There it GOES!!!

gaskillfamily5
Apr 14, 2014
4 min read

Can you believe it?!?! The container is heading out! It was loaded this morning, and will set sail on a big tanker from Port Charleston on the 17th. Thank you to so many individuals, schools, and organizations who have contributed with instruments and financial donations adding to the music budget of Kigali's Green Hills Academy! The instruments we’re sending over combined with Rwanda Rising’s existing instrument inventory (from the 2011 container) totals 206!!! Wow! Our goal was 200!

Rwanda is rising with music! Praise to our God!

More numbers -

155 - actual instruments on container

174 - additional music equipment/accessories/sound items on container

500% - total Rwanda Rising music/instrument inventory increase

1949 - the year of a really cool, silver, Eb King Sousaphone on the container

highlights among the 206 total instrument inventory:

22 clarinets

27 trumpets

26 trombones

19 violins

God’s blessings in giving and financial support:

90% - giving toward container shipping expense (up from 70%)

75% - special project (instrument purchase) needs (up from 30%)

86% - sustaining the work - Gaskill’s monthly support (up from 76%)

We have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of God’s blessings through encouragement, financial contributions, and support. If you’d like to help us in reaching our above goals, please visit our ‘Let’s Connect’ page for our communication form and giving options. We’re almost there!

Join with us in prayer -

Please be praying for the church family of Community Bible Church in High Point, NC (several members there are a part of our support network) whose senior pastor passed away suddenly, this past weekend.
During this time period, from April 7 to July 4, Rwanda is in a period of remembrance as it continues to heal, grow, and build from the devastating past of the 1994 genocide. Pray for effectiveness through our ministry of Rwanda Rising as we join in these rebuilding efforts.
The container is on it’s way, but will have several hoops to jump through (as much as a 20ft. metal box can jump). Please keep praying for it during it’s 10 to 12 week journey to the port of Dar es Salaam off the Indian Ocean, then for the paper work to transfer to the new trucking company transporting through the dusty roads of Tanzania, and then for the right people to be in place for customs clearance in Rwanda. We will be seeking their favor in consideration of our container being in the educational status and hopefully avoiding thousands in taxes. Pray for our coordinators Musa, Ahmed, and Bruno.
Our house is very friendly, and is in desperate need of some new friends to move in. Pray with us for new renters or a buyer within these next weeks.
We are down to our last 6 weeks in the States before our departure to Kigali on May 23. There is much to fit in still on our schedules. And please pray for us through one of our hardest aspects of saying our goodbyes to family and close friends. …and Chic-fil-a.
Thank you for praying for Grace going through beautiful transitions and modulations as she continues to follow the Lord’s leading in her life.

Reports of Praise!

Praise the Lord for safety during our big excursions the last several weeks and our latest trip down to FL.
The Lord has bountifully blessed each of our appointments and engagements, and many new contacts made.
So many instruments equate to that many more students being reached, building relationships, establishing influence into the future of Rwanda, sharing the life changing gospel of Jesus.
JAARS Sea freight Shipping (ministry of Wycliff) under the able direction of Bruno Keller has been gracious, organized, and a real God-send.
Yay! The container now in motion has been very hard work, although rewarding, and we have been blessed with a retreat to the NC coast for a few days. Ahhhhh...

Partnering Schools -

We are very excited about the continuing relationship that we will have with several schools that will be partnering with us in support, communication, and even combined rehearsals and potentially possible Skype concerts crossing not only cultural barriers, but many timezones as well. Here are some of the schools joining with our efforts and partnering with us.

Houghton College - Houghton NY

Wesleyan Christian Academy - High Point NC

Northside Christian School - St. Pete. FL

Randleman H.S. - Randleman NC

Full inventory -

For those who like “the rest of the story” - With 329 musical items (instruments, music, accessories, and equipment) traveling over the sea, here’s the breakdown of our totals (if you prefer the quick highlights scroll back up) -

flute 12

oboe 2

clarinet 22

bass cl. 1

alto sax 8

tenor sax 3

bari sax 1

f horn 5

trumpet 27

trombone 26

euphonium 5

tuba 5