Something happens to your head and your heart after you spend a few days on the ground in a country like Rwanda!

Bob and I are weighing in literally and we are asking you to join us…it started as a joke, Andrew Falle threw out the idea one day that we should have a fundraiser..(we were having alot of them, thanks to Dorothy and Betty, while we rattled around on the coaster bus—fundraisers that is!)…but this one was different..Andrew suggested “lets all guess Doris’s weight” and each guess will cost you. Well it wasn’t long before Bob threw his weight behind that idea and said he was in…not to guess, but to have the group guess our combined weight. We all laughed it off and went on visiting at the next stop.

But something deep within me resonated with that crazy idea…what if everyone put their weight behind the opportunities that exist not just in Rwanda but all of Africa…what if we used this crazy idea of Andrews and challenged others to ask them to weigh in…to make and be the difference between desperation and hope.

So Bob and I said…lets do it…let’s ask people to get on board…so the group from Canada that came with us has said, “we are in!” They have formed a Trust Group called “Made in Rwanda.” Their first commitment will be to be part of the … “Weighing In” Challenge. Don’t worry…we won’t be asking you to tell us your weight, but we are asking you to Weigh In as well…if you do…if you make a donation…before March 31, it will be matched…not just once but twice. What do I mean…for every dollar given, it will be matched and become two dollars and THEN the Canadian government (CIDA) will match that two dollars making it FOUR DOLLARS — so 1+1=4….now that is WEIGHING IN big time on the Opportunity that exists! And heres what Bob and I will do….for everyone who gives a donation. We will send you a personal letter revealing to you our combined weight. Make your donation online and we will keep track AND we will let you know…

Something happens — when you decide to do things like this…you truly do become, STRONGER TOGETHER!

Something happens when you visit rural schools on the hilltop where teachers have been inspired to the point that they are training up some of the most marginalized children in the country to BELIEVE that all things are possible…that they can be the leaders of tomorrow, and when you ask them how many want to be the president of Rwanda – at least half of them put up their hands.

Something happens when you junket down to the rice paddies and watch farmers tilling away in small plots of land taking the tiniest of rice seedlings to the point of harvest and you are there to see the whole process…right through to loading bursting bags of quality rice being loaded on to the truck heading for the market. But what really gets you right in the heart is when the farmer tells you this means he can now feed his family. Full Stop…yes, that’s right…feed the whole family. We have learned on this trip that most smallhold farmers can’t even feed their entire family…but we have seen on this trip the solution…to not just feed a family, but to go way beyond that – a good harvest means–food+school+insurance+medicine+house=LIFE!

Something happens when you sit in a corporate board room for one day with 150 emerging and successful entrepreneurs and you realize that their message to us is as powerful as the words we bring to them…when one of them stands up and says, that this is what is needed…bringing “international focus to local community to ensure we are reaching a balanced perspective.” And then the next day you meet one of those that attended–you actually go to his restaurant for lunch…and he comes over and says, “I needed yesterday…I needed to hear from Bob that today is the day for me to start giving back…I want to a true change agent for my people.”

Something happens to your heart when you sit in on a breifing of how a bank…that is focussed on transformation from the inside out and you see the heart of the presenter…not just in the presentation that is given, but as the day unfolds and you spend the day with his direct report–who is working with the people in the margins. Kevin Asman made the comment, so goes the leadership–so goes the organization…and what we witnessed in a Trust Group meeting was that the influe of the leadership of Opportunity International in this country…is cascading right into the most challenged households. Our clients KNOW they have a hope and future.

We have been witnesses to what God’s Grace and God’s Kindness can and is doing! These two phrases used time and again by Jeffrey Lee UOB URWEGO (Opportunity International Rwanda) and Jeff Komant (Wellspring Foundation for Education) -  We BELIEVE so we are weighing in…Will you JOIN US!

One of the nights I shared a bit more about why I chose to work for Opportunity. I talked of how if I was in the shoes of many of our clients (very little hope and chances offered) I would do whatever it takes. To feed my kids. To provide for my wife. To help my community. And that’s not just me, many of us would do the same. We would do whatever it takes to stay alive and provide for others. So I spent some time thinking more about the being in a “whatever it takes” state and realized how powerful it can be for either good or evil.

Think about it for a second. If you are willing to do whatever it takes and have no options what is to stop you from turning to violence? To drugs? To selling your body? To trafficking others? You will do what you feel like needs to be done no matter what the consequences.

But what if we could use that energy for good. How much harder would you work to make a profit and pay back your loan if you were given an opportunity? How much farther would you walk to get to school to try to get a better future? The reason you go to countries like Rwanda and have great hope is that the people have a vision and passion to move forward and will do whatever it takes to get there.

It is then our role as Rwandans, Canadians or others involved in development to ensure that we harness that power, that energy for good. And to me that comes in the form of providing opportunities. In the form of education, loans, training, nutrition, savings and so on. If we can continue to find ways to provide opportunities I know that people will work their way out of poverty transforming their lives, their children’s futures and their communities. How do I know? Because they will do whatever it takes…

“It has been so enriching this past week to learn more about Urwego Opportunity Bank and its incredible impact in the lives of 120,000+ clients who are working their way out of poverty. There have been so many hopeful stories. Urwego CEO is an inspiring man who is truly Christ-centered and client-focused.” That’s what Wellspring Foundation Executive Director Richard Taylor wrote on Facebook after the day experiencing Opportunity and Urwego’s work in Kigali.

Take the “Let’s Uplift Each Other” Trust Group in Kigali fo instance. The group started in 2002 with an average loan of 30,000 Rwandan Francs (RWF) or roughly $50 CDN and now have more than 40 clients in the group with an average loan size of over 400,000 RWF or $600 CDN! They all have savings, they all have insurance and roughly 50% of the members employ others in their businesses.

Often times we look for immediate results and want to see growth and life change occur quickly but the reality is true change happens over time and the stories, one after the other, of the women (and two men) in this group show how microfinance, when done holistically and consistently over time, truly can change lives.

Richard said it all in his Facebook post. Enriching. Incredible. Hopeful. Christ centered. Client focused. That is Opportunity and that is Urwego.

We didn’t fully know what we were getting into when we decided to put on a Leadership Summit in Rwanda. We now know a lot more about what it takes to pull it off and what goes into it. And we would do it again in a heartbeat.

Over 120 Rwandan business leaders joined Opportunity International and The Wellspring Foundation for a day of learning, networking and discussing. There was a balance of Western, African and Rwandan voices. There were multiple sectors represented and great connections were made.

Videos of the presentations will be online at www.madeinrwanda.ca soon but for now here are some sound bites from the day:

• “Human Capital, to me, is the only capital” – Bob Lawless
• “People are the only component that makes a difference between success and failure” – Bob Lawless
• “Be Yourself!” – Bob Lawless
• “If you build it, they don’t necessarily come” – Carter Crockett
• “Rwanda’s most limiting factor is management capacity” Carter Crockett
• “Rwanda’s greatest (un)natural resource… hope!” – Carter Crockett
• “We (Africa) should be the breadbasket of the world. Instead, we receive breadbaskets” – John Magnay
• “I’m sure they appreciate you because you write the cheque. But if YOU don’t appreciate THEM, you’re in the wrong business” – Arthur Karlutwa

More to come soon at www.madeinrwanda.ca.

Today we went to Gasabo and Rutunga a little outside Kigali to see Wellspring’s work in some public schools largely through their teacher trainer program. A few thoughts from the day:

1. Rwanda’s Progress. This is an emerging theme but is hard to avoid as it seems at every turn Rwanda is making progress and moving in the right direction. Very hopeful.

2. Empowering Teachers… Brilliant. With all the focus on children (rightfully so) and other issues like infrastructure (also rightfully so in some cases) it seems as though teachers get lost in the mix. And it doesn’t make sense. All of the best facilities fill with kids are not as effective if the teachers are unskilled, incapable and unmotivated. Wellspring is working to fix this in 40 public schools!

3. Kids want to learn. Multiple people on the trip remarked how well behaved the kids in the class were and it truly is astounding. You get the sense that not only do we in the West and those in development understand how important the education is but the kids do as well. With so much on the line they take it very seriously and it is refreshing to see.

4. Sharing, sharing and more sharing. One of Wellspring’s strengths is a desire to share what they learn but they also play a key role in sharing learning’s, best practices and ideas among all the schools they work in. There are often not well built distribution or sharing structures amongst schools so learning’s (like offering teachers a tea break) in one school doesn’t make it to another nearby school but in Wellsprings model they are able to take the best ideas and share them to effect change in other regions.

5. Visonary. One of the comments from people on the trip that came up time and again was how in tune and on track the vision of the organization. To be a model. To go deep in an area to show progress and what works. To look at what Rwanda has “in its hands” and focus on improving that. In focusing on partnership and collaboration. Balancing an approach of practice and policy. We were treated to a full day of Wellspring and we all wanted more as the work and vision is so compelling you have no choice but to want to get engaged.

You can learn more about this wonderful organization at thewellspringfoundation.com

Saturday was the first full and official day and what a great start to the trip. The group hopped in the bus to head to Butare, the University city of Rwanda, with a stop in Gatagara to see some beautiful pottery work. At the historical museum of Rwanda we were able to learn more about the deep and rich history of Rwanda before watching one of the more amazing dance and drum performances you will ever see. Back on the bus and headed home for conversation about everything from energy security to church planting to microfinance to education and everywhere in between!

Check back here for more updates or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

Some Posts from People on the Trip

• Jon Osmond reflects on the role the radio has played in Rwanda’s past, will play in Rwanda’s future and other thoughts from the trip so far. Read his post here…
• Doris Olafsen, up at 4 am, writes about her family and how things there (Canada) and things here (Rwanda) are connected and moving together for a better future. Read her post here…
• Brady Josephson shares 5 things that stood out to him from Day 1. Read his post here…

In just a few days, twenty people from across Canada will be coming together in support of two organizations working in one country, Rwanda, to focus on issues of leadership and the development of human capital. A few participants for the first ever Made in Rwanda Insight Trip and Leadership Summit are already on the ground and others have started blogging, Facebooking and sharing about their experiences so far. Here’s a few of them…

Lisa Wiebe… and her husband Roland shared their upcoming excitement for the trip in a post called “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. Read the post here…

Opportunity Canada Director of Philanthropy Jon Osmond shares some packing insights (truly insightful and not really about packing) in his post “Less than 48 hrs & an Empty Suitcase”. You can read the full post here…

Opportunity Canada Marketing Director Brady Josephson shared 5 things from his first day including thoughts on landing in Rwanda to the greatest Journey song ever made. Read the full post here…

Finally, Opportunity Canada’s Executive Vice-President Doris Olafsen has posted a few times already, sharing her passion in “29 Days… That’s Different“, sharing her colleague and fellow trip participant Kim Asman’s passion in “This isn’t MY story… this is KIM’s story” and finally sharing an Opportunity’s donor’s passion and how they view Opportunity’s work in “Thank you Gilles for helping us see what you see!“. You can read all of these posts on Doris’ story page here.

You can learn more about the trip at www.madeinrwanda.ca and follow along as the trip progresses at madeinrwanda.opportunitycan.ca.