Ikizere

12/07/2018

“Souls for Socks” coming in to Frisco Fine Art and across the country at various locations ... Thank you Deborah Hartigan Viestenz Artist/Owner DHV ARTWORKS LLC

12/05/2018

https://youtu.be/MvtnQj047Ik

Multistreaming with https://restream.io/ SUZANNE BONAMICI ARASABA LETA YA KAGAME KUREKURA DIANE RWIGARA HAMWE N'IZINDI MFUNGWA

12/04/2018

"Socks for Souls" happening in Frisco, Texas and in Cities Across the U.S. ... Thank you Teresa Krieger and Barbara Mazzeo! To participate in Rwandan Refugee Relief Africa, "Souls for Socks" bring new socks to the Gallery, Frisco Fine Art, 7227 Main Street, Frisco ... if you want to participate and don't live in Frisco, message Ikizere F @ 512.718.7477

12/03/2018

Providing change and hope for someone else brings joy to my life. Learning to love myself has been a lifelong journey, releasing my past so that it doesn't impact my present, being happy in the moment is a part of what I desire to contribute to Ikizere F.

We carry internal and external sadness and scars, however each morning when I wake I rejoice that I'm alive with choices. New inspiration with my Rwandan family occurs now with regularity.

There is always hope! The joy of Hope through Ikizere Foundation attracted me to want more information. What I am is a survivor, I was hesitant at first to compare my childhood experience of molestation and r**e to those of my new Rwandan sisters. How do we even begin to understand life as a refugee in camps and the forrest experiencing genocide, r**e and murder.

I decided to spend more time with my "Earth Angel", Rhonda Castle and create a sisterhood with Jackie Nayigiziki. Jackie's love and understanding of judgement and fear regardless of where we grew up, in the U.S. or Africa allowed me the freedom to decide I wanted to experience the Rwandan community internationally and grow with them, keeping the past where it belongs.

The opportunity to help raise funds and awareness for Rwandan Refugees excites me. Making new friends and growing my Connect Center as an Ambassador, experiencing life through the eyes of others, learning a deeper level perhaps of forgiveness, this as Rhonda says ... "Sets My Soul On Fire".

Today I'm choosing to speak with love and not live in fear. I am "Rwandan by Choice".

12/03/2018

Here is my story related to Rwandan tragedy ... I left Rwanda in the middle of genocide against Tutsi and Hutu in the year of 1994. I was a young lady and mother of three children, Marie Magnificat Karigirwa - Christian Shingiro and Christella Iremo. My children were 5, 6 and 2. I remember well the evening President Habyarima's plane was shot down, It was 8 pm and I felt as if the sky had collapsed. I was reciting my rosary before going to bed when I heard the sad news on Rwandan national radio that President Habyarima was dead, as was Burundian President Ntaryamira and others.

Sam, my husband called me and ask me to leave Kacyiru (our home) immediately for our safety. I took nothing from our house, only our children. I left part of my Bubu (dress) believing the next day I would be back to pick it up. I never returned home. There were so many dead bodies, women - children - men, young and old, as we fled the city of Kigali. My life and those I love were threatened with death three times during the journey by enemy militia, it was by the grace of God we survived. To this day I can't share with you why we were allowed to live with so much death around us. We fled to Zimbabwe where we stayed for two years before migrating to the U.S. in 1997, winning a lottery Visa from immigration services.

The genocide is why I have chosen to become part of "Ikizere Foundation". During the time we were in exile I begged God to one day make me an instrument of peace and reconcillation for my beloved Rwanda and family that now includes individuals who are "Rwandan by Choice".

Jackie Nayigiziki created Ikizere F with this same dream in her heart and mind, along with other Christians who embrace the same joy of Hope. This is why I've gathered with them.

I live in the great land of the USA, home of the free and the brave, I advocate for those of our people still in the forrest's of Africa and elsewhere. At times it's as if the world is quiet as my heart cries out.

Please join me in remembering Matthew 25:31 - 46 "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in".

God bless Ikizere, God bless Rwanda, and God bless America and this beautiful world.

11/09/2018

Ikizere Foundation is honored to announce and partner with Pacifique Mukobwajana. Pacifique is an Ikizere Foundation Connect Center Ambassador. Pacifique knows the power of Hope. As a child refugee, 11 years of age, she fled Rwanda with her parents during the genocide of 1994. While the family sought asylum Pacifique lived in multiple refugee camps. Camps in the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania Arid and Zambia were her playground.

"I remember going days without food or water to drink, walking from country to country without clothes to combat the cold. I wake up at night still, visions from the past haunting me, there were dead children by the side of the road who perished from hunger and dehydration. I'll reach for my feet thankful that they are warm, you see, as a child refugee I had no shoes, my feet were swollen with sores however we kept walking and walking and walking."

Women would give birth as we walked, they had no one to help them, the baby would have nothing, and it was endlessly cold.

I have often wished to share my story, I've wanted to help refugees for many years, you see I am the fortunate one. In 2010 my husband and I were blessed to come to this beautiful country known as the United States of America through a refugee resettlement program. Three years ago we received our citizenship in the United States.

I love Jackie Nayigiziki and and my new friend Rhonda Castle. They didn't know that Ikizere Foundation and the work of Hope being done around the world was my dream. Inspiring others to continue the struggle is my hearts desire. As a Connect Center Ambassador I will heal by helping others heal.

It was a lot to consider revisiting my past to write this down. Now that I've accomplished these words on paper, my role responsibility with Ikizere F is to build my Centers Membership. For those of you who know me, I am going to lead this Connect Center to the best of my ability. Refugee Relief is my calling.

I thank God for this opportunity.

11/07/2018

Ikizere Foundation Connect Centers in Texas and the U.S. are being established ... We are organizing Ambassadors and Members ... if you want to participate in the JOY ... message us! 469.430.7409

11/01/2018

Ikizere Foundation Launch....Save the Date for 2019: October 11-12, 2019