When our ministry began, it was created with the words of the fifteenth chapter of the book of John in mind. In fact, we liked it so much and believed in it so fully that we named the ministry after it – True Vineyard Ministries. In this chapter, Jesus tells us that he is the true vine and God, the gardener…removing fruitless branches and pruning the fruitful in order to increase their production….
Read MoreThe change TVM is creating in Rwanda is remarkable. Through the dignified employment of 123 at-risk women, we are creating change for today and for generations to come.
One of the greatest joys of working for TVM is how often I get to share our story with new people…to tell them about the magnitude of our project. I love watching their eyes grow wide when they hear just how many lives are being changed in Rwanda.
And, often, people will shake their heads and say, “It’s so hard to wrap my head around the poverty issue in Africa. I mean, it’s so BIG. Where do you even start? How do you begin to make a difference?”
Read MoreIt should come as no surprise that we at True Vineyard are staunch supporters of women working in positions of leadership. Both of our trauma counselors in Rwanda are Rwandese women as is our production supervisor. We employ 122 women because we know that, when women are gainfully employed, they are able to provide for their families and educate their children…
Read MoreEnvironmental professor and author David W. Orr once wrote “Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up”.
I love this quote and think of it often when thinking about the women we employ in Rwanda. I love it because of the implication…
Hope is not just a wish…a dream… a longing for things to change.
Read MoreThe United Nations has declared Sept 21st the International Day of Peace in order to “strengthen the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples”.
When I read about this day, I thought the month of September would be the natural time to focus on the counseling program we established at our cooperative in Rwanda …
Read MoreIn 2012, the United Nations began recognizing September 5th as the National Day of Charity with the hope that the day may serve as a reminder that the eradication of poverty is critical in establishing stability and sustainable development around the world.
Read MoreTis the season here in the states when school-aged children leave behind the lazy days of summer for the structure of learning. We thought, in honor of those who have returned, or soon will return, to school, we would give you a window into school life in Rwanda.
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So many inspiring stories come out of Rwanda and Umuzabibu Mwiza, our facility for True Vineyard Ministries. The story of the employment of Odette and the subsequent birth of her daughter, Diana, is too precious not to share…
Read MoreOne of the great privileges I have as Director of Marketing and Retail for True Vineyard is working on the profiles of the women we employ. When a woman joins the True Vineyard family, she has regular meetings with our on-site counselors so that we may learn her story and find out what she has been through in her life…
Read MoreBefore I began writing this update on our year, I prayed for His direction on how I could possibly convey all the ways God has blessed True Vineyard Ministries over the past year. It is impossible to consolidate all the blessings into a single-page letter; for when you ask God to “expand your territory” to reach, serve and love more of the poor, He responds in abundance. Thank you for answering God’s call to support our endeavors.
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