From AJ's Rescue to AJ's Mission

On St. Patrick's Day, 2019, the puppy pictured here found herself hungry, alone, and afraid on the streets of Kigali, Rwanda, Africa. After placing herself in front of a moving vehicle carrying a mission team, she was spotted by one of the missionaries, a Registered Veterinary Technician, "RVT," from Southern California. The RVT offered immediate aid and began sharing her meals with the thin, ravenous, scratched-up pup estimated to be approximately 7 weeks old. In less than 48 hours, the team would travel to a different city. Knowing the pup wouldn't survive the streets alone and against all odds, including limited use of her cell phone, the RVT worked diligently to secure an animal sanctuary for the pup.   
 
When the RVT returned to California, she reflected on her mission experience. She educated herself on the unfortunate history of dogs in Rwanda as it relates to the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. Missions for people that don't include the needs of animals didn't seem complete to her. She felt inspired to create one based on all she learned from rescuing this little pup. Less than 3 months later, the RVT returned to Rwanda to retrieve the pup she named African Joy, "AJ." After extensive training and conditioning for AJ in the USA and overcoming what at times appeared to be insurmountable obstacles, AJ and her now permanent handler are ready to return to Rwanda as a canine missionary team carrying their life-saving message of how important it is to assist, not just people in need but animals in need, too.