~by Kath Stone~
In the afternoon, we were part of a very special day in the lives of Souveneir and his family. They were presented the gift of a beautiful young cow. This is considered the most precious gift you can receive in Rwanda. This is the fifth cow LWA has given to a family thanks to generous donors. A high quality cow costs about $600.
The ceremony began with a traditional cowherd singing and reciting poems over the cow to keep her peaceful and to bless her.
Having grown up on a dairy farm in Michigan I was overjoyed to have the privilege of naming the cow. I chose the name Prosperity, knowing the difference this cow will make in the life of Souveneir’s family.
LWA also keep cows to provide milk for the children. They purchased their first cow in March of 2020. A St James team had the privilege of being there. To date they have had 10 cows. 3 calves were male, which they sold. Two men care for the cows. One is the father of a disabled child, the other is from the community.
this is Amahoro (Peace) one of the LWA cows
There is a custom in Rwanda that the groom’s family will give a cow or cows to the bride’s family upon the wedding. Disabled children will probably never marry. The cows that are given to families are a donation from ministry partners. So by having a cow, a disabled male child has some dignity in the community. A cow is very beneficial to a family. Having milk daily improves their nutrition. The manure is spread on their gardens to increase their yield and offspring can be sold.
Souvenir lives in the Nduba sector and receives therapy at home twice a week. The therapist drives to his home on a moto (motorcycle). Children like Souvenir would benefit from attending a school and Gilbert dreams of that being a reality some day.
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