Richelle Howard shares experiences she and her husband, Rich, have encountered as missionaries to Rwanda at the Kiwanis Club of Aurora Tuesday at the Prisco Center in Aurora. Rich is a retired pastor of Village Baptist Church in Aurora. The Howards work in Rwanda to provide nondenominational theological training for pastors, teachers, and other Christian workers. Rather than a brick and mortar school, their school is backpack and suitcase. They travel to various village locations working throughout their curriculum in a modular format. They are overseeing training in 10 locations in Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo with approximately 400 students. In addition to training they seek to assist with physical needs in the communities in which they serve. They have had opportunities to share goats for widows, sewing machines (with sewing school) for widows and orphans, bicycles, funding for vocational training, widow’s cottages and church roofs. One of the single most significant compassion ministries they are involved in is the Lisa orphanage in Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lisa orphanage began as a result of war in Goma Congo by militia forces in 2012. Many civilians were killed and many children were left orphaned. Since then, Rich and Richelle have assisted in providing resources for beds, food, medicine, latrines, water tanks, and education for 125 children.
Jason Crane/The Voice