A Rwandan Genocide Survivor Discovers Hope

A big part of Answers VBS is our partnership with Children’s Hunger Fund. In our missions moment, children are encouraged to share their blessings with others around the world. And they’ve responded in a big way! Through our VBS program, enough money has been raised to provide 3 million meals to hungry children and families around the world.

Now, the reason we chose CHF as our partner is because of their focus on the gospel. They don’t merely meet physical needs (though they do that and do it well!), they also share the good news of Christ with others and develop relationships between those in need and local pastors, churches, and believers.

Here’s just one story of how God is using CHF to provide hope and help to others. Over the course of 100 days in 1994 beginning in April, 800,000 people died during the horrific Rwandan Genocide. Many of the survivors were left scarred, homeless, and without family. Sonia was one such woman. Here’s her incredible story:

A genocide survivor from Rwanda named Sonia has seen God’s hand upon her life, protecting and transforming her into the woman she is today. During the Rwandan genocide, Sonia remembers how she ran for her life to escape being massacred. When she could no longer run, she collapsed amongst a group of other genocide victims where she pretended to be dead. Sonia's life was spared that day. In order to survive, she soon was on a road filled with prostitution, alcohol, and drug addiction. She is a mother of two children, and she is HIV positive.

Sonia was rescued off of the streets of Rwanda by a woman named Mama Joy. She began receiving Children’s Hunger Fund Food Paks, and regular visits from Mama Joy, who taught her about love Jesus has for her . . . Sonia gave her life to Jesus and has become a new creation in Christ. She was introduced to a sewing project where she is now able to sew clothing and goods as a way to make money. Sonia no longer needs to seek other monetary means to provide for her family. God has provided a safe haven for her to live on the church property in a home they have provided.

God has protected and preserved Sonia and has used the work of CHF to deliver hope in Jesus for a life beyond anything she could ever imagine. Children’s Hunger Fund is thankful for our church partners and women like Mama Joy, who deliver food and the message of God's love for those living on the streets. Sonia was shown love and grace in spite of her circumstances or past sin. She is a walking testimony of a life transformed through the power of the gospel.

Learn more about CHF at ChildrensHungerFund.org. And explore our 2019 VBS, The Incredible Race: One Race, One Family, One Savior, AnswersVBS.com.