Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I would like to thank all of you who prayed over this critical time for Come and See Africa. I could feel His grace covering our steps as we walked through all of the difficult decisions and ministry opportunities that our Father set before us. Your prayers were answered! Great ministry happened to the Africans that we met and loved. And we received great ministry in return from our African brothers and sisters.

First, the Second Annual East Africa Christian Apologetics Conference sponsored by CASR and CASA was a tremendous blessing. The African speakers from Kenya, Congo, and Rwanda greatly impacted the 90 university students from five east African nations. Chris’ and Zach’s explanations of apologetics and the logic in the Logos were greatly appreciated. Chris’ pastors, Mark Mitchell and Neal Benson, quickly understood the African spiritual needs and spoke to them. More controversial was my presentation of what Christians believe. Chris asked me to put a special emphasis on the destructive effect of the heterodox doctrines within the Prosperity Movement on the African church. The pot was stirred!

But even more blessed was the dedication of the Joy of God Bible Institute to the memory of Kim Foreman. The vice-mayor of Huye, the executive secretary for the sector of Tumba, the migration officer of the Huye district, the dean of students from the University, and the public relations officer from the Huye police department sat through Chris’ introduction and gave some short speeches. I attached the brief ending statement that I presented to the dignitaries and a picture of the memorial stone for Kim. Chris’ sons, Zach and Simon, and all the dignitaries were very touched. At the dedication they all heard the story of CASA and Kim Foreman. The vice mayor especially was very complimentary. She repeated several times that, as a Christian herself, this was a great work. Then the dignitaries toured the incomplete building and saw its potential.

Chris’s younger son, Simon, is a professional artist in New York City. Chris tasked him with the joyful duty of creating a large art piece to fill the atrium of the LIghthouse in honor of his mother. He decided to use the classic forms of Rwandan baskets and hang large sculptures for the ceiling. He hired a local artist and workers to make the metal framework of one basket. Then he visualized the space as filled with seven such hanging baskets. (see attached picture)

I believe that at no time during my stay in Rwanda did I feel the Holy Spirit move as on the evening that Simon, Zach, and I brain-stormed the meaning of the piece. As His Spirit led we came to the theme of Rwanda and of Chris’ pilgrimage through the loss of Kim: Forgiveness. 2014 is the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide that took the lives of nearly a million Rwandese. Over the last two decades, the spirit of Christ has moved in the hearts of all in the country; wrestling with how to forgive those neighbors who murdered your family members and how to forgive yourself for participating. They have succeeded far better than I could imagine.

So the Holy Spirit led us to seventy times seven. How many times must I forgive my brother? On each of the hanging baskets will be written the word “forgive” in seventy languages. In 490 languages, the Arabs, the Israelis, the Serbs, the Croats, all the tribes of the earth can read the command of their Father: Forgive. My brother Chris struggled to forgive Franc, who fell asleep at the wheel and caused the crash that took his wife’s life. Pastor Paul reminded him that he had lost his wife in the genocide. He told Chris that: “He must learn to forgive like a Rwandan.” Amen and amen. So must the world!

This project will continue throughout 2014. The local artist and Javin will oversee the fabrication of the seven baskets. Zach will research the translations of the word “Forgive” into 490 languages. Simon will integrate these words into the Rwandan designs of the baskets. Simon plans to return when the building is near completion and oversee the placement of the sculptures. I believe that this artwork has the potential to speak the gospel in a most powerful way.

Also while we were in Rwanda the final papers were signed, notarized, and delivered to the Investment and Mortgage Bank of Rwanda. The scripture verse for CASA in 2014, is: “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles”. The loan was approved and the first distribution of $150,000 was placed in the CASR account. Praise God! The Lighthouse should indeed be close to fully functional by 2015. A year ago in January CASR agreed to begin the application for the loan. 2013 was the year of waiting. African banks move on African time. 2014 is the year of mounting up with wings.

There are still many questions to be answered about how best to use these funds and complete the project. We need your continuing prayers throughout 2014. Here is a list:

1. My nephew, Javin, will be returning to the US with the executive director of CASR, Franc, in February. They will be purchasing American materials that cannot be obtained in Rwanda. They will be returning in April or May.

2. We are recruiting a second disciple to walk with Javin, two by two, through the next year. He is an old friend of Javin’s, Jermey Johnson. He would be a great help in completing the project. Pray that he will clearly discern the call of Christ in his life.

3. Javin is recruiting work teams from America to go to Rwanda to complete the skilled labor required to finish the building during the summer. Pray that a team can go that will be able to complete the stained cement floors throughout the building. Also he will recruit a team to complete the built-in beds, cabinets, shelves, wardrobes, tables, and other furniture that are to be fabricated from the four hundred laminated cabinet boards that have been donated.

4. It is hoped that the shops in the front of the building can be opened by the summer. Their rent will help to finance the loan payment.

5. Finally, we come to the financial. We need lots of prayer! At this point, I have not received the final figures for what the loan payment would be. I expect it to be several thousand dollars per month more that our present income. I will be busy over the next few months seeking support during this critical year. The advantage of this commitment is that it is short term; one year. Such a commitment would assist greatly in the start-up of these businesses. Then in 2015 the continuing support of the expanding ministries of CASR will be through the Lighthouse’s profits.

So please pray that our Father would bless this endeavor. We will also be seeking longer or larger commitments that would help us pay off the $250,000 loan as soon as possible. As is the case in all African business loans, the terms are African. The interest rate is 16.5% over 7 years. Paying this loan off early would allow the Lighthouse profits to be sown into African ministry needs sooner, rather than into the African bank coffers.

If you feel led to make a monthly pledge, no matter how small, let me know. That can be arranged. If you wish to share this burden with your pastor or mission committee, let me know. We would be happy to support you in such an effort.

I am anticipating seeing God move in interesting ways in 2014. The season of Chris Foreman plowing deeply into Africa’s fertile spiritual soil is ending. His article in Guidepost and his book, when published, will chronicle this work of God. But no one man can take up the extraordinary focus and commitment of my brother since Kim died. I can only hope to step into the leadership role and direct the effort. But others will be needed to complete the vision. Javin has been a God-ordained answer.

We need for you to consider material support. But primarily what we need is your focused prayer for this vision. We need prayer warriors to hold up this need and to bring it before God. The path thus far has not been easy. From a worldly perspective, there have been many misadventures and much grinding. My belief is that Satan really doesn’t want this to happen. If ministry was easy, any wimp could take it up. It isn’t easy and overcoming the challenges is what brings a smile to our Father face.



Come & See Africa

Highlights from the past week

Here are a few highlights from the past week that I’d like to share with you.  I had the opportunity of getting to meet all the staff from Come and See Rwanda (CASR).  I learned about each one of their ministry opportunities in Rwanda.

There are two CASR members I want to tell you about specifically, Pastor David and Jane.  I met with Pastor David and Jane and they told me all about the compassion ministries that they work with.  They told me how I might be of assistance to what they’re doing.  I am happy to say I have already been of some assistance.  For example, a young man came to the door that needed help with tuition fees for the University of Rwanda (he is also being trained to become a pastor).  Pastor David and Jane said they would like to help, but because of the small budget they weren’t exactly sure how they were going to meet the student’s needs.  I spoke up and said I would match half of his student fees because that’s the way I felt the Lord leading me.  Half of the fee was about US$10. Giving $10 to help this man go to school is just one glimpse of how your money is being used in Rwanda.  Thank you, not only on behalf of the student, but also for allowing me to be able to minister in Rwanda.  Pastor David, Jane, and I finished our meeting by having a long discussion on what compassion ministries are available here in southern Rwanda and what we might do to expand our compassion ministries. We had many different ideas.  One of them is the “One Cow One Family” idea.  The idea is this – you give a cow to a family and when the cow gives birth to a calf they pass the calf on to another family.  This ministry gives the family responsibility and they learn how to raise a cow.  I’m sure I will tell you more about this in the coming weeks and months as we look at different opportunities to help in southern Rwanda.

I want to talk about Rwandan culture and my experience going to the market for the first time. One thing you have to realize about people that live in Rwanda is that they are never on time.  They could be 10 minutes late or they could be two hours late that is just the way they work.  It certainly takes some getting used to.  A recent experience of mine with this aspect of the Rwanda culture came last week when I waited on one of the pastors for over two hours and he never gave a reason why he was two hours late, he just thought that was normal.  One of my prayer requests for everyone this week is that God will continue to give me patience in this area.

Going to the market was quite interesting.  Half of the market is an open-air market while the other half is in the bottom floor of a big building.  They have an area for fruit, an area for veggies, and an area for meat, which are all within a couple hundred feet of each other.  One other thing to note is the temperature at the market, around 80°F with no refrigeration!  The market has a great variety of fruits and vegetables, some of which I’ve never seen before!  Seeing all of these new fruits and vegetables is pretty cool.  I told the people that I would try anything once and so far the food has been really good.

I have two more prayer requests for this week. My first prayer request is that I see where God is working and I can join him at work there. That we can get the cargo container cleared quickly so that we can have it delivered directly to us at the lighthouse.

The beginning of a journey.

I left just about a week ago and let me tell you the first part of the flight was great, it was very relaxing.  Then came the next three stops.  I went from Amsterdam to Cairo, from Cairo to Addis Ababa, and then from Addis Ababa to Kigali, Rwanda.  During my trip, Satan did everything he could to stop me from arriving at my final destination.  It all started with a €150 extra baggage fee.  I paid it because I had no choice and they told me I would not have to pay anything more to get my bags to Kigali.   This made life very interesting because it took all of my cash to pay the baggage fee, but I trusted God that he had everything in control.  But like I said that was just the beginning.  When I got to Cairo they detained me for six hours and treated me like a criminal.  In order to leave they made me by a return ticket to Cairo, which was $300 and then an extra bag fee again for $200. Let me tell you it will take everything and more to get me to ever go back to Cairo. I told the representative of Ethiopian Airlines that I'd rather take a rowboat home than ever go through Cairo!  That being said I finally got to Kigali, Rwanda after four days of travel and only three hours of sleep in those four day.  

It just so happened that the day I arrived, the Assemblies of God church, which is loosely connected to Come And See Africa, was putting on a revival in Butare, Rwanda for the next five days.   By the time we arrived in Butare, Rwanda, which is three hours from the capitol, and where I'm living, I had been up for nearly 120 hours. The amazing thing was that when I finally was able to go to bed I wasn’t tired!!  Fortunately, I was able to get plenty of sleep the next day.  At the revival, over 100 people were saved and another 100 rededicated their lives to Christ!

Since being in Rwanda I have visited two places that really hit me.  The first was very depressing, but the second was very inspirational.  My first visit was to the Rwandan Genocide Memorial.  This was probably the most horrific thing I've ever seen in my life.  The second thing, and not depressing in the slightest, was going to Kigali and checking out the facilities at Africa New Life, another missionary organization.  The progress they have made is an absolutely amazing feat.  God has really blessed them.  Their methods have given me some great ideas for the Lighthouse.  The Lighthouse is the University of Rwanda Christian outreach center.  It has a hotel, meeting areas, and is our outreach base.

There are several things you can be praying for.  Firstly, that I will continue to adjust well to being in Rwanda.  Secondly, that funds will continue to be funneled towards me for what I'm doing here in Butare (if you would like to know more my support letter is attached as well).  Thirdly, that we can get the cargo container cleared quickly so that we can have it delivered directly to us at the lighthouse. Fourthly, that the bank loan will go through so that we can finish the lighthouse, and lastly, the most important, that I will continue to walk the path God has for me.

Support letter

Hello my friends and family, I want to bring you up-to-date on what is happening in my life. I graduated from Washington State University (WSU) in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in human development and leadership development. I have been applying for jobs all over the country and have had very little success. Throughout this time I have been seeking the Lord and what He would have me do.

About three months ago my Uncle Frank Forman asked if I would be willing to help him get materials for a cargo container he would be sending to Rwanda Africa for an organization called Come And See Africa international or (CASA.) Of course I said yes I'd be glad to help, I never knew what that actually would entail. It was quite a list with a very, very small budget. God amazed me time and time again by answering the prayers for the materials that I needed.  For example, about a third of the container will be filled with plywood for building different pieces and a cabinet company in Eugene donated it all. There are many other examples of this as God shows himself bigger and stronger than I ever thought or imagined. As I've been gathering things from the list God has put it on my heart that I need to go to Africa. I never thought in my wildest dreams that 2013 would hold such an opportunity for me. The plan right now is for me to finish getting materials for the cargo container and then go to Rwanda around July and stay there until May 2014.

You may be thinking, “What is he going to be doing while he is there?”  Firstly, I will be helping to finish construction on the lighthouse, the Christian student center, at the University of Rwanda.  Secondly, I will be working at the Kim Forman Bible Institute where I will assist in any way possible to help develop students for reaching other students for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thirdly, I will be helping African New Life as they start utilizing the several public schools they were given by the Rwandan government. 

make this trip possible.  As you might imagine, raising the necessary funds will be one of the many great steps of faith in pursuing this nearly yearlong mission trip.  I need to raise $2500 by July 1 to cover airfare and my first couple of weeks in Rwanda.  For each month in Rwanda I need to raise $400 to cover travel within the country as well as many different ministry opportunities that are there.  Would you prayerfully consider joining me by giving an initial gift of $100, $200, $500 or more?  Would you prayerfully consider joining me by giving a monthly gift of $25, $50, $100 or more?  Of course whatever amount the Lord leads you to give is the right amount. All gifts are tax-deductible.  Checks should be made out to Come and See Africa International with Support for Javin Bakke written on the memo line.  The checks should be sent to 7318 Michigan Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98664.  You may also use your bank’s bill pay service using account number 2577743749 and routing number 121042882.  I will call you in the middle of June to answer any questions you may have.

More than anything, I need your prayers as I seek to follow the Lord’s calling for me to go to Rwanda.  Thank you for considering joining my team to help reach people for Christ in Rwanda. I know that God has many things in store for me over the next year and I am excited to see how He will push me to grow this next year.

Thank you,

javin