Thursday, November 21, 2013

Rwanda, Africa

We are very happy and excited to announce that we have officially been accepted by VISA (Volunteers In Service Abroad) and by the Rwanda Area Director and will be joining the Bergs at Kibogora Hospital in April 2014!

Where We Are Going:

Kibogora Hospital is  located approximately 100 miles west of Kigali on the shores of Lake Kivu. Though Kibogora isn't on the map, it would be very close to Kibuye.

The hospital is run by the Free Methodist Church. The hospital serves an area of over 200,000 people, but only has 269 beds.

For more information about the hospital, including 2 great videos, please visit http://kibogora.org/the-hospital

What We Will Be Doing:

We were assigned to be the Mission Compound Coordinators at Kibogora Hospital. Though we are waiting for the official job description, some of our duties will include:
  • Manager support
    •  Support the local manager to provide teaching, education, and improving the quality and standards.
    • Audit all accounts and give advice on financial planning for paying bills and remodel/expansion projects.
    • Participate in weekly/monthly meeting of the mission leaders to make decisions, solve problems, and make improvement
  • Future Development
    • Work toward registering the guesthouse with the government as an official business.
    • Create rules and regulations for the mission employees and for all people living on the mission.
  • Hospitality
    • Review menus and teach new recipes
    • Model & teach good hospitality skills in welcoming and caring for guests
    • Inventories of houses
    • Oversee billing of visitors who pay in dollars, pounds, or euros
    • Review schedule of workers, including holiday and sick leave
    • Participate in monthly meetings to solve problems and make improvements
  • Maintenance
    • Monthly supervision of houses and exterior maintenance
    • Monthly supervision of vehicle maintenance
    • Review schedule of workers, including holiday and sick leave
    • Supervise daily work for good quality and time management practices
Stephanie is a Registered Nurse and will be volunteering at Kibogora Hospital. She will also assist Regan with the Mission Compound Coordinator responsibilities.

When Will We Be Leaving?

We will be leaving in April 2014

How Long Will We Be Gone?

Our assignment is currently set for 1 year. Beyond that we will put it in God's hands.

How You Can Help

Above all we need as many prayers as possible. Here are some things you can pray for (please let us know that you're praying for us!):

  • That we glorify God in all that we do (now and in Rwanda)
  • That our faith continues to grow
  • Spiritual, emotional, and physical preparation
  • For Macy, Zach, & Brandon
  • That our marriage continues to be strengthened through faith
  • That our house sells (soon!)
  • For Stephanie's mom to get better
  • That all the kids school details get figured out
  • That we raise the money needed to go
We could also use help at fund raisers (bake sales, etc). Please let us know if you would be interested in providing items to sale and/or help us during the sales.

We are also planning a garage sale on January 18th. If anyone has anything sitting around that they would like to donate, please let us know and we will gladly come pick it up.

And Now, The Moment We've Been Dreading

Another (big) way you can help us, if you're able, is by supporting us financially. It's never easy having to ask others for money, and we're quickly finding out that this is one of the hardest parts of preparing for a trip like this. We know God will provide, but we also know this won't be possible without contributions.

It will cost nearly $80,000 to go to Rwanda for a year. Some of our expenses include airfare, housing, food, visas, immunizations, health insurance, and educational expenses. If you feel God placing it in your heart to support us financially, we would greatly appreciate it.

All donations are tax deductible and can be made by going to the Free Methodist Church secure website at http://give.fmusa.org/donation/visa-regan-stephanie-land. Checks can be sent to the following address:

Make checks payable to: FMWM
Mail to: FMWM Attn: VISA Ministries
770 N. High School Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46214-3756
Please put the following code in the memo line: VIRWLandReg
 
Thank you! We are very excited to be serving God in this way!