GRASS VALLEY, Calif. May 15, 2018 – African handicrafts and a feast of authentic food support hope for a bright future during the day-long “Celebrate Rwanda!” event on Sunday, May 20, at Peace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley.
“Celebrate Rwanda!” starts with an Asante African Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It offers arts and crafts for sale, produced in several African countries. Goods include jewelry, tablecloths, batik wall hangings, wood carvings, baskets and clothing. Admission is free.
At 5 p.m., a feast of African food, music and décor highlight the “Celebration of Hope in Rwanda.” Guest speaker the Rev. John Rutsindintwarane will tell the story of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and the inspiring tale of his return to Rwanda with refugees full of hope for their country a year later. He also will introduce Jackson Musafiri, a young Rwandan who plans to attend seminary in Africa with the help of Peace Lutheran Church.
“We’re hoping to provide Musafiri with a full scholarship,” said co-organizer Jim Line.
Tickets for the “Celebration of Hope in Rwanda” African feast are $10 per person, $5 for children 12 and younger, and may be purchased at the church office. Please call (530) 273-9631 for more information.
Proceeds of the African feast will support Musafiri’s seminary studies; any additional donations toward his education will be accepted gratefully. Donations also may be made at our secure website, www.PeaceLutheranGV/donate — look for the Rwanda Fund.
The Asante African Bazaar will feature products from the Asante Network; it’s a nonprofit based in Alaska and dedicated to helping women in East Africa support their families by selling their beautiful, hand-made products. Most of the proceeds from the bazaar will fund micro-loans and projects that benefit women and their families. “Asante” means “thank you” in Swahili.
The Asante Network will donate 20 percent of the market’s proceeds to Musafiri’s scholarship fund, Line added.
Peace Lutheran Church is at 828 W. Main St., near downtown Grass Valley. Celebrate Rwanda! is being organized by Peace’s Rwanda Connection Committee, a group committed to supporting the people of Rwanda as they walk their faith and rebuild their country. Read more about Peace and its extraordinary relationship of nearly 25 years with the resilient people of Rwanda at www.PeaceLutheranGV.org.