A brief note…

Wednesday we had a new experience! We spent the morning and the first part of the afternoon with the house mothers and aunties at SOS. House mothers and aunties are the amazing women who live and take care of the children at the orphanage.  Each household has about 10 children who attend the primary school. The mothers and aunties cook, clean, and provide for the students. 

Wednesday morning we were all paired up with a mother/auntie to do some of the morning work. I was paired up with a wonderful auntie, and after sharing a cup of morning tea, she told me that we would be preparing the meal for the kids. 

I spent the first hour or so peeling potatoes with a knife, honestly like a full sack of potatoes. I then chopped potatoes and carrots, and onions, and peppers, all while bonding with the house auntie that was working beside me. It was really fun to work with this wonderful woman for five hours. Although we could only slightly communicate, since she did not know a lot of English and I only know a few words in Kinyerwanda, we really created a bond that is hard to describe. :)

Today we were able to meeting the teachers at the Learning Center. They specialize in working with students on their English. We went out to lunch with them, and had some wonderful conversation. Then, I went into town with my professor and one other student. We are headed to Lake Kivu on Saturday, so we went to purchase the bus tickets. Afterwards, we went and had some coffee :)

While sitting and waiting for coffee, I noticed this huge book that was sitting ton the coffee table. Since I tend to embrace my curiosity, so I cracked the book open. Even though it was in French, I was able to pick out a few words. This book that was a at least 4 inches thick was the list of victims of the genocide. Each page had an abundance of names, peoples date of birth and in some instances the date they died, their sex, and the way that they were killed. I had known that the genocide claimed many many victims, but seeing it in this concrete and descriptive way really gave a name and numbers and thoughts to the actual people.  I was really taken aback, but I also think that it is something that maybe more people should see. I pains me to think that some people do not believe that it happened, and maybe this book can change minds, or at least get people thinking about it. 

Well, I hope to have more to say tomorrow. Friday is going to be a little different, we are running on a different schedule, so I am curious to see what will happen. I hope to update soon :)

With love,

Leah

Musanze: Football, Dancing, and Friends to Remember

Wow. What a weekend! This past Friday (night), Saturday, Sunday, and Monday the group was in Musanze. We boarded the bus to Musanze Friday afternoon, and I was full with anticipation to see what the weekend would bring. 

Everything started off with the most beautiful drive yet! The road was super curvy, and I felt like I was on a roller coaster for almost the full 2 hours, but the beauty of the rolling hills, the mountains, and the lush green scenery outweighed everything. Something that I especially enjoyed about the drive was the fact that I was next to the cutest child. She and her mother were speaking Kinyerwanda, and showed no signs that they were able to speak English. The little girl seemed curious as to who this white person was next to her, so I, being the future teacher that I am, found ways to entertain her and communicate with her. We had fun looking through picture books that I have on my Nook, thank goodness for all the times that I have needed to have books to read with Scott's niece and nephew, discovered how my watch came on and off, how my backpack zipper works, and what funny faces we could both make. During this time, she became a little worn out and finally fell asleep cuddled next to me. Her mother and I exchanged kind smiles, and even though we couldn't speak the same language, there was communication there. I realized that I love how one glance can really communicate so much, and I am happy to say that the mother and the little girl really did make a connection with me. Even though it was beautiful outside of the windows, the love that formed and interactions I had were the cherries on top of the sundae. 

Once we had reached Musanze, we headed on up to Elie's house. Elie, which is short for Elijah,  is part of the Fair Children/Youth Foundation, which provides programs, The Wisdom School, The Deaf Children School, and also provides psychosocial support to widows and children who are the head of households, usually due to the death of parents. Elie  has poured so much of his life and time into these programs, and he and his wife open up their home to volunteers, but also support and pay the school fees for many students. It was so interesting to hear Elie talk about what he believes will help Rwanda grow strong. He believes that strong women and strong children are one of the most important factors in terms of growth in Rwanda. He believes that strong women raise and teach strong children, and those strong children will change the future. This conversation with Elie made me really think about my life in terms of two ways.

Way 1) Giving. Elie and his wife have given so much to help others. I have so much in this life, but how much of it to I actually give back to others? When I can go to school everyday, there are those who can't afford to go to school or who have circumstances that inhibit their ability to go to school. While I sit over happy and surrounded by a abundance of "stuff" why don't I give more? If we were all to even give a fraction of what we have, we could change the world. We could provide schooling for so many children, we could provide a meal for those who are hungry. We could do so much!

Way 2) Strong women = Strong children. Thinking back to growing up, and now, I am constantly reminded that I have such a strong and confident mother in my life. She has taught me how to love, how to serve, how to share, and so much more. I have also been around strong grandmothers and aunts and cousins and teachers and friends. They have all aided me to be a strong individual. They have played a role in teaching me about life. Now that I am almost done with school, I am, hopefully, going to be that strong role model for many students. When I can provide all students will a positive role model, I can hopefully teach them why they are strong and how to really make a difference. :)

This weekend really brought a lot of thoughts to mind, and in my next post, I hope to share some more reflection! 

Once Elie was finished telling us an abbreviated life story, we lost power! It was like the perfect ending to a story. We all sat in darkness…pure darkness. Elie's son  searched for a candle, and in about 3 minutes, we regained sight as the lights popped back on. What a start to our trip! We then sat down for dinner, and it was hands down my favorite meal we have had so far. I went to bed excited for what Saturday was going to bring. 

Saturday morning we went into town for the morning. In hindsight, we probably should have stayed at Elie's for about another 45 minutes. Every last Saturday of every month, the cities in Rwanda have a clean up day. Everyone closes up shop, and the city is cleaned. What an extraordinary concept! Something I have realized while in Rwanda is how important the whole body of people is. People are always willing to lend a hand, a smile, or encouragement. This clean up day was yet another example of how everyone came together for the better of the country of Rwanda. 

Once shops finally opened, we had lunch, and then it was time for us to depart for the Deaf School. This aspect of the trip was one portion that really made me think about coming on this trip. This year, I did take a course of American Sign Language and Deaf culture, and I am fascinated with figuring out ways to communicate with all people, even if they aren't able to fully hear me. In In Rwanda, deafness is considered to be a horrible ailment. If you are a person who is deaf, you are basically worthless in the eyes of society. Many are not able to work because they can not communicate through speech, and there a instances where children are disowned due to their deafness. When I learned about this, I was heart broken. I couldn't even begin to imagine being fully disowned due to something I had no control over. Even worse, it was hard to image being by myself with a disability that is looked down upon so much. With all of this in mind, it really shows how important the deaf school is. 

When we arrived at the deaf school, we were welcomed with so much joy and enthusiasm. Much to my surprise, it turns out that Rwandan Sign Language is basically the same as American Sign Language. When I was able to say hello and sign my name and where I was from, eyes lit up with excitement to the fact that I, the one person in our group of seven, could communicate and understand what they were signing. There smiles lit, and I instantly had at least 10 students trying to sign to me at once. I knew, at that instant, their faces shining, and hands ready to communicate, that my life would be forever changed by them.

Just sharing some love!

We were then lead to their greeting hall, where all of the students gathered to introduce themselves, but to also give us all a sign name. After we all received our names, the students sang a song for us. The way they did this was through dance and signing at the same time. Since many people who are deaf can sense vibrations through sound waves, there was one loud drum that pounded to keep the beat as the students showcased their talent. They all put so much passion into their signs and dance, and the joy they had could be felt. I had to choke down the tears as they smiled and laughed and danced, and I felt so moved. After one song, they did a dance that they had learned last year, the electric slide, and each of us had a student pull us up to dance with them. Yet again, music had connected me to another person without any words being exchanged. 

These are some of my favorite kiddos at the deaf school . They followed me wherever I went!

Once we finished the song, we were taken on a tour of the school. Since many of the students have been abandoned by parents, they are not able to pay the school fees. Many of the students are still allowed to stay and attend the school, but that means that there is a severe amount of work that needs to be done at the school, as well as a lot of images that were hard to see. There is one class room for each grade, and the supplies they have are so minimal. There is one light to light the large concrete classroom, and most of the learning aides are hand drawn posters. Even so, every student had so much pride in their classroom. They were excited to show us there space. What they had brought them so much joy, and my heart ached knowing that they could have so much more and that it would be easy for me to give money or supplies, but yet I hadn't. I think the hardest to see was their living quarters. All of the boys have one large room and all of the girls have one. What was most heart breaking to see was the fact that in one of the rooms, there were only 2 mosquito nets. Each room has at least 40 students. Those 2 nets could only protect 2-4 students max. In a country where malaria is prevalent, and where the medication to cure it is often too expensive for people to buy, mosquito nets are usually the one form of protection people can afford. One net, usually around $10, can aid in preventing someone of contracting malaria. The fact that there were only two…. I couldn't believe it. Yet… the students were filled with happiness for this place they called home. These loving individuals who were so proud deserve everything that I could possibly give. I think I may have found a new passion, figuring out a way that I can help them all, even when I return  to the United States (more words to come about this soon)!

We returned to the school on Sunday, and ended up playing a huge game of football with them. I failed miserably, since they were so amazing, but had such an amazing time. It was hard to say goodbye to them, and it took all that I had to not cry as I finally said my goodbyes, gave many hugs, and signed to each one how glad I was to have met them. My dream is to come back and see them, and learn more from them!

This is David. David and I became very quick friends! He even ended up asking me to be his girlfriend, but I ended up saying no. Regardless, he made a big impact on my life!

My feet after a long day of playing football, and walking around. Sidenote... those are not tan lines, they are dirt lines!

Monday, we visited Wisdom primary school and the Wisdom nursery school. We had fun getting to meet a few students, and it was fun to watch them play and show us their favorite songs and dances. We then went out to lunch and met up with a woman named Jean. Jean is originally from New York, and ended up starting a NGO in Rwanda called Ubushobozi. The NGO is a collection of women who come together to sew, and really have a family together. We were then able to meet the women, and they danced for us, and once again, for the second time this weekend, found ourselves dancing with the women, laughing, and really enjoying ourselves. After dancing, we hit up their shop, and I bought a great purse from a young lady who was actually one of the first women in the organization. These women were so willing to take us in as brief family members for the afternoon, and shared so much love and happiness with us. 

Some of the kiddos at the Wisdom Nursery School

Me and the wonderful lady who made my purse!

All in all…. this weekend change my life. I don't necessarily know how to put it into words as to how, but when I  am back in the US I will try my hardest if you want to sit down and talk with me. Well, I must be heading out. 

Love and miss you all!

-Leah :)

A glimpse into Rwanda

I don't have any really exciting news for all of you, and since I have a good solid chunk of time this morning, I thought I would try and upload a few pictures so you can see more of what it is like here. :)

Coming to Rwanda meant that I had the opportunity to finally get a stamp in my passport! Here I am with my first stamp, and with Nibblet, our adorable Concordia mascot for the trip!

As many of you know, we had to make a day long pit stop in Brussels. I loved being able to see another place on this journey! Here is a picture charting our endeavors of the pit stop.

Rwanda is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, even when it is cloudy! I don't think that I will ever forget the view I wake up to in the morning. 

Rwanda is known as the Land of 1,000 hills. I personally think it is closer 50,000 hills! Here is one of the hills we walk multiple times a day from our rooms, to the school, and to our dining hall.

In one of my early posts, I talked about the extreme love I have for eating passion fruit, or Rwanda, maracuja. Mom and dad, prepare to help me find some when I get back to the United States!

I loved visiting Cards From Africa during our first weekend here. I couldn't help but chuckle and think that this is what the office room in our house looks like after my mother and I go to town making things! I can see some resemblance! 

Here is one of the cutest little kindergarteners I have ever met! I had a ton of fun singing songs with her the other day! She loved to sing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

Just another kindergarten kiddo :) 

One thing that has been slightly different about my time here in Rwanda is that I sleep with a mosquito net every single night. At first, it did feel a bit odd. I felt a little closed in, and I was always worried that my net would somehow come undone while sleeping. I would spend a few minutes every night making sure everything was perfectly tucked in. Now, I have some experience, and it is a super speedy process!

Here is another quick peak so you can see another area of hilliness in Rwandan life. 

This little gem was at the sewing NGO that we visited this past Tuesday. She was so shy, but had the most adorable smile!

Here is my last photo for the day. I can't believe how amazing this experience has been so far. I love all the people I have been able to meet, and will truly miss every one of them. So, for my last photo of the day.... I can't help but give you another picture of yet another adorable little blessing! P.S. I apologize for how sweaty I look. I think yesterday may have been the hottest day we have had here!

I look forward to posting more pictures, and hopefully soon! This weekend we will actually be traveling to Musanze, another part of the country, so I will be computer less for a few days. While there, we are going to be visiting the Wisdom Primary School and the School for the Deaf. I am excited to see what this journey will bring! I will try to catch you all up on our activities as soon as I return! 

With love,

Leah :) 

A NGO kind of day

Today was full of adventure. We met our awesome guide for our NGO visits at 9 a.m. We decided that we were going to take public transportation instead of calling a taxi. I have written about public transportation before, and since then, things haven't really changed. Traffic is crazy, fast, busy, and hot, but the change this time around is that I am actually starting to enjoy it. My first few rides I would grip to my seat and pray that we wouldn't hit the person running through the traffic or the motorcycle making a quick pass around us. Now, I can take it in, and I actually really enjoy it. I even sat in the front seat, a challenge I NEVER thought I would take. 

After multiple bus changes and a decent walk, we reached our first NGO. At this NGO there are women who are amazing seamstresses who make headbands, purses, aprons, table runners, hats, etc. Their work was beautiful, and the fabrics are varied with different patterns and colors. The women were all so kind, and so willing to show us their work, but also to smile at us, laugh with us, and even to sit through 2 minutes of group picture taking. The women next to me hugged me tight, said she was blessed to meet me, and welcomed me back whenever I like. Even though we were with them for a short time, they brightened my day, and made me wish that I could spend a lifetime getting to know them and learning from them.

Some of the ladies :)

We then took a quick break, and headed on our way to our second NGO. At this NGO, there is a group of men who make products out of cow horn. I was stunned to see the beauty of craftsmanship, but also the connection they all have with each other. This group was created by bringing street boys together to focus on a craft skill. It was clear, even though I couldn't always understand what they were saying, that they were a close-knit group of individuals. Although most of their inventory was currently not at the site, they shared their work with us, and invited us back next Tuesday to see the whole cow horn process take place. We are still deciding if we can, and I really hope we will be able to! 

Unfortunately, our time at the NGOs took a bit longer than expected, so we were not able to visit the primary school today. I won't lie, I loved the NGOs, but I really did miss hanging out with the kiddos. Even more than teaching, I missed the walk back from school, when I have 2 girls who always take me by the hand, ask me questions, and share about their day. I felt slightly incomplete without them today, andI felt like there might be a small sadness that would follow me for part of the day. We had lunch quickly, and then it was time to head back to my room before leaving for the tech school. As I was walking, I heard a voice yelling, "Teacher Leah! Teacher Leah!" When I turned around, low and behold, one of my little girls that I walk with started sprinting up the hill to me. Automatically a smile came across my face and I started to walk to meet her. She continued running and running, until finally she collided into me with the biggest bear hug I have ever experienced. She said, "Teacher Leah, I missed you today! I am so happy to see you now. How are you today?"

Wow… honestly. Wow. I am in love with the children here. Beyond in love actually. This little girl's love and enthusiasm for her friendship with me blew me away, ad still continues to. I am really starting to worry about how much I will end up missing every little smile, every little hug, every little "I am fine", and every little laugh that I hear from so many children every day. 

I have been so blessed to work with all of them, and I am pretty positive that I will miss them every day for the rest of my life. They have taught me so much as well. They have taught me love, kindness, faithfulness, and thankfulness. Even though I am there teaching them something every week day, I think I am learning more than I every thought I would. Through this teaching, I can tell that there is a transformation happening. I can't wait to see what the next 21 days will bring. 

With my love, 

Leah

African Time

I hope that all is well. Today feels as if it has been a busy day, but yet we didn't do much. We spent the morning hanging out before going to the primary school. I have gotten a lot of readying done, which has been pretty enjoyable. I finished the "Follow Me" book by David Platt, and I loved it.It has some really solid points. It made me think a lot about my life though, and about how important my faith is, and more important, showing my faith to others. I am curious to continue to work on this, but to see how my faith grows as well. 

Anyways…. back to what actually happened today…. I had the opportunity to teach the same kiddos from class last  Monday. Last week we talked about loving your neighbors, and this week we talked about giving thanks for the various things in our lives. I was once again moved by the answers my students provided. When originally thinking about what I give thanks for, I came up with a pretty basic list. Once I started to ask the 5th graders what they gave thanks for in their lives, I was speechless. Many said that they were thankful for compassion that people have given them, one student mentioned that she is so thankful that she has been saved through Christ. Another mentioned that he gives thanks in his life for mercy and forgiveness. These are all 5th graders, and they mentioned things that I wouldn't have automatically listed off if someone were to ask me what I was thankful for. Day by day, these beautiful children teach me more about life, and cause me to realize the things I really am grateful and thankful for. It reminds me of the phrases of having "child-like" faith. I know understand that phrase, and what it can really mean for me in my life and my own personal faith journey.

My wonderful 5th grade class and their teacher :)

After an amazing morning with those 5th graders, we had a fun time at the tech school. While we were there, we worked on our debating for the first hour and a half. They wanted to debate about 1) equality of education between a husband and a wife in a relationship and 2)dating in high school. Man…. I was blown away by their ability to come up with reasonings for both sides, and loved the way that they were able to persuade others through their words, even if they were arguing a side they didn't agree with. For the next portion, Erica and I worked on music with a small group. It was amazing to see and hear about why music was important to each individual. This trip has made me think a lot about the power music has. I came to a country where English isn't their first language and where weather in the 70's is cold, but one thing will always connect us;music is that thing. Rhythm, melodies, and the emotion behind music is universal, along with the reason why music is important. I love that even if I think 70's is perfect weather, I can still bond and agree with someone about music. I LOVE that there will always be that connection. 

I also love that Rwanda has taught me that "African Time," which means being a bit late, is totally ok. Sometimes in those moments when the bus driver is 45 minutes late, you can have amazing conversations, make life long memories, and connect with a person on a different level. Although I love timeliness and structure, I am starting to get use to "African Time" and the experiences I have gained through it. 

Tomorrow, although very time structured, will be very exciting as we visit 2 NGOs in the morning, and then continue with our teaching. I can't wait to talk to all of you soon!

With love,

Leah 

Simply Rwandaful!

These past few days have been filled with many stories, and now that we are finally back in Kigali, and I so thrilled to finally tell you all about my past few days in Rwanda. I'll start with Friday, before we left Kigali for our short weekend away.

We finally made it through a full week teaching here in Rwanda, and what a week it has been. I have loved ever second that I have spent with the children here, and they have already touched my life in ways that I cannot even begin to explain. At first, I was wondering, "Will they really grasp on to what I was telling them? Even though I have only seen a few classes once, will they remember who I am?" These questions were answered for me on Friday, when I had a group of about 10 children hanging on to me in any way they could. Shouts of "teacher Leah" were ringing, and the students were telling me about how much fun they had with me, how they were loving their neighbors, and how they wanted me to be back in class with them as soon as possible. My heart glowed with love for each of them, and I really started to hate the fact that within a few weeks I would be leaving this place, leaving their kind and gentle hearts, leaving the little hands that reach out for mine on my way to class and on my way back once school has finished. I know that they will all have a very special place in my heart for the rest of my life, and it is hard knowing that there is a very good chance that I will not see them again once I come back to the United States. 

These are just a fraction of the beautiful kiddos I hang out with every day

Once school was done on Friday, it was time for us to eat lunch and then depart for our weekend trip to Butare. I was very excited to explore other parts of Rwanda, and with my backpack packed and ready to go, we left to the bus station at 2 p.m. When we got to the bus station, my eyes were opened to the chaos of life, but also to extreme poverty. As we waiting on the bus, ready to depart, poverty seemed to be the only thing in my line of vision. In the United States, I know that poverty is existent, but I  tend to not think about it because I am not constantly seeing it. At the station poverty became real. As we waited, men and woman, many who had a disability affecting their life, poked and prodded at us to buy things or to give them money. Looking away, I only saw more people who were crippled, on the ground begging. My heart ached, and I felt physically sick knowing that I have spent time looking away instead of helping. It is hard to know that their livelihood measures up to that some days, begging for a chance, a job, food, etc. Thoughts flooded my head as to why poverty is so existent, and why, in our culture, do we seem to brush it under the rug as if it wasn't so real. Also, why do I live a life never having had to worry about where my next meal will come from, whether I will have a job? As this trip continues, I find my heart and mind wrestling with this daily. I hope that as the days continue, I can come to learn more about poverty and social justice, but also about really treasuring the things I have and making sure that I do not thane them for granted. 

Once the bus started, I then found myself admiring the beauty of Rwanda. Throughout the whole drive, I was awestruck with the nature…the land of 1,000 hills. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The driver had the music playing, and the station, every commercial break, wound mention that the station was "simply Rwandaful" which obviously caused the pun-lover in me to burst out! Two hours later, I found myself finally in Butare. We checked in to the place we were staying, grabbed a Coke, and talked about our plans for the night and for the rest of the weekend. 

After our quick talk, it was decided that I would go into the main hub of town with our professor and Erica, one of the girls on the trip, to buy more bottled water to help us last through the weekend. This brief 10 minute trip would be the first time in Rwanda where I have really missed home. In a place where I honestly thought nobody was speaking English, we walked, Erica and I both feeling everyones eyes on us. It was dark, and we were two white girls walking around. A man came up to us and started following us. t man repeatedly asked us questions, all not in English, so we continued walking but the man continued to follow.  Our professor, Bill, was fantastic about trying to make the man go away, all while Erica and I were devising a master escape plan. The man finally left, and we made it back to the place we were staying, Erica and I feeling relieved. We then settled down for dinner. 

Once we all returned to our rooms, the power in each roomed failed to work. We were all a little weirded out not being at the place in Rwanda we call home, so this little obstacle was not making us feel any better. We were brought to different rooms, once that were working, but none of us were able to relax enough to sleep. We ended up pairing up, all uncomfortable with this new place and the new sounds that accompanied it. My bed buddy for the weekend was Liv, and it took us a while to finally get comfortable enough to sleep. What an adventure. 

This was our humble abode for the weekend

The next morning, we started off our busy day by going to the museum! I LOVED IT, and…. I learned a lot about all aspects of Rwandan history. The guide at the museum was also fantastic, and lead us on a little extra tour outside of the museum. She brought us down to a fishery surrounded by rice paddies, and gave s a glimpse into that part of life for many Rwandis. After the museum, we set out for lunch. 

Lunch was pretty good, and we finally had the opportunity to see and watch some Rwanda news on TV, some of it in english, and enjoyed being able take a quick rest from walking. After lunch, we set on our way to the ice cream store, with a quick stop at an art/craft market. We all love shopping while being here, so this was a fun stop. 

Then it came…. the stop we were waiting for. It was time for ice cream! I don't think there has ever been a time in my life where I have craved ice cream so badly. The hot Rwandan sun had been beating down hard all day, beautifully I note, but something cool was in order. While grabbing ice cream, some of the best ice cream I have ever had, we had a conversation about service. I have always known that service would be really important in my life, but now I don't know if I can go a single day without reaching out to help others, and to really learn from them. 

Yummmmyyyy Ice Cream!

Once we were done with ice cream, we walked back to the craft shop, some girls still had some items they need to buy, while Erica, Bill, and I headed to a little coffee shop. For starters, I like coffee, but it isn't my favorite thing in the whole entire world. When we entered this little coffee shop, I realized that the drinks were pretty decently priced, so I said, "Why not?" Rwanda is known for their coffee, and now I understand why. After one sip of my small cappuccino, I was in love with the rich coffee flavor. I don't think that I will ever have coffee as perfect ever again. Ever.  We ended our night with a dinner at 7, and lots of reading until falling asleep.

Today we made our venture back to Kigali at 9:30 a.m. Although I had enjoyed our time in Butare, I could not wait to get home, home being our place at SOS. As soon as we arrived, so much peace surrounded me, and it felt like I had never left. It is crazy to think that It has not even been a full 2 weeks, and this place so far away from the United States is a second home. Leaving will be so difficult, but I know that I will always have a very large spot in my heart for SOS in Kigali. We walked to lunch, and now have some time this afternoon to relax and prepare for our lessons tomorrow. Tonight we might venture somewhere new for dinner, and I am sure that I will have a story or two to share tomorrow. I can't believe that only two weeks have passed, but what is even crazier is that I have less than 25 days left in this beautiful place. Where has the time gone!?!?

I can't wait to talk to you all soon! 

With love,

Leah 

Best Friends

Best friends

As we have continued to teach throughout this week, there have been many experiences that I have really committed to memory. I have had some firsts, but I have also had some repeated experiences, that I will always treasure, and will enjoy as they continue. 

Some Firsts:

• I saw the first gecko in my room on Tuesday night. The gecko was about 8 centimeters long, and was hanging out right above my sink. As soon as I saw it, I was taken aback for a bit, and the gecko must have also been; he scampered away quickly, as if it were a flash of lightning. 
• I taught my first computer class. While we work at the primary school, we teach one computer class each day. The primary school is part of a program called One Laptop Per Child. The school has been given lap tops for the children to use, which will hopefully increase their computer skills as they grown and learn. This program, which sounds like such an amazing thing, also brought some very interesting challenges. The first was that not all the computers turn on. Second problem? Out of the computers that were on, many of them would die quickly, and not all of them had the same program. 

  

  These are the computers that we are using.

   It made teaching difficult, and it was hard to see 4 or 5 children all huddled around 1 computer. This really made me think back to how privileged we are in the American classroom. Most classes here have 30+ students, even in first grade. This is anywhere from 5-10 children more than the average American elementary classroom. Along with the large amount of students, there is also a small amount of supplies to use. With these two things in mind, one would think that students may not love going to school, but this is really not the case. Every student has such a passion for school, and takes it so seriously. When you ask them what they did in school, they will answer with as much detail as they can give you in English, and their faces glow with excitement when they tell you about expanding their knowledge. It makes me think a lot about the values that we have in life, and where we place education on our list of priorities. For me, as an education major, education is obviously high on my list, but I would be curious to ask other students, at any grade level, where they place going to school on their list of favorite things. 

Continuing experiences:

• Every day while we walk back from the primary school, students swarm around us. They are all so eager to hold our hands, give us hugs, ask us questions, tell us stories, and on occasion, touch our arm hair (It is apparently super foreign to them). One of my favorite things about this walk so far has been the new little best friend that I have made. She seeks me out every day before it is time to leave, places her hand in mine, and tells me about her school day. When it is time for our paths to split, she gives me a colossal hug goodbye, and tells me that she can't wait to see me the next day. 

  

  We have also had the opportunity to continue working at the tech school. I have still spent time with Nancy, the first girl I met at the tech school who has translated a few of the genocide remembrance programs, but my friend circle has also been expanding. I have became very close with a girl named Bella, she is such a riot of a good time, and have made connections with many of the students at the school. They are so eager and curious to ask us questions about our life in America, what school is like, what we do with friends, etc., but to also ask us about or opinions that we have about global issues. As we work on debating with them, and other various things, we have had the opportunity to expand our relationships, but to really get to know each other on more personal issues, especially political ones. It has been such a blessing to spend 3 hours with them every day, and I have really enjoyed getting to know students who are closer to my age, and to compare and contrast different aspects of my own life. 

As this journey continues, I am so curious to see how I keep growing. I can already tell theta when I come back, I will probably see things in a different light. Being able to make all of these personal connections has really aided my personal opinions and growth, and as we start to go on weekend trips, I am sure that I will grow more. 

This weekend we will be traveling to Butare, which is south of Kigali. Butare is known for a few things, including being the place where the first secondary school was established in 1928. It is also home to the national university, and is the third largest town in Rwanda. While there, we will being doing a few things. We get to stop and have ice cream! I cannot even begin to express how great this will be. The sweets that we have had while in Rwanda have just been fruit, so being able to have a sweet treat that we have at home is very exciting for us!

 We will also be stoping at the National Museum. The National Museum is a great place to go to learn about  Rwandan history and culture. I am excited for the museum because it gives good insight into many aspects of life in Rwanda, including Rwand'as geological and geographical background, inhabitants, handicrafts, styles and methods of architecture, games and sports, traditional customs and beliefs, and so much more! I am quite the museum nerd, so I am very excited for this experience!

During the weekend, we will also visit the Murambi genocide memorial.  The genocide memorial is known to be one of the starkest memorials in Rwanda. As we have been in Rwanda, it has been hard to imagine that something so tragic could happen in such a majestically beautiful land where every one you meet smiles and wants to know how you are. It has been difficult to come to terms that these travesties happened in the past, but it has also been encouraging to hear about and learn how this country has developed into the amazing place it is today. Words can not even start to express how grateful I am for those who have explained their history, and told their own stories, in order for me to start to understand what happened here. I am so blessed to have had every interaction, and I am happy to know that I will have more time to grow close to the people here. 

I can't believe that I only have 26 days left here. This place has started to become a second home, and I know that in my future, I will want to come back! I look forward to sharing more of my experiences soon! I will hopefully have an update for you on Sunday night when we return from Butare.

With love,

Leah 

First Day Jitters!

The First Full Day

Today was a day of firsts. This morning/afternoon we headed over for the first day of teaching at the primary school. Today, I taught divinity and morality to one class of 5th graders for a 40 minute block. Going in, I was very excited, nervous, and curious as to how the day would go. 

Since my methods clinical has been over, I have really missed hanging out with students every day. The fact that I was with 4th graders all day every day kept my life busy, and the time that has passed since my last day with them has felt so odd. As soon as I stepped into the classroom, everything fell back into place.

Something that stuck my mind was how alike and different the schools and students in the United States and Rwanda actually are. 

In terms of things that are alike…..

• Kids are Kids, no matter where you go. They want attention, they want love, the love to play, and the always surprise you. 
• If you give a student marker and paper, they will draw instead of listening. 
• One smile from any child can really just steal your heart.

Differences?

• It was so interesting to see the level of respect that the students in Rwanda had for teachers or guests. As soon as I entered the classroom, every student stood up, and in perfect harmony the stated, "Welcome visitor." They also stood up whenever they gave a response to a question, and only spoke or moved when they were given permission. 
• I have never seen children so happy to be inside class. While I was talking to students after school, the spoke about loving mathematics and reading, and that they really enjoyed coming to school.
• The class day is also set up a bit differently. School actually ends at 1:00 p.m. each day, and they have school Monday - Saturday.

I was so blessed to be working with these beautiful and loving children, and blessed to hear their answers through our discussions. As I taught divinity today, I decided to focus our content on loving our neighbors, with an emphasis on who our neighbors are, and how to show our neighbors that we love them. 

When I asked about ways we can show love to our neighbors, I expected the typical answers of…. sharing, being nice, don't hit, etc… I was partially correct. I did receive these answers, but I also got answers like, have patience for others, be merciful with others, pray for others. Once they gave these answers, the largest grin appeared on my face, and I was reminded about how  loving others encompasses all these things. I realized that I need to make sure I am patient, and that I forgive, and that I am praying for others as well.  Automatically, Colossians 3:13 comes to mind. It reads, "bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, this scripture should prick our hearts to forgive others no matter what they have done to us or others. While he walked on this Earth, Jesus showed forgiveness and love for his fellowman in everything that he did. He showed us that we can forgive others, and honor God’s authority when it comes to judgment and wrath. We are within God’s will if we forgive. We are not in God’s will if we do not forgive. This was something big that continually poked and prodded at me all day. 

Once we were done with the primary school, we had lunch and headed over to the tech school. This week, they are remembering the genocide, and while this happens, there is a program three times a week where they go over the history of the genocide, along with placing emphasis on it "never again" happening, but at the same time remembering the lives that were lost. We were blessed with the opportunity to sit with students at the school before and during the program. We were able to make solid connections, but also had the program translated for us by the students. I met with a young woman named Nancy. Nancy is 17 years old, and is studying so that one day she may go to university and get a degree in electrical engineering. She has such a passion for education, learning and helping others, and loves theater, journalism, and debating. Automatically, we hit it off, and I am so proud to say that I have a new good friend that I can't wait to meet with more as this journey continues! 

It has been quite a long day though, so I am going to head out for the night. I will try to keep you updated! Hope all is well! 

With my love, 

Leah

Muzungu

Today was filled with adventure, insight, and lots of reflecting. We started out our day by going out for breakfast at the African Bagel Company, otherwise known as ABC. It was the best breakfast of bagels I have ever had! Once breakfast was done, we traveled to the Muslim part of Rwanda. While there we stopped at two different markets. The first was almost made me puke due to the smell, and it was so hard to be there. My heart went out to each person, as they worked hard, but it was so hard to see them struggle. They all smiled at us with their grins missing teeth, and I felt horrible. There I was with my Toms, straight teeth, clean clothing, and small backpack, while they had nothing. There joy and passion for greeting us was well accepted, but it was hard to understand how someone could be so happy and warm while we stopped by. The second market was an adventure. Left and right, all that we could here the people say was "Muzungu," which basically means "white person." I had finally known and felt how it is to be the minority. In a sea of people in the market, there were 7 muzungus, seven people out of the hundreds we saw. I could feel their eyes follow us, and there stares made me feel uncomfortable, and I felt like I have way more than I will ever need. This is something I think I need to start working on; I need to realize that I am so blessed, and that I have EVERYTHING that I need. 

After the market, we drove all over Kigali. We stopped at a third market, and boy, this market was huge. We were able to take some pictures while there, and I loved the busy atmosphere! The people were so kind, and there were so many smiles and words exchanged. Once we were done with the market, we headed to Cards From Africa. Cards From Africa is a company in Kigali that makes cards, and all products help families affected by AIDS and genocide. It was really cool to watch the process of making the paper, dying it, and then using it to create beautiful cards. We then had lunch, and after lunch came the longest drive of our day, and possibly one of the hardest moments to comprehend. 

Today we also went to two genocide memorials. Both of the memorials were at churches that people had sought out for refuge, but were actually killed. It was really difficult to walk through and see thousands of bones, the old bullet perforated and machete slashed clothing of the victims, and the remains from bullets and grandees that had gone off. Today was a day that I will never forget, and seeing these memorials really brings to life everything that we have researched. 

Tonight we are all spending some time reflecting and taking things in. Tomorrow we will be working on our material for teaching, and then taking some times for ourselves as well. I will talk to all of you soon! 

-Leah 

Nziza - beautiful

I woke up around 5 a.m. this morning to crashing thunder, and the noisiest rain of my life. I know can say why they bless the rains down in Africa. It was so freaking loud though! I tried to fall asleep, but it just wouldn't work. I think I laid in bed for an hour with my eyes closed without being able to fall asleep. Part of the loudness is due to the tin roofs though, which makes a whole lot of sense. The rain seemed perfect though, and really cooled things down :) Throughout our whole day, the rain came and went, but it was such a blessing.  

Today I had a lot of fun soaking up Rwandan culture. We went into down-town Kigali. The walk to the bus station took about 30 minutes uphill. The altitude made this feel like forever, and but it was a beautiful walk. It was weird to have so many people looking at us and  pointing. It is weird being the extremely small minority. I could feel the eyes of everyone on us when we walked on by. The as soon as we reached the bus, it was hilarious trying to get on. The bus was pretty small, and at one point I could not help but grin from ear to ear when this Rwandan man's cell phone started blaring Poker Face by Lady Gaga! It was so funny to hear some of the same music I have heard over here in Rwanda! It just shows how small of a world we actually live in. The drive was beautiful, but also scary at some points because everyone here drives like crazy! People dart in and out of traffic on foot, motorcycle, bus, car, etc. Fast and Furious! It was exciting though. 

We then entered downtown Kigali where we exchanged money so we would have the Rwanda Francs. Then, we went to our first market. I had a blast, and found some really cool items that I can't wait to bring home! After market, we walked to lunch, and made a pitstop at Hotel Des Mille Collines, the hotel Rwanda hotel. We were able to take a few pictures, but it was weird being at a place where I knew that so much had happened. We then ate lunch at a Rwanda buffet, pretty interesting, and then continued on our way. 

Our next stop was the camp Kigali Memorial. Camp Kigali is where ten Belgian UNAMIR peacekeepers who were sent to guard the house of Prime Minister Agathe Uqilingiyimana, were executed brutally by the Presidential Guard, on the first day of the genocide. The location is now a memorial, but it was so touching/eye opening. The house still shows the bullet holes, and the shrapnel marks from a grenade. There is also a memorial garden  that has ten stones, each representing a peacekeeper, with the initials of the soldiers carved into the base of the stone, and horizontal slashes indicating the age they were. It was very emotional, and it took a while to take it in. I can't even image what it will be like tomorrow when we go to memorials of the many victims of the genocide. 

After the memorial, we continued walking, and walking, and walking, and stopped to have coffee as a group. Rwandan coffee could take out Starbucks any day! We finally finished off the day by taking a van ride back to where we started. The one van had 20 people in it! It was so crazy, and I laughed so hard as soon as it was done. What an adventure!  

We finally ended our day by going to the Inema Arts Center. This center is a collective of Rwandan creative artists. It provides space for residence to work, and specializes in African Arts, Crafts, Music, and Dance. At Inema, there is the Nziza Workshop, that started in 2010. In kinyarwanda (the language spoken here) Nziza means beautiful. The Nziza workshop trains and employs Rwandan craftswomen. The on-site workshop that they have is busy daily with women sowing, beading and finishing bespoke pieces, and creating all types of art pieces. They also have the Art with a Mission program, which works with orphans, offering them an opportunity to discover and use there talents. It was such a blast to see how art and creativity was playing such a role in the lives of many.

Today was such a busy day, but I am excited for what tomorrow has to offer and bring. 

With my love,

Leah 

Amakuru!

Today was our first full day in Rwanda. We were quiet busy, and we did so much! 

When I first woke up this morning, it was unbelievably humid out. I felt as if I was walking around in a wet towel for the first part of the day. But even though my body felt sluggish and tired, my heart felt joyful, blessed, and excited for what was to come. 

Today we were awfully busy, and started off the day of events after breakfast was completed.  First was our tour of SOS. We spent a majority of our time meeting the staff at SOS, and really getting to know the surroundings. Rwanda is absolutely beautiful. I wish I could freeze Rwanda in my mind, bring it back to the United States with me, so I could see the same sight every morning when I wake up. Honestly, breathtakingly beautiful. Rwanda is known as the land of 10,000 hills. Although it is so beautiful, the altitude also makes walking up these beautiful hills quite…fun? I can't wait to see how well my lungs work as soon as I am back to a "normal" altitude. 

Once we were done with meeting the staff, we met the house Mommies and Aunties. SOS believes that it is very important to provide orphaned children with a family setting, and having a woman who acts as the mother is one of the ways they do this. We were able to sit with them in their homes, and talk to them before moving on to our next activity. 

The next part of our day was my FAVORITE part of the day. We walked down the road to the Primary School. As soon as the children say us, they ran over!  Shouts of "Muraho" and "amakuru" filled the air, and the students all swarmed around me with hugs and smiles. I felt the tears of happiness start to flood my eyes, but I managed to choke them back and smile at all the beautiful children surrounding me. Automatically, one little girl clinged to my hand, and wouldn't let go. My heart automatically fell in love with her, and at that moment, I knew that leaving these children is going to be one of the hardest things I will ever have to do. 

After we were done with the primary school, we also visited the tech school that we will be working at. It was awesome to talk to some of the students, and I am very thrilled to see what the relationships we build will be like. We then came back for lunch, and had the afternoon to really relax and enjoy ourselves. 

Side note…. my favorite food so far? Passionfruit. I LOVE it, and wish that I could bring a ton of it back with me. I could honestly eat it all day. 

Tomorrow we will be venturing into town, and I can't wait to write all about it. Hope all is well, and I will try to upload some pictures as soon as I can! 

Love you all,

Leah :) 

We finally made it!

(This blog was written on Wednesday, May 8th. We didn't have internet connection right away, but I wanted to jot down some of my initial thoughts.)

At Last… We finally made it, and it has been quite the adventure! This Wednesday, we departed from the Brussels airport for our last flight to Kigali, Rwanda.

The plane was great, and the flight seemed to take quite a shorter amount of time than it did when we were flying into Brussels, even though the actually flight time was about the same. As we were about to land, I felt an enormous amount of butterflies conquer my stomach. I felt as if my heart was in my throat, and the thought that I would finally be landing in Africa, my life long dream, brought so much enthusiasm! 

As soon as I walked off of the plane, so many things hit me; emotions and physically feelings flooded me. I had finally reached Africa; my dreams were coming true! Physically, the humidity overwhelmed me as my glasses fogged up, and the smell was so different, not in a bad way. Everything around me was different, and the opportunities that are going to come excited me. 

We then met our drivers who took us to SOS, they will also be our main drivers during this trip, and the car ride presented itself with more feelings. Being the cautious driver that I am, the traffic in Kigali gave me a few heart attacks. It was crazy that people were darting in and out on their motorbikes, and even on foot! There was so much noise and confusions, and so many things to see! There were people cramming into taxi buses, literally cramming, music playing, and so many different buildings and surroundings. 

Finally, we reached SOS, the main place that we are staying, at 8:30p.m.. Even though it was dark, the sun goes down very early here, I could tell that it was beautiful. There was and is just something about this place; I can hear the crickets and bugs making noise, and can see the starts so clearly. We were all brought to our rooms, which was just the beginning of new things. We all have our own rooms while we are here, and each room contains our bedroom, a closet, a sink, and a shower. For me, the bathroom is right down the hallway. The first thing that stuck out was the large mosquito net hanging above my bed. This would be the next part of our night. 

We met as a group to go over a few basics, and we learned how to really set up our beds with the nets. As I write this portion of the blog, I am currently under my net, surrounded by my computer, a bottle of water, and my bible. For some reason, I feel as if I am 6 again, "camping" under this net/tent that I assembled myself. I love it though. :)

My first thoughts? Wow. I think I am going to love it here. Everything is so different, and I think that at this point in my life, a trip like this is really going to put some things into perspective. It will also allow me to grow in so many areas of my life, especially in my faith and relationship with God. I am so curious to see how I will change. Other thoughts? umm…. I totally forgot how much I hate humidity… let's be real. It is kind of sticky here, but I will get used to it eventually, or so I hope. I do really miss some things already, like being able to chat with my family, my boyfriend, and friends on the drop of the hatch, but it helps knowing that they support me in my decision to be here. I can't wait to come back and share my story. 

Well, It is time for me to head out to sleep. I miss you all!