Modulations
- The Gaskills in Rwanda
- Aug 9, 2015
- 5 min read
Other potential titles considered were 'Transitions', 'Changes', 'Goodbyes', 'Year in Review', but we went with a more musical term eluding to a point when an exciting change happens within a larger work. This blog post will be a bit of a review from this last year including fun photos and videos as well as acknowledging some of the exciting changes coming up - modulations...
but first -
Rwanda Rising’s (Radically Reduced) Review - 2014-15 in 164 words:
The *container of instruments arrived. 170 new students learned instruments through *Green Hills Academy Bands, and *Injyana Ensembles where the gospel is shared in each rehearsal. Lance lead these groups in several concerts and performances in Kigali and around Rwanda. *Grace and Adam became active within the leadership of Young Life. Each day was filled with lots of school, practicing, mentoring, helping, football (I guess we ate and slept too). *Grace was the most diverse, accomplishing and experiencing so much in her year in Rwanda (get the full picture in her blog). Fun trips to *Akagera, Rwanda’s spectacular game park. Jen endured discouraging health issues, but has experienced significant healing and improvement, and on top of that graduated from her *counseling course! And this summer was the icing on the cake with two incredible weeks of *Injyana Camp, life changing experiences for the kids at *Camp BlueSky in Kenya, and the almost complete, *new band room at Green Hills Academy. Wow! What a year!
*see below for related pics, videos, and links
Two Big Changes - Modulations
#1 - Grace
What a gift it has been to have Grace with us this past year - together all 5 of us again in Rwanda! We have seen her grow significantly with incredible life experiences this last year emmersing herself into Rwanda tutoring, teaching, and even an editorial job for a brief time at a Rwandan NGO. As we observed her drawing close to the Lord and following His leading we have become so impressed with the giant of faith she has become at such a young age. Presently, she and Jen are in the States on their way to St. Paul MN (by way of FL & NC of course) where she will be attending University of Northwestern. What a huge void we will all feel here with the absence of Grace, but excited for what’s ahead for her at this excellent, Christian university with a strong emphasis on multi-cutural missions mindedness.
last moments in Rwanda (for a while). We're going to miss that girl!
If you haven’t read any of Grace's blog posts before, you’re missing out. She’s an excellent writer with an ability to encourage others toward seeking the Lord, experiencing the most out of life, laughing, asking questions, and getting to a level of tender honesty. Click here for the unfolding story - turnsoutyoudoneedgrace
#2 - New Ministry Partner
As our ministry here in Rwanda has continued to grow, we have been invited to join with an Arts/Missions ministry based in Nashville TN. We are excited to announce that A.C.T. (Artists in Christian Testimony) will become our official sending agency. We will still remain in connection with Northside Baptist Church's Global Missions Team who has so graciously filled in as our sending partner for over 2 and a 1/2 years. We are so grateful to Pastor Tim Kroll and the Northside family for caring for us, nurturing us, and facilitating the expansions of our work in Rwanda.
A.C.T. is a ministry led by Bryon Spradlin (perhaps you may be familiar with several of his ministry contributions through the years including Jews for Jesus), and seeks to enable musicians, ministries and missionaries in the U.S. and around the world to thrive within their unique calling using the Arts as a means for effectively spreading the gospel. Sounds like a match ‘made in heaven’ for the Gaskills in Rwanda doesn’t it? Please take a moment to go to their web page to find out more about Artists in Christian Testimony International - A.C.T.
We will be sending out notification when this new change will become official. All financial contributions presently are continuing through Northside, instructions for transition will be sent out soon.
Modulations usually need Special Attention
So, if you’ve ever been in one of my rehearsals, you would be well aware that the section of music involving a key-change (a modulation) will require usually the most attention. We know the melody, the low brass are slowly but surely figuring out the harmony, the percussion have just found their lost music and are piecing together the rhythm, but we know that to get to the level of the spectacular performance ahead, we will need to focus especially on the transition. - Have you ever been somewhere engaged in a performance, or maybe even a worship service, and right at a culminating point in the music only 1/2 the band modulated?! oops!
Our ministry in Rwanda is vital to the prayers and financial support of many that join with us. We need you. I love the principle of blessings that come alive through giving. The more we give, the more the Lord spreads His blessings abroad (check out 2 Cor. 9:6-15!). As we go through this upcoming transition, we need everyone with us. What’s exciting is that a key-change often includes a crescendo and additional musicians added.
The transitions ahead require a significant increase in our monthly financial support. Our first 4 years on the mission has been without some important elements of foundational support (i.e. international insurance, travel, schooling, agency funding, retirement). As we go forward with the Lord’s calling through this upcoming modulation, we are praying for an abundant increase in monthly financial supporters. Within the Fall of 2015, we are in need of our monthly, sustaining support to double. Please prayerfully consider how you can join us.
*2015-16 Pics, Videos, and Links
Rwanda Band Box Project arrives! - July, 2014
Green Hills Academy Top Band - on tour (performing Stravinsky's Firebird)
Injyana Ensembles (Community Band, Jazz Band, and The Injyana Orchestra Rwanda) - Feb. 2015
Grace and Adam in leadership with Young Life - devotionals, mentoring, lots of crazy games!
Akagera - Rwanda's spectaclar game park. Only 2 hours away from our house!
...and check out our newest video below! It has some fun surprises - you'll see! Our hope is that the video will entice you to come visit us. Rwanda is an amazing place!
As of last month, Akagera National Park has reintroduced Lions into the game park. Most everyone is excited about it. The other animals however are a bit more nervous I suspect.
Jen graduated from her 6 month long counseling course - 'Live Again Rwanda'
Our 2 weeks of Injyana Camp were a blast!! (more Injyana media on our Videos, Links & Pics page)
_______________________________________________________
an incredible missions/serving/leadership opportunity for Grace, Adam & Miles - July 2015
____________________________________________________________
Green Hills Academy continues to make significant investments into Rwanda's future and encourging our music-mission work through Rwanda Rising with the completion of the new GHA Band Room!
- opening in Septmember 2015.
See more pictures and our latest videos on our web page
- click here -
Comments