Special Notices

APPEAL FOR RWANDA 2009 FROM REV DR GRAHAM HOUSTON

Graham Houston is visiting Rwanda in September 2009 as the second phase of his Study Leave. He will support the Ikirezi Project which provides employment for widows and orphans of the 1994 genocide, through the harvesting of essential oils from geranium plants, which is then sold to cosmetics manufacturers. It is led by Nicholas and Elsie Hitimana who spent six years in Scotland after they narrowly escaped from Rwanda in 1994. Nicholas, a Hutu, completed his PhD in agriculture at Edinburgh University, and they have four children (Jonathan, Joseph, Juliette, and Jimy). Elsie, a Tutsi, is a homemaker and host for visitors from all over the world at their home in Kigali. They both work with Hutus and Tutsis to encourage reconciliation. They are building the Village of Hope to provide housing for widows and orphans and to enable them to be part of family units. Nicholas and Elsie have also set up a craft-making workshop as an income generating activity in Kigali to sell crafts made by widows and orphans under the name Link Ministries. They also provide school fees for orphans. During his visit, Graham will be teaching New Testament Studies at the Kigali Theological College, where there is a great need of library books. He has arranged for the top ten most needed titles to be sent out prior to the visit. Our Rwandan Christian friends need our financial help with each of these projects, and our prayers.

Please respond generously to this Appeal. Funds raised are being channelled through the Charles Bilinda Memorial Trust, which exists to provide educational opportunities and support for Rwandans. Based in Edinburgh, it is in memory of Rev Charles Bilinda who was killed during the genocide. An Anglican minister, he was married to Lesley, a Scot who was a nurse with Tear Fund in Rwanda at the time of the genocide. She was on holiday in Kenya with her sister when the killings began, and has recorded her story in two books, The Colour of Darkness and With What Remains (Hodder).

Please send what you can to the Charles Bilinda Memorial Trust, 3 Millerfield Place, Edinburgh EH9 1LW, Scottish Charity SC 023113, with the tear-off slip below, noting which projects you wish to support. The Trust reserves the right to allocate funds to a different project if your preferred choice has been fully funded. Thank you very much, in advance!   

Rev Dr Graham Houston, 16 Abington Road Symington Biggar ML12 6JX.

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RWANDA APPEAL 2009  CBMT Scottish Charity SC 023113

Name...............................................Address.........................................................................

I enclose a cheque for £................ made out to the Charles Bilinda Memorial Trust

I wish this to be sent to Rwanda to support the following projects as below:

            i   Ikirezi Project.............................................£.............

            ii  Village of Hope...........................................£.............

            iii Link Ministries Crafts and School Fees...£.............

            iv Theological College Library......................£.............

            v  General Fund..............................................£.............

*I wish this to be GiftAided / *I do not wish this to be GiftAided

(*please delete as applicable)

                                                 .......................................................Signed and Dated.........

Last updated 28th November 2008