Rwanda: The Rest of the Story

So now that about a month's worth of Wednesdays have come and gone without "it" being written, I've decided to write on a day other than Wednesday and in a manner not consistent with what I have been previously doing. Look at me breaking routines. Instead of giving you the rest of the Rwanda trip day by day from my journal- I'm going to summarize the last six days. You're welcome- you now will not be reading a book. You'll be reading a blog. With pictures. Winning.

8/7/12

Kids came to check out the after-school learning room today. There were so many children to play with. It was incredible and crazy fun.

We played the game headbands. There is a language barrier so explaining the games at times was difficult, but these kids are brilliant and caught on quickly. The older kids also helped us to translate.

 

I showed some of the kids some magic tricks. I figured since it was magic camp at Pearce it was appropriate. And as it turns out, magic is pretty universal. The kids loved it. Ishmael caught on fast and then wanted to learn how to do it himself. He learned it a whole lot faster than I did.

 This boy in the orange shirt completely captured my heart. We played some made up version of patty cake and giggled about absolutely nothing. I could have giggled with him all day long. And by all day long, I mean forever. I could have giggled with him forever.

Some kids at the office reacting to seeing their pictures on the camera. How stinkin cute are they?

8/8/12

"It's so easy to fall in love with this place and these people. I'm so thankful for the experience" That sentiment about sums up everyday while in Rwanda, but I wrote it on this day. We spent the day at the school program, again.

 

Just some of the faces that I got to spend the day with. Kamanzie, Protogene, and Ishmael. I think their pictures alone explain the whole "it's so easy to fall in love with this place" notion.

 

8/9/12- "So today we drove to the Noel Orphanage, in Gisenyi. It's 4 hours away from Kigali and the scenery on the way there, was breathtaking. I could have stared out the window forever. Once we got to the orphanage, hundreds of kids swarmed our van wanting to say hi and touch us. One girl, she is 14, and her name is Maria grabbed my hand and for the rest of the day was by my side. Every time I went into a room through the front door, she would be there to meet me at the back door to grab my hand again. It broke my heart to see how desperate these kids are for love, but it made me so thankful to be there to have the opportunity to love on them."

 

 

(This is Maria)

 (Maria, Jon, Benwaeh)

 

8/10/12- We spent the whole day at the Noel Orphanage. It was incredible. Incredible being a huge understatement. I loved the entire day and every child that I met easily stole my heart, but there was one baby who I met, who not only stole my heart, but still has it. Her name is Gracie. She was playing in a field and came running over to me with outstretched arms saying "Mama." I picked her up and played with her. And for over an hour, she would not let me put her down. I sang with her and hugged her and cried every time she rested her sweet little face on my shoulder and clung tighter. That Gracie girl won me.

 

 

8/11/12- We spent the morning again at Noel before heading back to Kigali. I think I'll let my journal do the talking on this day " How do you even begin to put into words the end of a trip like this? How can I write about saying goodbye to children that took my breath away? How can I possibly describe what it was like to fall head over heels in love with children and have to hug them and tell them I love them, knowing that I may never see them again? How do I write about how there was so much more I wish I could do? I can't possibly. There's a saying that God sleeps in Rwanda, but I'm fully convinced He wakes here too. I am so incredibly moved by this country. Jesus, all I can do is give You praise. All the glory. All the honor. All the praise."

 

 

8/12/11- This is the day that we boarded the plane to come back home. This is the day where I once again learned that Rwanda is my hardest goodbye. This is the day where I already starting dreaming about my next hello. Oh Rwanda, you have my attention.