Tuesday, July 30, 2013

loving rwanda

It was another busy day.  We started off with some more VBS.   We traced the kids’ hands on canvases (2 children per canvas) and let them color them in and write their name, if they could.  Those are being given to the church to hang in classrooms or in the church building.  The kids also made faces out of paper plates and were able to decorate a picture frame and put a developed picture of themselves in it.  The pictures were my favorite.  William even caught one child asking their mother if it was really them.  They don't see themselves everyday like we Americans do!  They wanted me to take a “photo” of them with their photo!  The 300+ kids is challenging but so fun at the same time.

The construction crew finished 3 houses today so those are all complete.

Westerners have not visited this part of Rwanda very much.  Many of these children are seeing a muzungu, white person, for the very first time.  Some children run right up and others not so much.  One little girl thought that the white people would eat her and I guess that would explain why some kids are so hesitant.  

There are so many stories to share. 

We passed out biscuits, cookies, to the kids at the end of VBS and it was a hit.  Many were trying to hide them so they could get another one.

The church prepared lunch for us again today.  After lunch the boys and some men went and had a soccer match, Rwandans verse Americans.  It ended in a kick off and the Americans won.  Nearly the entire village came to watch. It was incredible to see the end of it.

While soccer was being played others of us went to visit the women that Legacy Mission helps support.  They are women who are HIV+, have AIDS or have lost a husband to AIDS.  They have come together and work in a beauty shop together and also make baskets and other things and sell them.  The lotion and soap I collected goes to these women.  They can sell it to earn more money or use it however they see fit.  We got to hear from the leader of their group, so glad I had this opportunity.  And I did purchase some baskets from them.

We came back a lot later this evening and dinner was waiting for us. 

I am thankful to be here.  I am amazed at how Kigali has changed in just a little over 2 years.  Bigger houses being built, lots of traffic lights, more cars, more buildings… it blows my mind.

I am in walking distance of Home of Hope but I don’t think I am going to be able to make it there again with our schedule.  I was actually encouraged with what I saw but I do long to spend more time there.  I have decided that if you are coming as far as Rwanda you need to stay at least 2 full weeks in country, there is so much to see, so much to visit and experience and I don’t have time for it all.  I have made new Rwandan friends and that is good, more people to see when I come backJ


A few pictures from today…









Until tomorrow!

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