it's an invitation.

The church service had been going on for almost two hours when a group of children in matching outfits filled the stage. I sat wide eyed they turned to face where Jonathan and I were sitting. This wasn't going to be a performance for the church, it was something special these children had prepared for our visit. As they began to dance a grin split my face in two and my heart began to swell. I love watching Rwandans dance. They use their entire bodies; they use their entire souls.

A few moments into their song, my friend Innocent leaned over and said to me, "These are the orphans of Bukonya. They have prepared this song you for and for Jonathan. The song they are singing to you says,

'Satan had a plan to destroy us,

but God invited Americans to come and support us.' "

Then, they INSISTED that Jonathan and I join in the dancing.

Incredible to see how joyful they are, how full of life! You were never know they were orphans who have suffered the trauma of genocide.

A few facts for you:

Nearly 1 million people lost their lives in the Rwandan 100 days of genocide perpetrated in 1994.
Statistics suggest that approximately 300,000 children perished.
95,000 children were left without parents, some lost their entire families, siblings included.
95,000 children watched their mothers, fathers and siblings be brutally murdered. Mothers and sisters were often raped by known hiv-positive males, most were throw into ditches, forced to beat, kill and rape each other, or left on the side of the road to fester and die slow, painful deaths.

And these are the smiling, dancing faces you see today. What a transformation.

The truth of their song humbled me. What they are singing is true. It's an invitation. God has invited you to be a part of something. We have the choice to say "yes" and we have the choice to say "no"--that's the gift of free will.

I'm here to tell you this invitation isn't to sell all your belongings and move to Rwanda. It's not to give half of your monthly wages away. This invitation is to make an intentional decision to do good every time you brew a pot of coffee. That's easy enough, right?

It's more than just a cup of coffee.
drink coffee. do good.