Rwanda: 8/4/12 & 8/5/12

Some journal excerpts and reflections from the first Saturday and Sunday we were in Rwanda....

8/4/12
So this is what it feels like to come home?! I am exhausted, but so excited. On the flight from D.C. to Ethiopia, I ran into Mindy from the Health Academy. I haven't seen her since high school and we ran into each other on a flight to Africa....crazy. We got a man to switch seats with us so we spent the 13 hour flight catching up. It was really nice to have someone to fly with. I felt like it was just one more thing pointing to the fact that God's hand was all over this trip and a reminder of how faithful He is. Gosh, He is incredibly faithful. On my other side was Claude. Claude is from the Congo, but currently lives in NY. He was going back to the Congo to visit his parents. He was very sweet and fun to get to know. At the end of the flight, I felt like I was saying goodbye to an old friend.

We met the whole team in Ethiopia. Everyone seems really sweet and we all get along well. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better as the trip progresses. We arrived in Kigali, Rwanda at noon today and waited for the luggage for awhile. Half the team did not get their luggage, but thankfully I got mine. I was even more thankful for this the next day- you'll understand once I share how Sunday started out. Later on, once we were settled in a bit, we went to the boys home- the Home of Innocence and met the boys. We played soccer and hung out for a little bit with them. I'm looking forward to spending more time with them. They are very sweet. Driving through the country can be a rough ride at times, but it is full of unmistakable beauty. Oh, that could preach. I need to sleep so I'm ready for tomorrow. I am so thankful to be tucked under this mosquito net, writing by flashlight. So unbelievably, unmistakably thankful. I can't believe I get to do this. What a privilege..

I mentioned in my journal that I was looking forward to getting to know the team more and I must say that I am so thankful for the team that was put together to go on this trip. To say that I enjoyed getting to know the team and watching them serve would be an understatement. I met some world changers over those ten days and it was such a privilege to hear and watch them share their hearts. I couldn't have picked a better team to share the experience with. God has this way of customizing things perfectly- this team was no exception.

8/5/12- This journal post was exceptionally long so I'm just going to give you some of the highlights from the day. Although, the entire day was a highlight. I wish that I could have taped the whole experience so that I could give more justice to it. Better yet, I wish that everyone I know could have been there to experience it for themselves. Next time, I'm just going to have to pack y'all in my suitcase. Anyway, here we go....

So remember that time I fainted and peed my pants in the van on the way to church? I wish I could say me neither. :) I don't feel embarrassed at all, but I do feel a bit like an inconvenience. They had to bring me home and Derek had to stay with me, which was very generous of him, plus the car seats were peed on. I woke up and had no idea where I was and the team told me everything. I am sad about missing church, but somehow have this strange peace about it. It's like God is showing me that I work so hard not to be an inconvenience to people who know me and love me, but He is reminding me that people are never inconveniences. These people don't know me hardly at all, but they stopped to take care of me. How much more would my friends and family? How much more would God? Sometimes maybe were supposed to "inconvenience" others, not for any other reason, but to realize that with love, it's not really inconveniencing. People matter more and friends like to help friends out. They don't see the inconvenience, they see the friend. And all of that applies even when I'm the friend and not the helper. I love so much to serve, but struggle with being served. It's crazy that on a missions trip to Africa, I end up having to be served in this way. God has a funny sense of humor, but what's the craziest part of all this not so fun memory- I feel as though God is smiling at me and saying " Hey, you're worth all of this." Holy Moly.

Thank you Jesus that the remainder of the day I did not get sick again. The team was so sweet to me when they got back. Michelle hugged me and I felt very loved. We headed to lunch and then the genocide memorial. The memorial was so heartbreaking, but there is so much beauty in the brokenness. This is the most beautiful place on earth. Seriously, I want everyone to come here.

Tonight, as we were sorting donations, the power went out and someone asked "Does anyone need to use my light to find their lights?" And I loved the imagery of that, because sometimes when we are in the dark, it's the light of others that helps us begin to see again. I loved that. I love that. I know, for me, there have been times where I've relied on the light of others to point me back when I've gotten on track. That's what ministry is- directing people to the light using the light in you.

Tonight I was wandering the kitchen looking for a garbage and Feas, the house keeper, helped me. He speaks little English and tried to teach me to say goodnight in Kinyarwandan. I couldn't do it. I can barely say big words in English, so to try to pronounce words in another language, for me, is proving to me nearly impossible. He was giggling a lot at me. I was giggling a lot at me. There was a whole lot of giggling going on. I could have laughed with him all night, over not being able to say goodnight. I love how this place is reminding me of joy in the simple things. Did I mention I love it here? Cause I really, really do.

Here are a few pictures of the guest house we stayed at in Kigali: