presidents, best-selling author-pastors, and...Melene!

In Rwanda today (Kigali), there was a White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) meeting held at the Serena Hotel. Speakers included Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Rick Warren, and....Melene! Yes, our Melene: WR's Child Survival Program Manager of Community Mobilization.

Along with two other WR staff, Melene shared with the 250+ audience about how health initiatives by faith-based organizations (FBOs) can make a difference in the lives of children. She also demonstrated in her presentation how FBOs can effectively work in partnership with other NGOs and national governments.

Melene's first language is Kinyarwandan, her second is French. English is either her third language, or maybe even her fourth language after Swahili. She speaks English well, but it's not easy to give a presentation in a third (or fourth!) language! And she did SO well!!

The picture here is from a distance....but if you look close you will see Melene is at the podium on the left.



The man on the right (with his back to my camera), is Rick Warren, the author and pastor, listening intently. He took a lot of notes.

Congratulations, Melene, for a job well done!!