Ministries of Jeffrey and Kristin Lee in Rwanda: Last Ministry Updates in Rwanda

Ah... Rwanda... the land of thousand hills...

In March, Kristin and I have been taking our annual leave, the last one while I am affiliated with UOB. Even while we have been traveling, the work continued and I have had to be involved in the activities remotely.

The following are the highlights of March 2014:

1. Since we left Rwanda in February, Kristin and I have been privileged to travel to Jordan, Egypt, Denver and Korea. Now we are in Los Angeles. After a 5-day visit and another night stay in Denver, we will return to Rwanda. We look forward to coming home in Rwanda. God has blessed us with His traveling grace and we are grateful for the traveling opportunity.

2. Our trip to Jordan and Egypt helped us bring the bible to come alive. Many historical sites and facts helped us understand the bible better.

3. Jeffrey shared the message at Logos Central Chapel, Denver on Friday and Sunday. God inspired and challenges us all for the Great Commission to be His disciples and the light of the world until the Lord returns.

4. While we were in Denver, the primary objective was to take physical and dental examination. With God's grace, we received a clean bill of health, mostly. Praise the Lord!

5. Amanda and James joined us in Korea, primarily to celebrate the 90th birthday of Jeffrey's father. His long life on earth has been a blessing to us all as well as to him. We also traveled to Jeju Island, Busan and DMZ, particularly for James who visited Korea for the first time.

Celebrating my father's 90th birthday...

We traveled to Korea with Amanda and James

6. Kristin and I had a reunion with Shalom Bible Study alumni and Seoul and Busan. Although brief, our reunion was greatly encouraging and uplifting. Now the question is how to continue SBS Off-Line effectively.

7. T24 R12 model bank migration project go-live date has been rescheduled for May 1st. Many projects are moving along in parallel and there still are several critical projects to be carried out to meet the deadline. Please pray with us for diligent process in every front to meet the deadline seamlessly.

8. Throughout the journey, we have been meeting new people and seeing old friends/colleagues. Each and every meeting has been a blessing and inspiration. God has been working through human relationships and I trust all relationships will surely bear the fruit of God's goodness.

Also, a lot has been happening in April after we returned to Rwanda.

Tineyi Mawocha

1. Foremost, God has sent UOB a new CEO. His name is Tineyi Mawocha. He is a seasoned banker from Zimbabwe, but has worked in may African countries. He is also a man of faith who has strong love and passion for the Lord. Moreover, he desires strongly to serve the underprivileged people and has a gentle heart that I felt I have been lacking. I think he is an ideal fit for the position that I have left as of April 30th. God indeed provides! In His perfect time! Praise the Lord!

2. Jeffrey has been undergoing a handover process with full documentation of all matters that he would need to know. He was introduced to staff at Home Office on Friday, April 11, and has since met UOB executive officers over dinner, introduced to expanded leadership team and met senior officers individually. Also, he has been introduced to key stakeholders in Rwanda mostly in person as well as globally via e-mail. He has also been introduced to key clients, such as KOICA and Korean Embassy. He took office on April 17th and I have been assisting him in shadow.

3. Meanwhile, T24 R12 model bank project has been progressing, but unfortunately the go-live date has been postponed again to June 1st. Sadly, I will have to hand over the project to Tineyi and his team.

4. OI UK has submitted its proposal to DFID for a grant to support UOB's agricultural program in Rwanda.

5. GIZ EnDev project has also progressed. Now the Grant Agreement and Operations Procedures Manual have been signed and UOB team has begun to take implementing actions. Praise the Lord!

6. UOB's agricultural program has been brisk with more than 8,000 farmers having benefited from UOB's production loan program during the first quarter 2014. Also, UOB is gearing up with a new product, called Post-Harvest Bridge Loan to help cooperatives and farmers who need the cash before they actually receive the sales proceeds from the buyers of their crops. UOB is also exploring the Dairy Cow loans and community development loans.

Cutting a cake with Kristin on the farewell gathering

7. On April 30th, despite the day being the last business day of the busiest month of the year, UOB staff and the board held a farewell gathering primarily to give thanks to the Lord who has been gracious to us for the past five years or so. My wife and I felt humbled and honored to receive such a warm farewell gathering. Many bank MDs and CEOs also participated in the event. I shared a brief message about Luke 17:9,10 that urges Jesus disciples to say "we are unworthy servants; we have only done what we have been told to do." I felt exactly so. "The Kingdom enterprise much move on under the new leader as the unworthy servant leaves."

My family, friends and fellow Kingdom workers, as of yesterday, our ministries in Rwanda came to an end. I am certain that we will be called to different ministries in His time, but for now, we desire to enter into a pause, as many call it gloriously "sabbatical leave." We will discern His voice and His will for our next ministries.

Below this post, I have shown some of the photos that highlighted our life and ministries for the past 63 months in Rwanda.

I would like to thank God for all of you and thank you for all your prayer and support during the past 63 months of service. We certainly know that we could not have done our ministries without your support. For that, we sincerely thank you.

Until we talk again in whatever form it may be, may the Lord bless you, keep you and make His face shine upon you and extend His peace and grace to you, your family and all you do for Him and His Kingdom. Shalom! - Jeffrey