2009-07-24T14:14:00.003-05:00

OUR MOVE DATE IS ALMOST HERE...OCTOBER 18. WE NEED PEOPLE TO PARTNER WITH US IN PRAYER AND FINANCIALLY! BELOW IS A FUND-RAISING LETTER BEING SENT NEXT WEEK. PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING US AND THE WORK IN RWANDA. AS ALWAYS WE NEED PRAYERS! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO OUR MAILING LIST OR RECEIVE EMAIL UPDATES PLEASE LET ME KNOW! THANKS!

Dear Family and Friends,

We have known for years that the Lord would call us to the mission field someday, but we did not know how or when that would occur. After traveling to Rwanda in 2007 and 2008 to adopt Benjamin and Nicholas we were touched by the nation and her people. As we observed the amazing work being accomplished by God through the team in Kigali we began to have a vision of returning to join them on a full-time basis. The hope and potential for a better future for the people of Rwanda captured our hearts and minds. We feel that a strong faith in God is necessary for the people of Rwanda as they rebuild their country. We know that Rwanda is our calling.

Christ’s Church in Rwanda (CCR) began in 2006 as a small group meeting in the home of missionaries. They started meeting in a building in March 2007. Today, their average attendance is about 280. The team there has also been involved in selecting students and business leaders to come to the United States, offering English lessons through Let’s Start Talking, offering business and technology training to professionals, providing education to young Rwandese and offering logistical assistance for the adoption of orphans. God has blessed the team with strong relationships at the highest levels of Rwanda’s governmental and educational institutions, allowing them to influence these thought leaders with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They also partner with Kigali International Community School, a faith-based private school.

It is obvious to us that God has blessed this work. The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. We are excited to see what else God can accomplish in Rwanda with a larger team. Since Rwanda is transitioning the official language of government and education from French to English it is a unique time of opportunity for Americans in Rwanda. We are eager to join this work and are planning on moving to Rwanda October 18, 2009!

We ask for your prayers for us and the work we will do in Rwanda. We also need your help to allow us to do this important work and we are asking for your help in one of these three ways:

1. We need special occasion gifts for our “Crossing the Ocean” fund. Donate a flat amount to this fund.
2. Pledge and donate ongoing support on a monthly basis. Our initial commitment is for three years. We would ask that monthly support begin on September 1, 2009.
3. Donate to our “Crossing the Ocean” fund and also pledge to be a monthly partner in our work. Your gift of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more is needed for us to move to Rwanda in October.

We are pleased that the Rwanda Outreach and Community Foundation (ROC) agreed to sponsor us and oversee our work in Kigali. ROC is an Oklahoma faith-based non-profit organization and our support will be going through ROC. You can learn more about ROC at http://www.rocfoundation.org/. Your financial support will be tax deductible and checks can be made out to ROC Foundation with Shreck in the memo line and sent to:

ROC Foundation
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63rd, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Thank you for your prayers and support. If you have any questions, would like more information or know of others who might partner with us on this journey please email Brett at bshreck@sbcglobal.net.

Blessings,
Brett, Keli, Kassidy, Natalie, Benjamin and Nicholas

A Blessed Yard and Garage!

2009-06-29T21:12:00.002-05:00

WOW and THANK YOU...that's about all I can write. God blessed us through many friends, neighbors and family who donated to our fund raising garage sale. Others spent hours helping us sort, price and pick up items. Some even came and worked the sale!

Overall it was God who provided and provide he did. $3,500 was the grand total! Considering we decided to have this garage sale only nine days before it started I think that rocks! As you can see we had more than enough to keep us busy for those nine days. We couldn't have done it without all the help.

This will help us and the Lindens (the other family going to Rwanda about the same time we are...they are young, hip, love God and can't wait to serve the people and church in Rwanda....yeah, we are kind of excited that they are going with us) pay for some immediate expenses.

We really need some big donors to help us in the next couple of months. If you know of an individual or church that might be willing to help please let me know. Please pray...I know God will provide and we are just waiting for him to put us together with the right people.

Peace,

Brett

Fund Raising Garage Sale

2009-06-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

We are having a fund raising garage sale on Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Please spread the word to people who might want to make a donation of items to the sale or people who would like to come shop at a multi-family garage sale!

Donations have already started coming in and we are so thankful for our friends and family who continue to support our calling to Rwanda. If you live in the OKC area and have items in good condition you would like to donate you can e.mail me at bshreck@sbcglobal.net to arrange dropping off or a pick-up if needed.

Even if you are not a garage sale shopper (like me) come and check out the refreshments that our daughters and their friends will be selling. Our garage sales for our adoptions had a bit of a party atmosphere and we hope this one will be the same!

I will post later on how the sale went. God has done amazing things through garage sales at our house before. Hopefully we will make enough money to do some things that we need to pay for now without dipping into our funds to cross the ocean!

Peace,
Brett

FAITH, FAITH, FAITH

2009-06-09T21:06:00.000-05:00

It is one week into June. Our hope, dream and goal is to be in Rwanda in September. WOW...where did the last six months go? We need to raise funds to cross the ocean. We need more pledges to support us monthly. We have filled out applications for Kigali International Community School for our daughters. It is time to start packing. It is time to make decisions about where we will live in Kigali. How is all this going to work out?

God has called us and we must trust him. In one of my favorite holiday movies, The Preacher's Wife (still love Whitney Houston...ask me about when I saw her in concert in the 80's sometime) they say, "Faith is believing in what you can't see." Not necessarily profound, but the movie is about the simple faith of a child. The incredibly strong faith of a child. Actually, that is profound. That type of faith is what I have been needing. And God has provided.

Two weeks ago I thought there was no way we would really move by September. Today I am certain we will. What changed you ask....my faith. My simple faith. My incredibly strong faith. God has been faithful and he has called my family to this mission. He will guide. He will provide. He is my Father and I am his child. Faith like a child...knowing that he will come through. May you be blessed with great faith in your walk.

Look out Rwanda....here I come!

Peace,
Brett

A Prayer for Christ's Church in Rwanda

2009-06-02T23:37:00.000-05:00

(Many of you have asked about the church in Kigali so I wanted to post a picture of the building where Christ's Church in Rwanda meets. I know... I know...the building is not the Church, but I hope it gives you a better sense of where I am headed. This is the building where my family and I will worship when we are living in Kigali. I will try to post more information over the next few weeks about the Church itself.)

My small group is doing a study of Ephesians right now. As I thought about Paul's prayer for that church over the last couple of days I really started praying it for myself. For my family. For the Americans already living in Kigali. For the people who attend Christ's Church in Rwanda. For all the people of Rwanda.

Can you imagine growing up in a country only fifteen years removed from a genocide? Can you imagine if your children or grandchildren had lived through the horrors that many Rwandan children experienced? What would that feel like? Would you feel Hope? Joy? Peace? Love? How do you recover from such an obvious encounter with evil? How do you forgive the ones who did this to you or your family? How do you forgive yourself if you did these things to others?

Only through our Lord Jesus Christ and the power and grace of God can this nation be healed. For the people to forgive....have hope....live a rich life...they need Jesus. This prayer is a beautiful prayer and a powerful prayer and I ask you to join me in praying it for Christ's Church in Rwanda:

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:15-21

Peace,
Brett

Reality Check...Not Just "One Man's Journey"

2009-05-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

I could not and would not go to Rwanda without the loving support, encouragement, partnership and prayers of my life-long soul mate and best friend Keli. Her faith is so strong. She is such a prayer warrior. She is truly a daughter of the King. She makes me laugh. Her smile can light up my world. What an incredible role model of beauty and grace she is for our daughters. I am so thankful to God for blessing me with her. The gifts and talents she will bring to the people of Rwanda and the Lord's church there are too numerous to mention. With her alongside me I can accomplish ten times what I would be able to do alone...with God in the equation who knows how much he can accomplish through our family?!?!

Keli and I both enjoy travel and adventures and are thrilled that God is calling us on this journey together. He has prepared us as individuals, a couple and a family for years...in ways we can only now see. We absolutely loved the people and nation of Rwanda and feel honored to go serve God in this country.

We have gone to Africa once without our daughters (to adopt our sons) and would not go back without them again! They are following in their mother's footsteps and show a beauty and grace beyond their years. I am amazed by their faith. They have been wonderful in their response to this decision that will drastically alter their lives! I would love to take credit, but most of it must go to Keli and God.

Our boys will be returning to their first homeland. (I assure you that they are as All-American as boys born in Rwanda can be!) What a gift to our family to be so closely tied to Rwanda. It will be such a blessing for all of us to learn more about Rwanda. The boys are just as loud, rowdy, ornery and cute as they can be...and they keep our family young and laughing! My prayer is that they become warriors for God. Men of strength and honor.

What a team God has given me to lead! Thanks for letting me share about how God has blessed me. Please pray for all six of us...that God will bless us, protect us and use us in Rwanda and pray for me as the leader of Team Shreck.

Peace,
Brett

Endless Night

2009-04-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

Our family went to see The Lion King a few years ago in Tulsa and we are going again next month when it is in OKC. If it is coming anywhere near your home you really should go...it is worth it! The girls and I were watching some clips on youtube the other night to get in the mood and remember how much fun we had the first time we went. If you have seen the movie or the stage production you know that Simba (the lion king cub) has left his homeland due to the death of his father Mufasa. His father had told him he would always be with him and Simba desperately wants to feel his father's presence as he faces the daunting task of a long journey home and a battle versus his evil uncle Scar.

My favorite song of the musical is the one that Simba sings at this moment of deep despair. Simba thinks the journey and task he has been given are greater than he is. He does not feel capable of taking it on. He's not sure if he will ever get out of the darkness and see the light. He feels alone. It is called Endless Night.

Where has the starlight gone?

Dark is the day

How can I find my way home?

Home is an empty dream

Lost to the night

Father, I feel so alone

You promised you'd be there

Whenever I needed you

Whenever I call your name

You're not anywhere

I'm trying to hold on

Just waiting to hear your voice

One word, just a word will do

To end this nightmare...

Simba's song touches my heart because I have been there. I am there. I often wonder if God has the wrong man...am I really up to this task? This journey? This life? I definitely know that I am not capable alone. When I hear this song I think of my heavenly Father and the times I so desperately need to hear from him. The times I need him more than ever and don't seem to be connecting with him on the level that I desire or want or crave.

Have you ever felt this way? If so, you are in good company. Mother Teresa spent most of her ministry time feeling this way. Go read David cry out for an absent God in the Psalms. Hear Paul beg for a thorn to be removed from his side. Even our Lord and Saviour asked why he had been forsaken by his Father.

Over the last months, as I prepare myself and my family to move to Africa, I have felt isolated from God. The world has seemed to be a darker place. The spiritual warfare seems to have begun. At night when I can't sleep I wonder...Why me?...Why my family?...Why right now?...How will we ever do this? I am not strong enough. My faith is too weak. This night is too dark...too long...too lonely.

However, I know that soon a little breeze will come into my spirit. A hint of light will flicker in the darkness. My heart will hear a whisper from God. I am eagerly anticipating one of those moments. I love those moments. Those moments are the reason for the valleys. Because in those moments God is preparing me to do greater kingdom work for him. Now I am ready to become more dependent on him. Now everything in me is yearning for him. Now all my attention is focused on hearing his voice and his call.

Simba is also aware that while his night might seem endless the sun really will rise...

I know that the night must end

And that the sun will rise

I know that the clouds will clear

And that the sun will shine

I know

Yes, I know

The sun will rise

Yes, I know

I know

That the clouds will clear

I know that the night must end

I know that the sun will rise

And I'll hear your voice deep inside.

I know that the night must end

And that the clouds must clear

The sun

The sun will rise

The sun

The sun will rise

Don't you love it that our God has said he will always be there? He will never forsake us. The battle has already been won. We can be confident that the night must end. The clouds must clear. The sun will rise...yes, I know the sun will rise!

Peace,
Brett

We Are Moving To Rwanda!

2009-04-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

In 2007 when Keli and I decided to adopt our sons from Rwanda we never imagined the plan God had for us. As many of you remember, the two week trip we hoped for turned into an almost seven week trip and we spent more time in Africa than we anticipated. During those weeks in Kigali we stayed in the homes of the Jenkin's and Hixson's and worshipped at Christ's Church Rwanda (CCR).

We already had Rwanda in our family...we knew we would be taking Rwanda into our home...but over those few weeks Rwanda took a firm hold of our hearts. Even during our stay there we began to talk and dream about moving back to The Land of a Thousand Hills someday. We just didn't realize how soon that dream would become a reality.

Rwanda is known in the United States primarily for the 1994 genocide that occurred there. What touched us was the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation that the Rwandan people had. We could see an opportunity for God to do great things in Rwanda...things that could impact the entire continent of Africa. Our hope is for this small nation to continue to seek God as they become a beacon of light in a continent so often filled with darkness.

Earlier this year we were invited to make a proposal and explore the opportunity for us to move to Rwanda this fall. After a time of fasting and prayer we began to let God lead us down this path. The outcome of this process is that our family will be moving to Rwanda later this year under the guidance of the Rwanda Outreach and Community Foundation (ROC) http://www.rocfoundation.org/. We will be joining the team in Kigali, Rwanda to work with ROC and CCR as the mission and Church there continue to grow.

We are trusting in God for his provision for our family. We will need Crossing the Ocean funds to make this move. We will also need monthly support to sustain us once we reach Rwanda. Please pray for us as God prepares us for this calling. We would ask that he provide spiritually, financially and emotionally for our family as we take this journey of faith. If you would like to make a Crossing the Ocean donation or become a monthly supporter the funds will be managed by ROC with Shreck/Rwanda in the memo. I will be posting more details as we go and please feel free to e.mail or call me if you have any questions.

Our greatest desire is for God to use our family to bless the people and his church in Rwanda. May he bless you as well and do great works through you.

Peace,
Brett